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Riparian vegetation along the Sacramento River—California’s largest river—has been almost entirely lost, and several wildlife species have been extirpated or have declined as a result. Large‐scale restoration efforts are focusing on revegetating the land with native plants. To evaluate restoration success, we conducted surveys of landbirds on revegetated and remnant riparian plots from 1993 to 2003. Our objectives were to estimate population trends of landbirds, compare abundance patterns over time between revegetated and remnant riparian forests, and evaluate abundance in relation to restoration age. Of the 20 species examined, 11 were increasing, 1 was decreasing (Lazuli Bunting [Passerina amoena]), and 8 showed no trend. The negative trend for Lazuli Bunting is consistent with information on poor reproductive success and with Breeding Bird Survey results. There was no apparent guild association …