WASHINGTON — A report released Thursday indicates that at least 112 bird species in North America have experienced population losses exceeding 50% over the last half-century.
The species experiencing the most significant declines include Allen’s hummingbird, Florida scrub jay, golden-cheeked warbler, tricolored blackbird, and yellow-billed magpie.
Mike Brasher, a senior scientist at Ducks Unlimited and co-author of the study, stated that the findings highlight the potential consequences of failing to conserve and protect crucial bird habitats.
For many years, waterfowl thrived, with duck populations increasing even as other bird groups declined. However, the new data reveals that this trend has reversed.
Brasher noted that the total number of dabbling and diving ducks has decreased by approximately 30% since 2017. This decline is attributed to the loss of grasslands and a prolonged drought impacting wetlands in the Great Plains’ prairie pothole region. Overall, waterfowl numbers are down 20% since 2014, according to the report.
The recent report is a collaborative effort involving Cornell University, Ducks Unlimited, American Bird Conservancy, National Audubon Society, and the American Ornithological Society.
The study utilizes survey data from the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and citizen science projects like Cornell’s eBird. In North America, around 2,000 bird species exist. Of those studied, a third are considered of high or moderate conservation concern due to factors like declining populations, habitat loss, or other threats.
Amanda Rodewald, a study co-author from Cornell, emphasized the need for immediate conservation efforts for these birds, adding that bird survey trends reflect the health of their habitats.
The report emphasizes birds dependent on specific breeding and feeding habitats, such as forests, grasslands, and coastal regions. Grassland birds, including the Bobolink, face the greatest risk.
Peter Marra, a biologist at Georgetown University who was not involved in the report, stated that the loss of each species is akin to removing a thread from the complex fabric of life.
Marra highlighted past U.S. conservation successes, such as the resurgence of bald eagles, egrets, and osprey.
He said that targeted conservation plans can reverse the decline, but inaction is not an option.
