BBS data has been pivotal to making inferences about declining bird species trends at large scales (see Rosenberg et al 2019 as a recent example). However, since it’s inception in 1966, the data collection protocol for volunteers has changed very little, despite advances in survey methodology in intervening years.
Today, the Breeding Bird Survey announced a 10-year Strategic Plan to update how these data are collected, analyzed, and displayed, while maintaining focus on its mission to be a valuable component informing avian conservation and management.
While the specifics are not yet formalized, it is great to see this critical program moving forward with modernization!
Abstract
The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) has been the cornerstone of continental bird conservation and management for hundreds of North American bird species in the United States and Canada for more than 50 years. This strategic plan was developed in collaboration with key partners and stakeholders and charts the ambitious course for the BBS over the next decade (2020–30). Using this plan as a guide, the BBS program will set out to improve the breadth and depth of standardized data collection and analytical products; ensure its products are widely used and recognized as the authoritative source for long-term population change information for most birds; and secure adequate resources, internally and through partnerships, to realize the expanded vision of the BBS intended to support avian management needs through 2030.
