Introduction 



This publication is a summarv of obserxation records of birds in Montana. E\'er\' bird species 

 recorded in the Montana BircH Distribution database is included, with maps indicating breeding and 

 wintering distribution for each species. The species are listed in taxonomic order by common and 

 scientific name. The maps portray the data contained in the database and do not presume to be a 

 complete representation of the distribution of all species across the state. They provide a picture of 

 where bircHs have been seen and reported. Two maps appear for each bird species, one representing 

 observations recorded dining the breeding season, the other representing observations recordcci during 

 the wintering season. 



Four hundred nine species haxe been recorded in the state; 106 species are considered rare (fewer 

 than 20 docimTcnted observations for the state), 259 species are known to breed in the state, and 163 

 species are known to oxerwinter. An additional 1 5 species are of hypothetical occurrence and may make 

 their way into future editions of this book. 



Montana's diverse geography, ecologx', and climate all contribute to the great variety and abundance 

 of birds across our state. The distribution and abundance of our state's avifauna, however, are profoundly 

 influenced as our human population increases and development of our landscape accelerates. Some 

 generalist species, those that tend to thrixe in human-altered lanciscapes, are exhibiting population 

 increases and associated range expansions. Specialized species, those that require specific habitat, such 

 as Mountain Plover and Yellow-billed Cuckoo, are negatively affected by human development. Alteration 

 of their natural habitat reduces the ability of these birds to survive and reproduce, ultimately making 

 them increasingly rare. Gathering more complete information about the distribution of birds across 

 our state can help us gain a better understanding of our influence on the landscape and can contribute 

 to more successful conser\'ation efforts. 



A History of P.D. Skaar's Montana Bird Distribution 



Dr. Palmer David Skaar (1923-1983) arrived in Montana in 1957 to join the facult\' of Montana 

 State College (now Montana State University'). Although his professional field was microbial genetics, 

 he did more than any other individual to fiirther the study of Montana birds. His contagious enthusiasm 

 and his involvement in the stiidv of Montana bird distribution earned him great respect throughout the 

 state. 



Having pioneered the "latilong" concept in animal distribution studies, Dr. Skaar's definitive 

 Birds of the Bozcman LatUong, published in 1969, was a model regional bird account. The influence 

 of his first edition oiMoncana Bird Distribution, published in 1975, was tremendous. It motivated 

 volunteers and professionals across the state, and resulted in careful ornithological scruriny of vast areas 

 of Montana that had never before been studied. Since the publication of the first edition of Montana 

 Bird Distribution, several classes of animals in other states ha\e been mapped using the latilong system. 

 The annual Breeding Bird Surveys sponsored by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Ser\'ice also use this system. 



Dr. Skaar published the second edition of A/onr.)nj Bird Distribution in 1980. The third edition 

 was published in 1985 bv his son, Don Skaar, and b\' Dennis Flath and Larrv Thompson (Skaar et al. 

 1985). The fourth edition ofthis publication appeared in March 1992 (Bergeron et al. 1992), with two 

 innovations. First, it introduced quarter-latilongs to better define species distribution. Second, and 

 more significantly, the maps in the fourth edition were generated from a computerized database of bird 

 distribution records. The fifth edition, and now this sixth, also used this computerized database to 

 generate the distribution maps (see the following section entitled About die Alontdnd Bird Distiibution 

 Database). 



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