High year-to-year variability and nomadism across the Canadian and United States border (Green et al. 2002) complicate the analysis of population change for the Baird's Sparrow. Data from the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) in Canada provide the best measure of population change for this species and suggest an approximate 57% decrease in numbers since the early 1970s. Results from throughout the North America also indicate a large decrease (-67%) in the continental population. The temporal pattern of population change is similar for both sets of results; the annual index graph indicates that, despite large annual fluctuations, the population generally declined through to the mid-1980s, increased until the early 1990s, declined again until about 2000 and has remained at that lower level since then. The Baird's Sparrow is below the lowest acceptable level relative to its national population goal (see Canada graph below). This goal will be re-examined once the Management Plan for the species is developed under the Species at Risk Act.
Additional information on: Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis