BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · South Dakota · BCR 17

Volunteer Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 103 species recorded across 43 survey years, still active.

103Species RecordedSpecies recordedDistinct species detected on standard-protocol BBS runs here across all years on record — a measure of survey breadth, not a complete checklist.Full methodology →
43Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →
1967–2025Span
10Observers

Bird Species Found on South Dakota Volunteer

Top 40 of 103 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.

Species recorded on the Volunteer route.
Recent countThe raw number of individuals recorded on this route in its most recent survey year. A single-route tally, not a trend.Full methodology →TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →History
Brown-headed CowbirdIcteridae281202518×1969
Red-winged BlackbirdIcteridae2122025+18%1969
Western MeadowlarkIcteridae2032025-68%1969
Cliff SwallowHirundinidae149202531×1975
Mourning DoveColumbidae682025-70%1969
Lark BuntingPasserellidae552025-95%1969
Grasshopper SparrowPasserellidae532025-48%1969
European StarlingSturnidae272025+52%1969
Upland SandpiperScolopacidae232025+186%1969
Eastern KingbirdTyrannidae222025-3%1969
Barn SwallowHirundinidae212025-9%1969
DickcisselCardinalidae202025-54%1969
House SparrowPasseridae202025+20%1969
Common GrackleIcteridae192025+371%1969
American AvocetRecurvirostridae141993+367%1980
KilldeerCharadriidae132025-38%1969
Lark SparrowPasserellidae122025+500%1969
Rock PigeonColumbidae122025-27%1980
MallardAnatidae112019-32%1969
American RobinTurdidae112025+278%1969
Western KingbirdTyrannidae112025+325%1981
Orchard OrioleIcteridae92025+57%1970
Song SparrowPasserellidae82012+167%1968
Common NighthawkCaprimulgidae72025+64%1969
Vesper SparrowPasserellidae72025+11%1969
Savannah SparrowPasserellidae62012+200%2011
SoraRallidae52015+200%1987
Tree SwallowHirundinidae52017+60%2009
Blue-winged TealAnatidae42025-36%1969
Horned LarkAlaudidae42025-91%1969
Yellow WarblerParulidae42025+0%1969
Northern ShovelerAnatidae41995+60%1983
American GoldfinchFringillidae42025+100%1988
Canada GooseAnatidae42013n/an/a
Eurasian Collared-DoveColumbidae42025n/an/a
American CootRallidae32019+100%1969
Blue GrosbeakCardinalidae32025-25%1967
Northern House WrenTroglodytidae32025-25%1969
Sharp-tailed GrousePhasianidae32013-50%1970
BobolinkIcteridae32025-47%2012

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-08-14. A route is a sample, not a census.