So, how does Iowa compare to its neighboring states in terms of the breeding bird community? For this comparison, we are fortunate to have atlas efforts in all surrounding states, including two efforts each in Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Not surprisingly, Iowa has a comparatively small breeding bird community, the second smallest among the surrounding states. This is largely a function of geography. Our neighbors to the north (Minnesota and Wisconsin) contain extensive boreal forest, have more diverse wetlands, and yet they still contain most/all the habitats that are also found in Iowa. Consequently, they each have ~60 more confirmed breeding species than Iowa. The two states to our west (Nebraska and South Dakota) span the 100th meridian, encompass more diverse grasslands and western ponderosa pine forests, and include a subset of western species that does not typically occur in Iowa. These two states thus average 25–50 more breeding birds than are found in Iowa. Illinois is most similar to Iowa in terms of habitats and longitude and thus has a similar number of confirmed breeding birds. Missouri has the smallest breeding bird community of the states bordering Iowa. Both Illinois and Missouri benefit from a subset of typically southeastern species that breed in the southern portions of both states, including the Ozarks.
In addition to the publication of Iowa’s BBA I in 1996 (Jackson et al. 1996), there have been completed atlas projects as follows:
- Illinois (1986–1991; Kleen et al. 2004)
- Missouri (1986–1992; Jacobs and Wilson 1997)
- Minnesota (2009–2013; Pfannmuller et al. 2017)
- Nebraska (1984–1989 [Mollhoff 2001] and 2006–2010 [Mollhoff 2016])
- South Dakota (1988–1993 [Peterson 1995] and 2008–2012 [South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks 2020])
- Wisconsin (1995–2000 [Cutright et al. 2006] and 2015–2019 [Wisconsin Society for Ornithology 2020])
Collectively, these efforts provide greater regional context to Iowa’s findings.
| State
|
Total
|
Confirmed
|
Probable
|
Possible
|
Observed
|
| Illinois
|
216
|
172
|
15
|
10
|
19
|
| Iowa (BBAI)
|
199
|
158
|
16
|
10
|
15
|
| Iowa (BBAII)
|
196
|
166
|
16
|
12
|
2
|
| Missouri
|
181
|
149
|
8
|
7
|
17
|
| Minnesota
|
249
|
231
|
10
|
3
|
5
|
| Nebraska1
|
211
|
183
|
14
|
9
|
5
|
| Nebraska2
|
229
|
204
|
18
|
4
|
3
|
| South Dakota3
|
|
212
|
7
|
|
|
| South Dakota4
|
252
|
239
|
10
|
3
|
3
|
| Wisconsin5
|
237
|
226
|
9
|
2
|
|
| Wisconsin6,7
|
243
|
226
|
7
|
4
|
6
|
- 1 The first atlas effort from 1984-1989
- 2 The second atlas effort from 2006-2010
- 3 The first atlas effort from 1988-1993
- 4 The second atlas effort from 2008-2012
- 5 The first atlas effort from 1995-2000
- 6 The second atlas effort from 2015-2019
- 7 Numbers are preliminary and subject to change as data vetting is on-going (N. Anich, pers.comm.)