Atlas Methods ~ Habitat Codes & Descriptions

Among the more important aspects of both of Colorado’s Breeding Bird Atlases was the additional data collected on habitat selection. The following Atlas habitat codes were applied to Possible, Probable, and Confirmed records.

Grassland

TSG – Shortgrass prairie
TTG – Taller grass
TTC – Cactus grassland
TMGB – Western intermountain grassland
TMG – Montane grassland
TMXP – Introduced grasses
THF – Hayfield
TAL – Alpine tundra

Shrubland

SBR – Sagebrush (default category)
SMS – Montane sagebrush (mountains and Western Slope)
SSS – Sand sagebrush (Eastern Plains)
SMT – Mat saltbush
SOS – Oak scrub
SMM – Montane shrubland
SLE – Low-elevation shrubland
STD – Tall desert shrubland
SSL# – Logged-over area
SBL# – Burned-over area
SSB – Shelterbelt
SSBW – Wildlife shelterbelt
SSBR – Rural shelterbelt

Woodland and Forest

WPJ – Pinyon-Juniper woodland
WJJ – Juniper woodland
WPP – Ponderosa pine woodland
WPO – Ponderosa pine-Oak
FUC – Upland coniferous forest (default, unspecified)
FUCB – Bristlecone pine
FUCD – Douglas-fir
FUCL – Lodgepole pine
FUCM – Mixed conifer
FUCR – Limber pine
FUCS – Engelmann spruce/Subalpine fir
SKR – Krummholz
SBT# – Beetle-killed forest
FAM – Mixed aspen stands (≤50% conifer)
FAP – Pure aspen forest (<5% conifer)
FASD – Sudden Aspen Decline (dead aspen stands)

Riparian

LRD – Low-elevation riparian
FRD – Riparian deciduous forest
FRC – Riparian coniferous forest
SMC – Mid-elevation carr
SBC – High-elevation carr

Wetland

ASG – Salt meadow
AEM – Emergent wetland (marsh)
ASU – Submergent/floating wetland
ASL – Shoreline
OWL – Lake/pond
OWS – Stream/river

Urban, Rural, and Agricultural

URB – Residential/urban
RRL – Rural
CWD – Cultivated woodlands
CPL – Cropland
TSU – Barren ground
MSB – Bridge
MSP – Pole

Cliff and Bank

MCL – Cliff
MBK – Bank

Miscellaneous

MSC – Miscellaneous (talus, scree, rock, hanging garden, cave, man-made structure not listed above)