I. Introduction A. This document describes the data files of the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS). They are available at ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/BBS/DataFiles/ The current dataset version is 2016.0, which replaces version 2015.1, and includes data from 1966 - 2016. Date Posted: 04/25/2017. B. Citation: Pardieck, K.L., D.J. Ziolkowski Jr., M. Lutmerding, K. Campbell and M.-A.R. Hudson. 2017. North American Breeding Bird Survey Dataset 1966 - 2016, version 2016.0. U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. ; doi:10.5066/F7W0944J. For more information on updates, see whatsnew.txt. C. Archived data from earlier years, that were posted on this ftp site, can be found at ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/BBS/Archivefiles/. II. Data Liability Disclaimer This database, identified as the North American Breeding Bird Survey Dataset, has been approved for release and publication by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Canadian Wildlife Service of Environment Canada (EC). Although this database has been subjected to rigorous review and is substantially complete, the USGS and EC reserve the right to revise the data pursuant to further analysis and review. Furthermore, it is released on the condition that the USGS, the U.S. Government, the EC, and the Canadian Government may not be held liable for any damages resulting from its authorized or unauthorized use. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata files associated with the dataset. Information concerning the accuracy and appropriate uses of these data may be obtained from the metadata files, or from the National Program Managers. For example, all the data contained within these files do not necessarily meet the various methodological criteria for USGS trend estimation. Run type codes, as indicated in the Weather.zip file, are used to distinguish between routes that meet USGS-BBS criteria and those that do not. Run type "1" is acceptable data; run type "0" is unacceptable data for USGS trend analyses purposes. Both types of data are available in the files. See the RunType.txt file for a more complete discussion of run type codes and their application. Also inclusion of observer covariates has been found to be an important factor for mitigating potential effects of observer bias when analyzing these data; observer information can be found in weather.zip file. III. Terms of Use Users of these BBS data are obligated to formally recognize their use of the program's data in publications, presentations and other outlets. Additionally, all work using these data should acknowledge the thousands of U.S. and Canadian participants who annually perform and coordinate the survey. If a publication is based solely on the analysis of BBS data, we recommend that you involve National BBS staff with the writing and/or review of the manuscript. It is in the best interest for the continued success of the BBS that authors submit a reprint or pdf of their work featuring BBS data to the National BBS staff for inclusion in the program's bibliography. Thank you for supporting the BBS program and we look forward to learning of your work. Finally, we believe the information contained in the data file(s) will be self- explanatory, but feel free to contact us if you have any questions. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Breeding Bird Survey 12100 Beech Forest Road Laurel, MD 20708-4038 IV. General Description of Files The data are stored in self-extracting zip files. The data are provided as comma separated values text files. The first line of each file contains the column headers. V. How to Access the Data Files 1) Download the file(s) of interest to your device. 2) IF .txt file, double click to open. If .zip file, double click to extract data. 3) You can view the data file with a text editor (such as Notepad), spreadsheet program (e.g., Excel) or input it into a database program. IV. Contacts If you have any questions or notice any problems with the data, please let us know. Dave Ziolkowski, Jr. Keith Pardieck 301-497-5753 301-497-5843 dziolkowski@usgs.gov kpardieck@usgs.gov VI. List of Files Files in the main directory: File Name Format Description README.TXT Text This file FiftySt.txt Text Description of the Fifty-Stop files. Found in 50_StopData/1997ToPresent_SurveyWide directory. Summary.txt Text Description of the Ten-Stop Summary files WeatherInf.txt Text Description of the Weather file RouteInf.txt Text Description of the Route file whatsnew.txt Text Changes and additions made in this version of the data SpeciesList.txt Text Listing of the bird species and taxa found in this data set. Unique species identification codes (AOU), English common names, French common names in phylogenetic order (seq) for birds in the BBS database. RegionCodes.txt Text List of Country, State/Prov/Terr. identification numbers and Names BBSStrata.txt Text List of BBS Strata names and identification numbers BCR.txt Text List of Bird Conservation Regions (name and indentification numbers) Weathercodes.txt Text Description of the wind and sky codes RunType.txt Text Description of the RunType column RunProtocolID.txt Text Description of survey protocols used on BBS routes Routes.zip Comma Delimited List of Routes with Latitude, Longitude, Stratum, and whether it's currently active Weather.zip Comma Delimited Sample history of routes; date sampled, who sampled (observer ID), weather conditions, time. The fifty-stop data for 1997 to present can be found in the 50-StopData Directory, sub-directory 1997ToPresent_SurveyWide. Fifty1.zip Comma Delimited Part 1 of the fifty-stop data. Contains 1997 to present data for Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Arizona, and Arkansas Fifty2.zip Comma Delimited Part 2 of the fifty-stop data. Contains 1997 to present data for British Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, and Delaware Fifty3.zip Comma Delimited Part 3 of the fifty-stop data. Contains 1997 to present data for Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa Fifty4.zip Comma Delimited Part 4 of the fifty-stop data. Contains 1997 to present data for Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Northwest Territories, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, and Massachusetts Fifty5.zip Comma Delimited Part 5 of the fifty-stop data. Contains 1997 to present data for Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Brunswick and Newfoundland Fifty6.zip Comma Delimited Part 6 of the fifty-stop data. Contains 1997 to present data for New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and North Carolina Fifty7.zip Comma Delimited Part 7 of the fifty-stop data. Contains 1997 to present data for North Dakota, Nunavut, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Ontario Fifty8.zip Comma Delimited Part 8 of the fifty-stop data. Contains 1997 to present data for Oregon, Pennsylvania, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Rhode Island, Saskatchewan, and South Carolina Fifty9.zip Comma Delimited Part 9 of the fifty-stop data. Contains 1997 to present data for South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Vermont Fifty10.zip Comma Delimited Part 10 of the fifty-stop data. Contains 1997 to present data for Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Yukon Territories The full set of ten stop summary data can be found in the States Directory. Files within the States directory are divided by State, Province, Territory. Files in the States Directory: File Name Format Description Alabama.zip Comma Delimited Alabama Alaska.zip Comma Delimited Alaska Alberta.zip Comma Delimited Alberta Arizona.zip Comma Delimited Arizona Arkansa.zip Comma Delimited Arkansas BritCol.zip Comma Delimited British Columbia Califor.zip Comma Delimited California Colorad.zip Comma Delimited Colorado Connect.zip Comma Delimited Connecticut Delawar.zip Comma Delimited Delaware Florida.zip Comma Delimited Florida Georgia.zip Comma Delimited Georgia Idaho.zip Comma Delimited Idaho Illinoi.zip Comma Delimited Illinois Indiana.zip Comma Delimited Indiana Iowa.zip Comma Delimited Iowa Kansas.zip Comma Delimited Kansas Kentuck.zip Comma Delimited Kentucky Louisia.zip Comma Delimited Louisiana Maine.zip Comma Delimited Maine Manitob.zip Comma Delimited Manitoba Marylan.zip Comma Delimited Maryland Massach.zip Comma Delimited Massachusetts Michiga.zip Comma Delimited Michigan Minneso.zip Comma Delimited Minnesota Mississ.zip Comma Delimited Mississippi Missour.zip Comma Delimited Missouri Montana.zip Comma Delimited Montana Nebrask.zip Comma Delimited Nebraska NBrunsw.zip Comma Delimited New Brunswick Newfoun.zip Comma Delimited Newfoundland NHampsh.zip Comma Delimited New Hampshire NJersey.zip Comma Delimited New Jersey NMexico.zip Comma Delimited New Mexico NYork.zip Comma Delimited New York Nevada.zip Comma Delimited Nevada NCaroli.zip Comma Delimited North Carolina NDakota.zip Comma Delimited North Dakota NWTerri.zip Comma Delimited Northwest Territories NovaSco.zip Comma Delimited Nova Scotia Nunavut.zip Comma Delimited Nunavut Ohio.zip Comma Delimited Ohio Oklahom.zip Comma Delimited Oklahoma Ontario.zip Comma Delimited Ontario Oregon.zip Comma Delimited Oregon PEI.zip Comma Delimited Prince Edward Island Pennsyl.zip Comma Delimited Pennsylvania Quebec.zip Comma Delimited Quebec RhodeIs.zip Comma Delimited Rhode Island Saskatc.zip Comma Delimited Saskatchewan SCaroli.zip Comma Delimited South Carolina SDakota.zip Comma Delimited South Dakota Tenness.zip Comma Delimited Tennessee Texas.zip Comma Delimited Texas Utah.zip Comma Delimited Utah Vermont.zip Comma Delimited Vermont Virgini.zip Comma Delimited Virginia W_Virgi.zip Comma Delimited West Virginia Washing.zip Comma Delimited Washington Wiscons.zip Comma Delimited Wisconsin Wyoming.zip Comma Delimited Wyoming Yukon.zip Comma Delimited Yukon The Migrant,Vagrant, Nonbreeder data is found in the MigrantNonBreeder Directory. These data began to be collected systematically in 1999. Limited amounts of data also exists for some earlier years. Migrant.txt Text file Description of Migrants.zip file. MigrantSum.txt Text file Description of MigrantSummary.zip file. Migrants.zip Comma Delimited Incidental Migrant, Vagrant, Nonbreeding bird data in 50-stop format. MigrantSummary.zip Comma Delimited Incidental Migrant, Vagrant, Nonbreeding bird data in 10-stop summary format. Pre-1997 50-stop bird count data is found in the 50_StopData Directory, sub-directory Pre-1997_Canada. Count of vehicles passing by during each 3-min count and unrelated excessive noise data are found in the VehicleData Directory. Systematic collection of these data began in 1997. VehicleSt.txt Text file Description of VehicleData.zip file. VehicleSum.txt Text file Description of VehicleSummary.zip file. VehicleData.zip Comma Delimited Vehicle count and excessive noise data in 50-stop format. VehicleSummary.zip Comma Delimited Vehicle count and excessive noise data in 10-stop summary format.