Welcome to the Vermont
Breeding Bird Atlas

A Breeding Bird Atlas is a population survey designed to cover large geographic areas using a grid based system and is generally organized at the state or provincial level. Breeding Bird atlases first emerged in Britain, inspired by the botanical atlas that documented changes in the distribution of plant species. Now, they are used throughout the world to document and map the distribution of breeding birds. The first Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas, based on data collected by over 200 volunteers and published in 1985, was one of the first such books in North America. It helped to pave the way for similar atlases in over 30 states, and has been a pivotal tool for guiding management plans and conservation efforts. The single largest citizen science project in Vermont's history, the Atlas fostered birding as a skilled hobby and served as a unifying force that solidified the birding community and brought participants squarely into the realm of conservation.

After 25 years of environmental change that affect where birds breed, Vermont completed its "second generation" atlas. Like the first atlas, these data are valuable for a wide range of conservation efforts in Vermont and beyond.