About this Collection

Our Migratory Bird Program pilot biologists and ground crews submit their first-hand observations from the field as they conduct the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey. The survey is conducted by airplane, helicopter, and ground over a 2 million square mile area that covers the principal waterfowl breeding areas in North America, and includes parts of Alaska, Canada, and the northcentral and northeast U.S. This survey is also referred to as the Breeding Population Survey (BPOP) or the May Survey. This is a collection of those field reports over the years. 

The Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey is conducted each spring by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, state wildlife agencies and the Canadian Wildlife Service to estimate the size of breeding waterfowl populations across North America and to evaluate habitat conditions on the breeding grounds. These surveys are conducted using airplanes, helicopters, and ground crews, and cover over 2 million square miles that encompass the principal breeding areas of many species of waterfowl in North America. The traditional survey area comprises parts of Alaska, Canada, and the north-central U.S., and covers approximately 1.3 million square miles. The eastern survey area includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, New York and Maine, covering an area of approximately 0.7 million square miles. 

Search in the Collection