Bird Monitoring: Tracking avian populations for a healthier planet
Bird monitoring is essential to understand & conserve bird populations—as the saying goes: “you can’t improve what you don’t measure”. This practice also protects habitats and guides effective conservation strategies.
At Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, bird monitoring is at the core of our science-based approach to conserving birds and their ecosystems across the western United States, Great Plains, and Mexico.
For over 30 years, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies has worked with public and private partners to collect vital data on bird species throughout the region. These insights help land managers, researchers, and policymakers make informed decisions that benefit both birds and people.
What is Bird Monitoring?
Bird monitoring is the systematic collection of data on bird presence, abundance, distribution, and behavior over time. Through carefully designed surveys, scientists can track how bird populations are changing and identify the environmental factors influencing those changes.
Monitoring programs can also provide early warning signs about declining species and habitats. This allows conservationists to evaluate the effectiveness of habitat restoration efforts and prioritize areas for conservation action.
At Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, our bird monitoring programs focus on large-scale, long-term, and landscape-level approaches to maximize conservation impact.
Why Bird Monitoring Matters
Birds are more than just beautiful and inspiring creatures. They’re also important indicators of ecosystem health. Because birds respond quickly to environmental changes, they help us understand how broader ecological systems function.
Here’s why bird monitoring is critical:
- Detects population trends and identifies species in decline
- Informs land management practices for forests, grasslands, wetlands, and more
- Guides habitat restoration and conservation efforts
- Supports climate change research by tracking shifts in bird ranges and behavior
- Provides data to support public policy and conservation funding
By investing in bird monitoring, we gain a clearer picture of how natural systems are changing and what we can do to protect them.
Our Bird Monitoring Programs
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies leads some of the most comprehensive bird monitoring programs in the western US and beyond. Our approach combines rigorous scientific methods, standardized protocols, and collaborative partnerships.
Integrated Monitoring in Bird Conservation Regions (IMBCR)
One of our flagship programs, IMBCR is a large-scale monitoring initiative that spans multiple states and habitats. It is designed to provide consistent and reliable data on bird populations across the western United States.
Key features of IMBCR include:
- Standardized point-count surveys conducted by trained biologists
- Region-wide coordination with public land agencies and private landowners
- Data used to support conservation planning, habitat management, and research
This program is one of the most extensive bird monitoring efforts in North America and has been critical in tracking trends for species like the Western Meadowlark, Brewer’s Sparrow, and Greater Sage-Grouse.
Grassland and Forest Monitoring
In addition to IMBCR, we conduct targeted bird monitoring in specific ecosystems such as:
- Shortgrass and mixed-grass prairies in the Great Plains
- Montane forests in the Rocky Mountains
- Riparian corridors and wetlands vital for migratory birds
Each monitoring effort is designed to address the unique conservation needs of birds within those ecosystems.
Citizen Science & Volunteer Opportunities
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies also engages citizen scientists in bird monitoring efforts. Volunteers play an important role in collecting data through community science programs such as:
- Breeding bird surveys
- Migration counts
- Nest monitoring projects
We provide training and support to ensure high-quality data collection while making bird monitoring accessible to people of all ages and experience levels.
Supporting Conservation Through Science
Bird monitoring fuels the science that drives effective conservation. Federal agencies, nonprofit partners, and academic researchers use the data we collect to protect birds and the places they call home.
We also share our findings through interactive data portals and reports to make bird population data accessible and actionable for decision-makers and the public.
Learn More and Get Involved
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies is committed to advancing bird monitoring science for the benefit of people and nature. Whether you’re a land manager, educator, birder, or supporter of wildlife conservation, your involvement helps us keep birds flying high.
To learn more about our bird monitoring programs or to support our work, visit birdconservancy.org.