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North Dakota Bird Life:

Tracking Changes Over a Quarter Century

How Many Birds in North Dakota?

We estimated there were about 25.5 million breeding pairs in North Dakota in 1967, 24.1 million pairs in 1992, and 27.4 million pairs in 1993. Multiplying these estimates by two gives a rough estimate of nearly 50 million individual breeding birds in North Dakota during the breeding season, before young are produced. This estimate is conservative because some breeding birds are polygynous, with males having two or more mates.

Population estimates of some common breeding birds in North Dakota, in 1967, 1992, and 1993. Numbers represent indicated pairs.

Species 1967 1992 1993

Mallard 457,000 249,000 439,000

Northern Pintail 371,000 50,000 127,000

Blue-winged Teal 612,000 216,000 312,000

Northern Harrier 33,000 46,000 75,000

Sharp-tailed Grouse 39,000 102,000 72,000

Sora 68,000 90,000 167,000

American Coot 761,000 169,000 271,000

Killdeer 227,000 248,000 312,000

Upland Sandpiper 139,000 236,000 198,000

Wilson's Phalarope 157,000 66,000 79,000

Mourning Dove 628,000 742,000 733,000

Western Kingbird 221,000 427,000 390,000

Horned Lark 2,772,000 2,412,000 3,672,000

Cliff Swallow 308,000 743,000 477,000

Barn Swallow 206,000 408,000 420,000

Blue Jay 29,000 58,000 66,000

American Crow 60,000 28,000 58,000

Black-capped Chickadee 6,000 59,000 66,000

House Wren 111,000 473,000 449,000

Marsh Wren 112,000 250,000 336,000

American Robin 144,000 254,000 267,000

Brown Thrasher 93,000 187,000 229,000

Lark Bunting 1,368,000 1,541,000 686,000

Savannah Sparrow 1,120,000 295,000 596,000

Song Sparrow 116,000 216,000 274,000

Chestnut-collared Longspur 2,544,000 1,351,000 1,707,000

Bobolink 464,000 405,000 371,000

Red-winged Blackbird 2,038,000 1,306,000 1,536,000

Western Meadowlark 2,034,000 1,080,000 1,441,000

Common Grackle 302,000 658,000 651,000

Brown-headed Cowbird 1,005,000 1,425,000 1,335,000

Baltimore Oriole 44,000 105,000 86,000

American Goldfinch 227,000 316,000 282,000

House Sparrow 214,000 397,000 380,000

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Species	1967	1992	1993
Mallard	457,000	249,000	439,000
Northern Pintail	371,000	50,000	127,000
Blue-winged Teal	612,000	216,000	312,000
Northern Harrier	33,000	46,000	75,000
Sharp-tailed Grouse	39,000	102,000	72,000
Sora	68,000	90,000	167,000
American Coot	761,000	169,000	271,000
Killdeer	227,000	248,000	312,000
Upland Sandpiper	139,000	236,000	198,000
Wilson's Phalarope	157,000	66,000	79,000
Mourning Dove	628,000	742,000	733,000
Western Kingbird	221,000	427,000	390,000
Horned Lark	2,772,000	2,412,000	3,672,000
Cliff Swallow	308,000	743,000	477,000
Barn Swallow	206,000	408,000	420,000
Blue Jay	29,000	58,000	66,000
American Crow	60,000	28,000	58,000
Black-capped Chickadee	6,000	59,000	66,000
House Wren	111,000	473,000	449,000
Marsh Wren	112,000	250,000	336,000
American Robin	144,000	254,000	267,000
Brown Thrasher	93,000	187,000	229,000
Lark Bunting	1,368,000	1,541,000	686,000
Savannah Sparrow	1,120,000	295,000	596,000
Song Sparrow	116,000	216,000	274,000
Chestnut-collared Longspur	2,544,000	1,351,000	1,707,000
Bobolink	464,000	405,000	371,000
Red-winged Blackbird	2,038,000	1,306,000	1,536,000
Western Meadowlark	2,034,000	1,080,000	1,441,000
Common Grackle	302,000	658,000	651,000
Brown-headed Cowbird	1,005,000	1,425,000	1,335,000
Baltimore Oriole	44,000	105,000	86,000
American Goldfinch	227,000	316,000	282,000
House Sparrow	214,000	397,000	380,000