A recent report assessing the health of U.S. bird populations presents a grim outlook: Birds in the U.S. are declining, and a third of the species — 229 to be precise — are in need of urgent conservation actions.
Among the 112 “Tipping Point species” that have lost more than half of their population in the last 50 years, are the West Coast native Allen’s hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin), the tricolored blackbird (Agelaius tricolor) endemic to California, and saltmarsh sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta) found in the tidal salt marshes of the East Coast.
The report comes five years after a groundbreaking study that showed North America has lost more than three billion birds since 1970. These declines, the report finds, are ongoing for all bird groups—shorebirds, grassland birds, arid land birds, and forest birds. Even birds that were trending up since 1970, such as ducks, have experienced population declines as climate change has taken hold in recent years.
The report is a “cause for alarm,” Jeff Walters, from the American Ornithological Society, one of the organizations involved in writing the report, said in a statement. He added that it is also a “cause for hope” because of the heightened public interest in birds and the wealth of information available about the status of every bird species.
The report also highlights how conservation initiatives across the U.S. have helped reverse some declines. Coordinated coastal restoration initiatives on the U.S. East Coast, for example, have increased American oystercatchers (Haematopus palliatus) breeding population by 43% in the last 15 years. Bird-friendly ranching programs in North Dakota propelled a 20% increase in the population of the Baird’s sparrow (Centronyx bairdii) between 2017 and 2020. Translocation projects in Hawaii and other Pacific Islands have increased populations of several seabird species.
“We have clear evidence that conservation works in halting declines,” said Michael J. Parr, president of the American Bird Conservancy, also involved in the report, in a statement. “What we now need more than ever are programs and funding that match the scale of the greatest challenges birds face today.”
Bird conservation also benefits people and the economy, the report notes. Restoring bird habitats provides clean water, climate-resilient landscapes and jobs. A 2022 survey found roughly 100 million Americans enjoy bird watching as a hobby that contributes $279 billion to the country’s economy yearly and supports 1.4 million jobs.
“This report is very timely,” told conservationist and birdwatcher Chris Shepherd from Monitor Conservation Research Society, Canada, in an interview.
Shepherd, who wasn’t involved in the report, said people can help with the crisis of declining bird populations by keeping cats indoors and supporting conservation organizations to help reverse the trend. “Conservation organizations need support more now than ever, and so does wildlife, birds included.”
Banner image of Allen’s hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) by Becky Matsubara via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).
