Report: More Than 1.5 Billion Birds Have Disappeared Since 1970
- 8 years ago
A new report issued by the organization Partners in Flight has found that since 1970, more than 1.5 billion breeding birds have been lost in the continental U.S. and Canada due, in part, to their habitats being lost to human activities.
A new report is sounding alarm bells over a significant decline in the number of birds in North America.
The report, which represents a 2016 conservation plan for Canada and the continental U.S., states, “Over one-third of our common landbird species have declined by more than 15% since 1970, with 46 species losing half or more of their populations—a net loss of over 1.5 billion breeding birds.”
It goes on to reveal that 24 species, including the American Tree Sparrow, Short-Eared Owl, and Rusty Blackbird, have experienced a decline of more than 50 percent since 1970.
And even though these birds are still high enough in numbers to avoid being put on endangered lists, analysts believe the negative trend is worth noting since these species often reflect the health of the surrounding environment.
For example, grassland species are suffering from a loss of habitat due to agriculture, and birds that eat insects are suspected of declining due to pesticides killing off their prey.
As such, Partners in Flight, the organization which issued the report, recommends that policies be implemented to preserve birds’ habitats and reduce their common causes of death.
A new report is sounding alarm bells over a significant decline in the number of birds in North America.
The report, which represents a 2016 conservation plan for Canada and the continental U.S., states, “Over one-third of our common landbird species have declined by more than 15% since 1970, with 46 species losing half or more of their populations—a net loss of over 1.5 billion breeding birds.”
It goes on to reveal that 24 species, including the American Tree Sparrow, Short-Eared Owl, and Rusty Blackbird, have experienced a decline of more than 50 percent since 1970.
And even though these birds are still high enough in numbers to avoid being put on endangered lists, analysts believe the negative trend is worth noting since these species often reflect the health of the surrounding environment.
For example, grassland species are suffering from a loss of habitat due to agriculture, and birds that eat insects are suspected of declining due to pesticides killing off their prey.
As such, Partners in Flight, the organization which issued the report, recommends that policies be implemented to preserve birds’ habitats and reduce their common causes of death.