North American Breeding Bird Survey
The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is the nation’s largest and longest-running community science project. Since it began in 1966, BBS has provided important information on avian population trends across the continent; it is also instrumental for statewide bird conservation and management in Utah. To participate, experienced birders sign up to complete a BBS survey route one time per year during the breeding season. Volunteers drive a 25-mile route with 50 stops where they do a 3-minute point count survey. Tracy Aviary helps with the coordination and recruitment of new volunteers to the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) in Utah as part of a partnership project with the Utah Division of Wildlife (UDWR).
Sign-up to Survey a BBS Route
1. Click here to view vacant routes in the state
2. Select route(s) that you are interested in surveying
3. Contact: Russell Norvell to sign up
Utah Div. of Wildlife Resources
1594 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-8301
Phone – 801-537-3436, or 801-554-8140
Email – russellnorvell@utah.gov
Utah BBS Information and Resources
Click here to visit the main USGS webpage with general resources about the North American Breeding Bird Surveys.
Find your route species list here.
Bird Identification Resources – External Links
Here are some external resources that may be useful as you learn how to identify and survey birds:
- All About Birds – Cornell Lab of Ornithology (online bird guide and other bird ID resources)
- Macaulay Library (online library of bird songs and videos)
- eBird (a place to upload and explore data from bird surveys collected by other citizen scientists)
- Dendroica (you can explore bird pictures and songs, and build quizzes to test yourself)
- Merlin ID app (a phone app that you can use to identify and learn about birds)
- Xeno-Canto (a collection of bird song)
- Utah Birds (a website specifically about birds and birding in Utah)
- Larkwire (a game-based system for learning bird songs for purchase)
- Thayer (birding software with a field guide and quizzes for purchase)
Project Partners
This project is a collaborative effort between Tracy Aviary and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.