The Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas (VABBA) was a statewide community science project designed to document the distribution, abundance, and breeding status of birds across the Commonwealth. Conducted during the second atlas period from 2016–2020, the project engaged hundreds of volunteer birders and biologists to survey breeding birds across Virginia’s diverse landscapes, from the Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont forests to coastal wetlands and barrier islands.
By collecting standardized breeding evidence, atlas participants created a comprehensive dataset that helps researchers and conservation professionals understand changes in bird populations, identify important habitats, and guide future conservation efforts.
I was one of the most active contributors to the Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas, dedicating extensive field time to surveying breeding birds across the Commonwealth.
I contributed 4,591 eBird checklists, documented 109 confirmed breeding species, and surveyed 165 priority atlas blocks to help improve coverage and strengthen the project’s statewide dataset.
My efforts included traveling throughout Virginia to document breeding evidence across a wide range of habitats, contributing observations that helped expand knowledge of species distributions and breeding patterns.
Featured Article: Transplant Atlaser in Southwest VA
My contributions to the Second Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas were highlighted in the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources article “Transplant Atlaser in Southwest VA.” The article describes my efforts as a VABBA2 super-volunteer, including my work surveying under-covered regions of southwest Virginia, completing priority atlas blocks, and contributing extensive breeding bird data to the project. It also highlights my broader commitment to citizen science, including my statewide atlas contributions, eBird accomplishments, and the discovery of a Swainson’s Warbler flight song recording that was later incorporated into the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Birds of the World resource.
Read the article:
Transplant Atlaser in Southwest VA — Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Mating Tree Swallows-Photo series by Kelly Krechmer © 2026
Results: Virginia Bird Atlas Results