Great Horned Owl
A new report reveals that of the 1154 native bird species that occur in continental North America, one third require urgent conservation action. This report was published on the 100th anniversary of the Convention for the Protection of Migratory Birds between the US and Canada, and it is the first assessment of its kind showing an alarming state of North American migratory birds.
New report shows alarming state of North-American
birds
Since the seventies, millions of North American birds
have disappeared and a third of species are now of high regional conservation
concern, a new report reveals.
Experts agree that their long-term conservation will
only be achieved by building transnational partnerships and involving local
communities in citizen science projects.
Migratory birds connect the North American continent
as millions of birds move across the US, Canada and Mexico every year. An
estimated 350 North American bird species share their distribution across more
than 2 countries, underlining the importance of coordinated action to protect
them.
The greater sage grouse faces pressure from fragmented
habitat resulting from
development across the West. (Photo by Stephen Ting)
Until now, the vulnerability score of over a thousand
native North-American bird species was incomplete. ‘”The State of North
America’s Birds’’ fills the gaps. Published on the 100th anniversary of the
Convention for the Protection of Migratory Birds between the US and Canada, it
is the first assessment of its kind.
The report reveals that of the 1154 native bird
species that occur in continental North America, one third require urgent
conservation action. The species in need of most urgent action are those that
depend on oceans and tropical forests.
Specifically, the most regionally endangered group are
seabirds – more than half of them are of high conservation concern and affected
by a mix of pollution, overfishing, impacts from energy extraction, predation
by invasive species in islands and climate change. The seabirds with the
highest concern score are the Black-capped Petrel Pterodroma hasitata, Black
Petrel Procellaria parkinsoni and Townsend’s Shearwater Puffinus auricularis.
The situation is not much better for tropical birds.
Canada’s migratory songbirds winter in Mexico’s tropical forests and stopover
in the US, which is why the impact of deforestation in Mexico has such a huge
impact throughout the continent (see Photo 2). Other tropical birds with high
concern scores are Azure-rumped Tanager Tangara cabanisi, Bearded
Wood-Partridge Dendrortyx barbatus and Belted Flycatcher Xenotriccus
callizonus.
Magnolia Warblers rely on an area of tropical forest
in Mexico for the winter.
The map is based on complex computer models, making
use of millions of Citizen Science
records contributed to eBird. Infographic by
BSC Andrew Couturier
This unprecedented continent-wide analysis also
reveals how grassland birds are facing some of the steepest population regional
declines of any group because of changes in land use.
In recent years the vast prairies of North America
have mostly been turned into agricultural land or developed. Only a few islands
of original land remain, making it very difficult for wildlife to survive.
Some of the grassland species with the highest concern
score include Sierra Madre Sparrow Xenospiza baileyi, Worthen’s Sparrow
Spizella wortheni and Lesser Prairie-chicken Tympanuchus pallidicinctus.
Bird Studies Canada (BSC) President Steven Price
explains some of the outcomes of the study in this interview.
“Our research and conservation work is supported by
countless generous bird lovers. This report reflects the contributions of tens
of thousands of dedicated volunteer Citizen Scientists” said BSC President
Steven Price.
The report was put together by the North American
Conservation Initiative and was built using data collected by volunteers and
citizen scientists across the continent.
Despite the alarming findings, the report demonstrates
how the power of many can help us understand conservation needs and drive
positive change. The results are a call to action to public and private sectors
to come together to save migratory birds.
Three BirdLife Partners, Bird Studies Canada, Nature
Canada and the Audubon Society, were among the North American Bird Conservation
Initiative partners who collaborated on the new report. View the report online
at www.stateofthebirds.org
Prairie Falcon
Cactus Wren
Northern Pintail
Til Next Time,
Meggi
