Date: 3/31/26 8:41 am From: Eric Soehren via groups.io <esoehren...> Subject: [ALbirds] Vacant Breeding Bird Survey Routes - Volunteers Needed (2026)!
AL Birders--
It’s that time of year again when I put the call out for volunteers to adopt a vacant Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) route for the upcoming breeding season in Alabama.
As an overview, the USGS BBS is a long-term, standardized monitoring program run by volunteers (over 2,000 people) throughout North America. Since its inception in 1966, the BBS is one of the most important bird monitoring programs in existence as it provides population trend estimates for the continent’s breeding birds at different temporal and spatial scales. The data is used in many ways and enables researchers and wildlife agencies to better evaluate the current statuses of species in terms of conservation need. Observers must be able to identify birds by sight and song, although most detections are made by ear. Essentially, the survey entails conducting 50, 3-minute point counts at stops placed at 0.5-mile increments along an established road route. It typically takes 4 hours to complete. Start times are 30 minutes before local sunrise. Routes are surveyed only once a year and the observer can select the day to run them usually between mid-May to 30 June, although some start dates may be a week later in the northern part of the state. Weekends are the best days to survey routes (especially Sundays) with much lower traffic volume.
I am looking for dedicated birders who possess the necessary skills to readily identify all breeding birds by sight and song to step up and participate. There have been a number of retirements from their routes, so I'm seeking to fill 21 vacancies in the state, which currently represents 25% of all 85 active routes! Most of the vacancies are weighted toward the western side of the state, but don't let that sway your consideration...
Current vacant routes (and county starting point) include the following:
Trade (02004) – Cullman
Liberty (02019) – Pickens
Riderwood (02020) – Choctaw
Linden (02021) – Marengo
Grangeburg (02031) – Houston
Brundidge (02032) – Pike
Beatrice (02036) – Monroe
Millry (02039) – Washington
Blocton (02043) – Bibb
Epes (02048) – Sumter
Escatawpa (02052) – Washington
Grove Hill (02053) – Clarke
Holt (02060) – Tuscaloosa
Courtland (02102) – Lawrence
Vina (02201) – Marion
Carter Grove (02203) – Madison
Vernon (02205) – Lamar
Wedowee (02209) – Randolph
Gastonburg (02210) – Houston
Seale (02212) – Lee
Claiborne (02214) – Clarke
So, if you are concerned about the welfare of our breeding birds and possess the necessary skills to identify them, please consider taking one or more of the vacant routes listed above. Participation requires dedicating a day to scout the route for familiarity and then a single morning beginning at the designated start time to survey a route of 50 stops, which contributes substantially to our present-day knowledge of breeding bird statuses on many levels! If you currently have an assigned route(s) or have participated in the past, a big thank you for your dedicated service.
If you are unfamiliar with the BBS and have questions about it or want to request a route, please contact me (contact information below). I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Thank you for your consideration and good birding!
Eric Soehren, Alabama BBS Coordinator
<eric.soehren...>
