Nearly a third of the nation’s 800 bird species are endangered, threatened or in significant decline due to habitat loss, invasive species, and other threats, shows a recently released report called The U.S. State of the Birds.
The first comprehensive report on bird populations in the United States shows that even though a portion of the bird population is in trouble, habitat restoration and conservation have reversed previous declines in many species of waterfowl.
“Just as they were when Rachel Carson published Silent Spring nearly 50 years ago, birds today are a bellwether of the health of land, water and ecosystems,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazarsaid. “From shorebirds in New England to warblers in Michigan to songbirds in Hawaii, we are seeing disturbing downward population trends that should set off environmental alarm bells. We must work together now to ensure we never hear the deafening silence in our forests, fields and backyards that Rachel Carson warned us about.”
The report, The U.S. State of the Birds, synthesizes data from three long-running bird censuses conducted by thousands of citizen scientists and professional biologists.In particular, the report calls attention to the crisis in Hawaii, where more birds are in danger of extinction than anywhere else in the United States. In addition, the report indicates a 40% decline in grassland birds over the past 40 years, a 30% decline in birds of arid-lands, and high concern for many coastal shorebirds. Furthermore, 39% of species dependent upon U.S. ocean habitat have also declined.
Birds are highly sensitive to environmental pollution and climate change, making them critical indicators of the health of the environment on which we all depend.
The United States is home to a wide diversity of native birds, with more than 800 species inhabiting terrestrial, coastal, and ocean habitats, including Hawaii. Among these species, 67 are listed as endangered or threatened. In addition, more than 184 species are designated as species of conservation concern due to a small distribution, high-level of threats or declining populations.
Visit: http://www.stateofthebirds.org/
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