Support science-based bird conservation and management decision-making that results in benefits to bird species in vermont

The Vermont Department Fish & Wildlife received a Formula Grant of $539,557 from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611) for the period October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030. The grant supports the Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas, a comprehensive statewide scientific initiative that engages volunteers to document the distribution and population trends of over 200 bird species that breed in Vermont. As the third atlas conducted by the state at approximately 25-year intervals, this project builds upon data collected over the past 50 years to track changes in bird species distributions and the quality and quantity of critical habitats including forests, wetlands, shrublands, and grasslands.

The Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas directly supports science-based bird conservation and management decision-making by generating data that informs habitat protection efforts and contributes to regional and national understanding of bird population changes since the 1970s. Volunteer-collected observations yield insights into environmental health indicators and changes in wildlife habitat quality across the state. The project aligns with the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act's authorization for state fish and wildlife agencies to conduct wildlife conservation and management initiatives, with results serving broader bird conservation objectives at state and national levels.

Birds provide ecosystem services, generate income for states through the growing popularity of birdwatching, and serve as indicators for wildlife habitat and environmental health. Birds are also popular and appreciated by wildlife watchers and the general public, and relatively easy to observe and document. The vermont breeding bird atlas engages bird enthusiasts and learners to provide uniquely valuable information about the distribution and population trends of more than 200 bird species that breed in the state. The results yield insights into changes in bird distributions and in the amount and quality of the forests, wetlands, shrublands and grasslands they rely on. Breeding bird atlases are carried out every 20 to 25 years, and this will be vermonts third atlas, which will build on the previous two atlases to show changes in bird species and their habitats across 50 years. Because atlases across the country use similar methods, the atlas also contributes to our understanding of changes in bird populations regionally and nationally since the 1970S. The vermont breeding bird atlas engages record numbers of volunteers who enjoy contributing their bird observations towards comprehensive and meaningful statewide scientific data that guide conservation efforts.