A special section in the August edition of the The Condor: Ornithological Advances focuses on the role that the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) had played in North American bird conservation efforts. Articles within the journal focus on the first 50 years of the survey and how the information provided by the survey is now providing long-term population trend information on more than 500 species of birds. Other articles focus on specific BBS data that is being used for developing conservation assessments as well as evaluation of specific survey techniques that are used in BBS routes.

“By raising awareness of population changes, the BBS has helped to motivate bird conservation efforts through the creation of Partners in Flight,” notes the abstract for a paper evaluating the role of the BBS in North America. “BBS data have been used to determine priority species and locations for conservation action at regional and national scales through Bird Conservation Region strategies and Joint Ventures. Data from the BBS have provided the quantitative foundation for North American State of the Birds reports, and have informed the public with regard to environmental health through multiple indicators, such as the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Report on the Environment. BBS data have been analyzed with other data (e.g., environmental, land cover, and demographic) to evaluate potential drivers of population change, which have then informed conservation actions.”