Surveys & Data

The Migratory Bird Program develops and implements a variety of activities designed to inform bird conservation policies and initiatives. These activities are numerous and varied, and are undertaken by a wide variety of organizations through partnerships as well as by the public through various citizen action and citizen science initiatives.

We conduct a number of surveys in partnership with other groups within the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Canadian Wildlife Service, State and Provincial wildlife management agencies, as well as other U.S. federal government organizations, and the four migratory bird flyways.

In this section, you can learn more about cooperative population surveys and monitoring programs for migratory birds in North America, including objectives, goals, scope and organizational responsibilities. Each May and June, you can also keep up with pilot-biologists and their observers as they conduct waterfowl population surveys in Alaska, Canada and the north-central United States.

 Data obtained from these surveys and programs are used to produce reports and publications, guidance documents, management and conservation plans, and hunting regulations - all of which are necessary to conserve and manage migratory birds.

Ever wonder how biologists generate the number of all migratory birds harvested throughout the country or what type of data is used to make sound decisions concerning hunting seasons, bag limits, and population management? Check out Harvest Surveys to find out. Follow the links to find out about our bird banding program and how we use the information you report from a bird band. You can also find out how to report a bird band, and you can read blogs from the scientists and volunteers who traverse breeding grounds in western Canada each summer to band waterfowl just before hunting season begins.

Within this section you can also learn more about the Webless Migratory Game Bird Program, which provides much-needed funding for webless species (doves, pigeons, woodcock, sandhill cranes and marsh birds) research and management related projects.