USGS

Geographic Information Products From the 

North American Breeding Bird Survey

Version 2004.1

Route-level and Polygon Coverages

The BBS collects information on roadside bird populations, and geographic information can be displayed at a variety of scales.  The most local scale is individual survey routes, and route paths have been digitized using funding from the USGS Electronic National Atlas.  Maps are also commonly made by statistically "smoothing" the route level data to provide maps of relative abundance and trends that are based on a grid superimposed on the portion of North America covered by the BBS. 

We have developed ARC shape files for both survey route paths and the grid, and these files are available from our ftp site.

We also provide summaries at these scales of relative abundance and trend for all bird species encountered on the BBS.  Data are provided as text files, that can be associated with the shape files listed above.  These data files will be updated as new data become available, and hopefully in the future information will be accessible directly from the BBS database.  

This page provides access to:

  • Shape files for route data and the grid used for display of abundance
  • Relative abundance and trend data that can be associated with these shape files.
  • Instructions about how to associate data with the shape files, and metadata regarding both shape files and data

A Caution:

Maps are designed primarily for visual display of survey data.  The abundances provide a view of general patterns of regional differences in counts of birds along survey routes.  However, we caution users that factors such as observer differences and habitats can influence detectability of birds among routes.  A variety of more sophisticated analyses should be used for ecological studies.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Relative Abundance Information to Associate with Route Paths

Text Files and Associated Coverages of Abundance Data by Route

Metadata 

Trend Information to Associate with Route Paths

Text Files and Associated Coverages for Trend Data by Route

Metadata

Abundance Information to Associate with Smoothed Grid 

Text Files and Associated Coverages for Abundance Data by Grid

Metadata

Trend Information to Associate with Smoothed Grid

Text Files and Associated Coverages for Trend Data by Grid

Metadata

 

Shape Files Projection Information and Other Details
Shape File of Route Paths Metadata
Metadata from Electronic National Atlas
Shape File of Grid File for Regional Maps Metadata

 

Please Submit Comments or Questions to:


Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
12100
Beech Forest Road
Laurel, Maryland 20708-4039 USA

E-mail: jrsauer at usgs.gov

Last updated 31 July 2006