Did you know that the USGS’s North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) has a bit of a presidential history? Former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn were avid birders who assisted in the BBS, one of the nation’s most foundational sources for long-term, scientific bird population data. 

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The BBS is a cooperative effort between the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC) and Environment Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service to monitor the status and trends of North American bird populations. The program was initiated in 1966 in response to prominent concerns at the time. In the mid-20th century, the use of post-war chemicals like DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) grew, as did concerns about their effects on wildlife. Local studies had attributed some bird kills to pesticides, but it was unclear how, or if, bird populations were being affected. Responding to this concern, a wildlife biologist named Chandler Robbins and his colleagues at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (now a campus of the EESC) created the BBS program to monitor bird populations over large geographic areas.

Today, BBS data show good news for Bald Eagle, Osprey, and other bird populations that had been affected by DDT, as all have made strong recoveries following its ban. But bird populations continue to encounter widespread threats including land-use changes, invasive species, wildlife diseases, and other chemical contaminants. To help understand these, the BBS continues its nearly sixty-year legacy, providing an inexpensive and reliable way to capture the long-term record of North American bird population change. BBS provides the critical context needed to identify changes before species become at-risk, which helps keep common birds common and aids the growing $107 billion birdwatching industry in the U.S.

Each year during the height of the avian breeding season (June, for most of the U.S. and Canada), thousands of dedicated participants highly skilled in bird identification collect these important BBS data. These observers sample the BBS’s thousands of pre-determined roadside routes by stopping at roughly half-mile intervals to perform bird counts. During each count, the observer records every bird they see or hear within a quarter-mile radius for exactly 3-minutes — no more or less – making it the perfect job for a conscientious, service-oriented birder.

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On his experience with birding and the BBS, President Carter remarked in an interview, "We don’t like to just add a name to our list. We also like to learn something about each species’ habits. After our trip to Tanzania, we discovered that one of the study trails for the annual U.S. Breeding Bird Survey is located near our home in Plains, Georgia. Ever since, we have joined the survey experts during the first week of June and we’ve learned a lot about the local species and their calls. Now, wherever we travel, we try to set aside time for bird-watching with an experienced local birder."

For five years between 1989 and 1996, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter participated in the Lacross BBS survey, located not far from their home in Plains, GA. They assisted BBS observer Mark Oberle.

The BBS archive of records at the EESC includes correspondence related to their participation, like mention of an anhinga found on the route for the first time during one of their surveys. In another year, Mark reflected on how he and the Carters felt their low Carolina Wren numbers were likely due to a March blizzard that had brought two inches of snow to Plains, GA. Their conclusion aligns with later findings from BBS data range-wide, showing that Carolina Wren populations decline following harsh winters.

In a later correspondence, Mark reflected on his time with the Carters, noting their familiarity with the route and the unique use of a Secret Service vehicle.

The invaluable data provided by the Carters and thousands of other participants are compiled by BBS coordinators and analyzed by researchers, all of whom work collectively to deliver BBS data and analysis products to the public. The BBS has accumulated data from over 700 bird species and provides long-term population trends for more than 500, meeting the assessment and planning needs of resource managers, scientists, atlas projects, educators, and many more.

To learn more about the North American Breeding Bird Survey, see our data, and learn how you can participate, visit our site here.