BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · South Dakota · BCR 17

Pioneer Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 69 species recorded across 28 survey years, still active.

69Species Recorded
28Years Surveyed
1992–2024Span
3Observers

Bird Species Found on South Dakota Pioneer

Top 40 of 69 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.

Species recorded on the Pioneer route.
History
Western MeadowlarkIcteridae5242024+45%1994
Grasshopper SparrowPasserellidae1082024+26%1994
Mourning DoveColumbidae402024+159%1995
Red-winged BlackbirdIcteridae262024+176%1994
Lark BuntingPasserellidae252024-88%1994
Ruddy DuckAnatidae201996+250%1993
American White PelicanPelecanidae182002+157%1995
Brown-headed CowbirdIcteridae142024+278%1994
Upland SandpiperScolopacidae92024+31%1994
Long-billed CurlewScolopacidae92024-43%1994
MallardAnatidae62024-18%1994
Red-tailed HawkAccipitridae62022+60%2006
Burrowing OwlStrigidae42024+433%1996
American WigeonAnatidae42021+40%1995
Blue-winged TealAnatidae42024+20%1995
Wilson's PhalaropeScolopacidae42002+100%1997
KilldeerCharadriidae32024-57%1994
Yellow-headed BlackbirdIcteridae32024-88%1994
House SparrowPasseridae31999-33%1994
RedheadAnatidae31997+100%1995
Pied-billed GrebePodicipedidae22001+50%1994
Northern ShovelerAnatidae22023+100%1995
Great Blue HeronArdeidae22009+100%1992
American AvocetRecurvirostridae22023-14%1996
Ring-necked PheasantPhasianidae22017-44%1994
Orchard OrioleIcteridae22003+100%1994
Common GrackleIcteridae22024-64%1995
Barn SwallowHirundinidae22024-57%1994
Common YellowthroatParulidae21999+25%1995
Eared GrebePodicipedidae21993n/an/a
Chestnut-collared LongspurCalcariidae22012+100%1997
DickcisselCardinalidae22022+100%2000
Ring-necked DuckAnatidae22021n/an/a
Ring-billed GullLaridae22024n/an/a
GadwallAnatidae12023-68%1994
American BitternArdeidae12010+0%1998
American CootRallidae12023-75%1994
Northern HarrierAccipitridae12024-33%1994
Swainson's HawkAccipitridae12024-40%1994
Ferruginous HawkAccipitridae12021-40%2004

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. A route is a sample, not a census.