The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in Ohio

Twenty-five years after the publication of the state’s first breeding bird atlas, The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in Ohio brings our knowledge of the state’s bird populations up to date and provides important new information. The Atlas documents the current distribution and changes in status for more than two hundred bird species in Ohio, including five new breeding species and five species not known to have bred in over fifty years.

More than nine hundred dedicated birdwatchers completed surveys of birds across the state from 2006 to 2011. In addition, trained staff collected new data on bird abundance using point-count surveys. These counts tabulated not only species but individual birds as well, enabling precise estimates of the actual statewide populations for many of the breeding species detected. In all, more than one million bird records were compiled by birders and professional researchers for the second Atlas, providing an unprecedented snapshot of the bird life of Ohio.

The introductory chapters describe and discuss recent changes in climate and bird habitats within Ohio. The bulk of the volume contains comprehensive and authoritative accounts of each species, illustrated by stunning full-color photographs. Species maps show in fine detail the birds’ distribution, habitat, and range, and, for nearly one hundred species, their abundance in Ohio. This Atlas will aid and inform researchers and birders for years to come.

Paul G. Rodewald is editor of Birds of North America Online, based at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Matthew B. Shumar is a wildlife biologist specializing in ornithology and landscape ecology.

Aaron T. Boone has been a lifelong birder and has worked as a field ornithologist on research projects across the United States.

David L. Slager has a long-standing interest in the natural history of birds and conducts field research on avian ecology, evolution, and behavior across the Americas.

Jim McCormac works for the Ohio Division of Wildlife and has written two books and many articles about Ohio’s birds.