BirdAnalyst
BBS Route · Texas · BCR 18

Plains Bird Survey Route

A standard 50-stop Breeding Bird Survey route. 58 species recorded across 21 survey years, no longer active.

58Species 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 →
21Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →
1994–2017Span
3Observers

Bird Species Found on Texas Plains

Top 40 of 58 species by most recent count. Each links to its species trend.

Species recorded on the Plains 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
Western KingbirdTyrannidae1082017+258%1996
Mourning DoveColumbidae682017+146%1996
Horned LarkAlaudidae662017-20%1996
Great-tailed GrackleIcteridae552017+382%2000
Rock PigeonColumbidae382017+347%1996
Western MeadowlarkIcteridae272017+17%1997
Northern BobwhiteOdontophoridae242017+65%1996
Swainson's HawkAccipitridae122017+340%1997
Cassin's SparrowPasserellidae122017-48%1996
Chihuahuan RavenCorvidae112017+48%1997
Lark SparrowPasserellidae112017+200%1996
Barn SwallowHirundinidae112017+308%1996
Red-winged BlackbirdIcteridae82017+57%1996
Scissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannidae62017-10%1997
Cliff SwallowHirundinidae62017-22%2007
Northern MockingbirdMimidae52017-36%1996
Burrowing OwlStrigidae52017+138%2006
House SparrowPasseridae42017-78%1996
Lesser Prairie-ChickenPhasianidae42011-17%2008
Eurasian Collared-DoveColumbidae42017+150%2007
Common GrackleIcteridae42009-87%2008
American KestrelFalconidae32017+100%1997
American CrowCorvidae32017-83%1998
Grasshopper SparrowPasserellidae32016+180%1998
Bullock's OrioleIcteridae32017+29%1998
Common NighthawkCaprimulgidae32017+75%2007
Scaled QuailOdontophoridae32017+150%2008
MallardAnatidae22010-14%1999
KilldeerCharadriidae22015-20%1996
Chihuahuan MeadowlarkIcteridae22017-69%1997
Lark BuntingPasserellidae22016-56%2009
American AvocetRecurvirostridae22015-33%2006
European StarlingSturnidae22015-38%2008
Say's PhoebeTyrannidae22016+100%2007
American RobinTurdidae22009n/an/a
Blue-winged TealAnatidae22015n/an/a
Cave SwallowHirundinidae22017+0%2015
Black-crowned Night HeronArdeidae22017n/an/a
Black-necked StiltRecurvirostridae12006+0%1994
Ring-necked PheasantPhasianidae12017+0%1998

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