The dynamics of abundance-range size relationships

There is a general, positive, interspecific abundance-range size relationship. On the basis of this pattern it has been predicted that when the local abundance of a species is reduced its regional distribution should decline, and vice versa (i.e. there is a positive intraspecific abundance-range size relationship). We test this prediction using data for North American breeding passerines. Whilst it is supported by a number of species, all combinations of increasing, decreasing and stable local abundances and distributional occurrence are observed, when one or other variable is declining.