State of the Birds - American Birds Sending Troubling Message About The Environment

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TheSTaTe of TheBirdS United States of America

2009



Cover photos from top , left to right: magnolia Warbler by pamela Wells; saguaro national monument ,

arizona , by gerrit vyn , greater prairie-ChiCken by gerrit vyn; paCifiC forest , opal Creek , oregon , by gerrit vyn; snoWy oWl by gerrit vyn; arCtiC Coastal plain tundra , Colville river delta , alaska , by

gerrit vyn; osprey by James livaudais. this page: sCarlet tanager by gerrit vyn.

faCing page: bar-tailed godWit nest by gerrit vyn.

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Birds are a priceless part o America’s heritage.

They are beautiul, they are economically

important—and they reect the health o our

environment. This State o the Birds report

reveals troubling declines o bird populations

during the past 40 years—a warning signal o

the ailing health o our ecosystems. At the

same time, we see heartening evidence that

strategic land management and conservation

action can reverse declines o birds. This reportcalls attention to the collective eorts needed

to protect nature’s resources or the beneft o

people and wildlie.

Contents

Foreword 3

Overview 4

Aridlands 6

Grasslands 8

Game Birds 10

Urban Birds 11

Forests 12

Arctic 16

Wetlands 18

Waterowl 20

Marsh Birds 21

Coasts 22

Oceans 24

Hawaiian Birds 26

Endangered Species 28

Challenges 30

Our Approach 33

Acknowledgements 34



ForewordBirds Are Important Indicatorsof Our Nation’s Environmental Health

The United States is blessed with diverse landscapes, a wealth of natural resources, and spectacular wildlife, including more than 800 bird species. Birds are a national treasure and a heritage we sharewith people around the world, as billions of migratory birds followthe seasons across oceans and continents. Our passion for nature isevident: Americans spend $85 billion annually on wildlife watching,and one in every three American adults is a bird watcher.

In the past 200 years, however, the U.S. human population hasskyrocketed from about 8 million to 300 million. As we haveharvested energy and food, grown industries, and built cities, we

have often failed to consider the consequences to nature. During ourhistory, we have lost a part of our natural heritage—and degradedand depleted the resources upon which our quality of life depends.We have lost more than half of our nation’s original wetlands, 98%of our tallgrass prairie, and virtually all virgin forests east of theRockies. Since the birth of our nation, 13 American bird species havegone extinct, including the Passenger Pigeon, once the world’s mostabundant bird.

Birds are bellwethers of our natural and cultural health as a nation—they are indicators of the integrity of the environments that provide

us with clean air and water, fertile soils, abundant wildlife, and thenatural resources on which our economic development depends. Inthe past 40 years, major public, private, and government initiativeshave made strides for conservation. Has it been enough? How are

birds faring?

In an unprecedented partnership, government wildlife agenciesand conservation groups have come together to produce this rstcomprehensive analysis of the state of our nation’s birds. The resultsare sobering: bird populations in many habitats are declining—a

warning signal of the failing health of our ecosystems. Where wehave been negligent too long, such as in Hawaii, we are on the vergeof losing entire suites of unique and beautiful birds and native plantcommunities.

At the same time, we see heartening evidence that birds can respondquickly and positively to conservation action. Many waterfowl

species have undergone signicant increases in the past 40 years, atestament to coordinated conservation efforts in wetlands. Throughfocused conservation efforts, we have brought magnicent PeregrineFalcons and Bald Eagles back from the brink of extinction.

We ask you to join us in continuing to reverse the damage to ournation’s habitats and protect our remaining natural landscapes—thefoundation upon which our precious resources, our wildlife, andthe lives of our children depend. Cooperative conservation effortsamong the government, conservation organizations, and ordinarycitizens—private landowners, hunters, and bird watchers—really are

making a difference.It is imperative that we redouble our efforts now, before habitat lossand degradation become even more widespread, intractable, andexpensive to solve. Together, we can ensure that future generationswill look back at this rst State of the Birds report with disbelief thattheir common birds could ever have been so troubled.

North American Bird ConservationInitiative, U.S. Committee

American Bird Conservancy

Association ofFish and Wildlife Agencies

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Klamath Bird Observatory

National Audubon Society

The Nature Conservancy

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U.S. Geological Survey

Bar-tailed Godwit nest, Alaska.

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OverviewThe State of Our Nation’s BirdsThe United States is home to a tremendous diversity of native birds, withmore than 800 species inhabiting terrestrial, coastal, and ocean habitats,including Hawaii. Among these species, 67 are federally listed as endan-gered or threatened. An additional 184 are species of conservation concern because of their small distribution, high threats, or declining populations.

Successful conservation requires information about the population statusof every species to ensure the survival of endangered birds and to manage

common species so they never become threatened. This report presents anew synthesis of major bird-monitoring databases, including data fromthousands of citizen scientists and professional biologists. We used datafrom three continentwide monitoring programs to create bird populationindicators for major U.S. habitats, reecting the health of these habitats andthe environmental services they provide. These habitat indicators are basedon the population changes of obligate species—those that are restricted to asingle habitat and are most sensitive to environmental changes. We supple-mented this information with data from many other surveys that focuson species that are rare, endangered, or difcult to monitor, such as ocean birds. (See pages 33–34 for methods.)

The results reect the inuence of human activities and global change onour nation’s birds. Every U.S. habitat harbors birds in need of conserva-tion. Hawaiian birds and ocean birds appear most at risk, with populationsin danger of collapse if immediate conservation measures are not imple-mented. Bird populations in grassland and aridland habitats show the mostrapid declines over the past 40 years. Birds that depend on forests are alsodeclining.

In contrast, wetland species, wintering coastal birds, and hunted waterfowlshow increasing populations during the past 40 years, reecting a strongfocus during this period on wetlands conservation and management.

Species of Conservation Concern

Habitat O c

e a n i c

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G r a s s l a

n d

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0

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60

70

P e r c e n t a g e

o f S p e c i e s Federally threatened

or endangeredAdditional species ofconservation concern

Hawaan Brds n CrssMore than one-third of all U.S. listed bird species occur in Hawaii and 71 bird species have gone extinct since humans colonized the islands in about300 AD. At least 10 more species have not been seen in as long as 40 years

and may be extinct. Proven conservation measures are urgently neededto avert this global tragedy, including increasing investment in protectingremaining forests, eliminating exotic predators, and captive breeding.

Decnng Seabrds Sgna Stressed OceansAt least 39% of the U.S. birds restricted to ocean habitats are declining.These birds face threats from pollution, over-shing, and warming sea tem-peratures caused by climate change, as well as threats at island and coastalnesting sites. Declining seabirds may be our most visible indication of anocean ecosystem under stress.

Percentage of bird species thatare threatened,endangered, and of conservation concernin each habitat.

The ̀ Iìwi is a bird unique to the Hawaiian Islands. More bird species arevulnerable to extinction in Hawaii than anywhere else in the United States.

J a Ck J e f f r e y

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Hgh Concern for Coasta ShorebrdsAlthough some coastal birds are increasing, shorebirds that rely on coastalhabitats for breeding and refueling on migration are besieged by humandisturbance and dwindling food supplies. Sea level rise caused by acceler-ating climate change will inundate shoreline habitats. Half of all coastallymigrating shorebirds have declined; for example, Red Knots have declined by an alarming 82%. Because of their relatively small and highly threatenedglobal populations, shorebirds are of high conservation concern.

Wetand Brds Show Amazng ResenceThe upward trend for wetland birds in the U.S. is a testament to the amaz-ing resilience of bird populations where the health of their habitat is sus-tained or restored. The overwhelming success of waterfowl management,coordinated continentally among Canada, the United States, and Mexico,can serve as a model for conservation in other habitats.

Bird Population Indicators

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40

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1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2007

P e r c e n t a g e

C h a n g e

Year

Wetlands

Forests

Aridland

Grassland

Grassands and Ardands:

Degraded, NegectedDramatic declines in grassland and aridland birds signal alarming neglect anddegradation of these habitats. Incentives for wildlife-compatible agriculturalpractices in grasslands and increased protection of fragile desert, sagebrush,and chaparral ecosystems are urgently needed to reverse these declines.

Forest Brds Face an Uncertan FutureAlthough forest birds have fared better overall than birds in other habi-tats, many species have suffered steep declines and remain threatened byunplanned and sprawling urban development, unsustainable logging,increased severity of wildres, and a barrage of exotic forest pests anddiseases.

Conservaton Successes for Endangered

and Common BrdsThe will of our nation to prevent extinction and reverse environmentaldegradation is exemplied by the remarkable recovery of the Bald Eagle,Peregrine Falcon, and other bird populations after the banning of DDT andother harmful pesticides. Targeted conservation programs for listed speciesremain necessary, and proactive measures involving voluntary partnerships between local, state, tribal, and federal government, nongovernmental or-ganizations, and private citizens are needed to maintain the integrity of U.S.habitats and to keep our common birds common.

Over the last two decades, unprecedented private-public partnerships,called Joint Ventures, have been highly effective at leveraging scarce fundsto conserve millions of acres of wetlands and other wildlife habitat. Also, bird conservation initiatives such as Partners in Flight, the U.S. ShorebirdConservation Plan, and the North American Waterbird Conservation Planhave raised awareness and inspired conservation action at continental andregional scales. The North American Bird Conservation Initiative (www.nabci-us.org) provides opportunities for coordinating these vital activities.

Bird populationindicators based ontrends for obligatespecies in four majorhabitats.

Black Oystercatchers inhabit coastal areas

where habitat loss is a threat. Coastalreserves help ensure that oystercatchersand humans can coexist.

gerrit vyn

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Consder Ths:

Aridlands harbor more than 80 nestingP

bird species, including many uniqueand beautiul birds ound only indeserts, sagebrush, or chaparral.

More than 75% o birds that nest onlyP

in aridlands are declining and 39%o all aridland birds are species oconservation concern.

Habitat loss rom urban development,Phabitat degradation rom overgrazingand invasive plants, and a changingclimate are causing signifcantproblems or many aridland birds.

A regional system o protected areasP

is critically needed to accommodateincreasing development whilemeeting the habitat requirements orkeeping bird populations stable.

The State of Ardand BrdsOf 83 aridland-breeding bird species, 39% are spe-cies of conservation concern, including 10 feder-ally listed as endangered or threatened. Thesespecies are especially vulnerable because of theirsmall ranges or restricted habitat requirements, or both.

Sixty percent of all aridland species and 76%of aridland obligate species have declined. Thearidland birds indicator, based on 17 of 30 obli-gate species with sufcient data, shows a steadydecline over the past 40 years, to nearly 30% below the baseline value. An additional 13 species,including nine species of conservation concern,are not adequately monitored.

Aridland Birds Indicator60

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1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2007

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t a g e

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Aridland Obligates (17)

Brds n TroubeFederally listed as

endangered: Caliornia

Condor, (Northern)

Aplomado Falcon, (San

Clemente) Loggerhead

Shrike, (Least) Bell’s

Vireo, Black-capped

Vireo, Golden-cheeked

Warbler. Threatened:

(Western) Snowy

Plover, (Coastal) Caliornia Gnatcatcher, (Inyo)Caliornia Towhee, (San Clemente) Sage Sparrow.

Endangered• Golden-cheeked Warblers dependon ash-juniper woodlands that are being clearedfor agriculture or suburban development in theTexas hill country.

Species such as• El Owl , Bendire’s and LeConte’s

thrashers , and Gilded Flicker are of conservationconcern because of their small range, knownthreats, or declining populations.

Resident game birds that depend on aridlands,•

including Greater and Gunnison’s sage-grouse and Scaled Quail , have suffered signicantdeclines and are threatened by continued deg-radation of their fragile habitats. About 45% of potential sagebrush habitat has been convertedto other habitat types, including agriculture andurban areas.

gr e gl a vat y

AridlAndsUnique Birds of the AridlandsFace Loss and Degradation ofHabitat

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g e r r i t v y n

Golden-cheeked Warbler

greater sage-grouse by ted sChroeder

Aridlands in the U.S. include the Sonoran Desert (shown here),Chihuahuan, Mojave, and Great Basin deserts, and major shrub-scrub ecoregions (coastal California chaparral, Edwards Plateau,

Colorado Plateau). Aridlands are characterized by low annualprecipitation with variability from one year to the next.



Major Threats

Development and Energy

Unplanned and sprawling urban developmentis by far the greatest threat to aridlands. Some of our nation’s fastest growing cities are in aridlands(e.g., Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Diego).

Coastal sage and chaparral of southern Califor-nia represent a global biodiversity hotspot withnumerous threatened or endangered plants andanimals. About 40% of the area is now urban orsuburban, supporting nearly half of California’shuman population.

Energy development and exploration have majorimpacts on aridland birds. Poorly planned energyinfrastructure degrades and fragments habitat andprovides conditions favorable for invasive plantspecies.

Agriculture and Invasive Species

Invasive nonnative plants are a serious threatto virtually all aridlands. In the Great Basin andother areas, more than 17% of remaining sagebrush is dominated by introduced grasses suchas cheatgrass. Invasive grasses fuel wildres thatdevastate sagebrush and desert plant communi-ties, eliminating native plants that evolved in theabsence of re.

Unsustainable livestock ranching practices havedegraded habitat and damaged soils, fosteringareas dominated by nonnative plants.

Climate Change

The impact of climate change in aridlands is dif-cult to predict, but warmer conditions and chang-es in precipitation may dramatically affect the

production of seeds needed by birds. Improvedmonitoring of bird populations may provide therst indications of changes to habitats.

SoutonsProactive conservation measures, such as ensur-•

ing sustainable agriculture and environmentallysustainable energy development, are needed toreverse declines of native aridland birds.

Linking the protected lands system with “smart•growth” in communities will provide oppor-tunities for people to enjoy birds, as well as for birds to move and adapt to increasing pressurefrom development.

Immediate, innovative efforts are needed to•encourage the coexistence of agriculture and na-tive birds, including wildlife-compatible grazing

practices, maintenance of native habitat patches,and planting native seed mixes in disturbedareas.

Continual efforts must be made to prevent•invasive plants from spreading in areas mostaffected by wildre.

Beyond Our BordersMore than 50% of aridland birds are permanentresidents of the U.S. borderlands. Effective con-servation requires close collaboration with the

Mexican government and private conservationorganizations. Most migratory species winter inMexico and Central America, including the endan-gered Golden-cheeked Warbler. New and existinginternational partnerships must be supported toensure the survival of aridland birds.

Reasons for HoeEndangered Cali-

ornia Condors andAplomado Falcons

have been reintro-duced to areas wherethey had been extir-

pated in the UnitedStates. Public landshave provided impor-tant habitats for these

species. Today, 174 condors are ying free, andthe number grows each year.

Vast areas of public land managed by the Bureauof Land Management and Department of De-fense offer opportunities to protect and managehabitats for aridland birds.

Unplanned urban growth is by ar the greatest threat to aridland birds.

A regional system o protected areas can enhance quality o lie orpeople and enable birds to survive.

b r i a n l

. s u l l i v a n

harris's haWk by gerrit vyn

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California Condor



Consder Ths:

Grassland birds are a vital part oP

North American landscapes. Forty-eight species nest in U.S. grasslands,including ducks, grouse, hawks, andsongbirds.

Grassland birds are among the astestP

and most consistently decliningbirds in North America; 48% are oconservation concern and 55% are

showing signifcant declines.

Only about 2% o the tallgrass prairieP

that existed in the early 1800s stillremains. Although birds may settlein pastures and haylands, requenthaying, burning, and overgrazing cancreate “ecological traps” where birdstry to nest but ail to raise their young.

Farmland conservation programsP

provide the best hope or birds and

other wildlie. Agricultural practicescan become more compatible withbirds, and land can be managedinexpensively or birds with undingrom conservation programs.

The State of Grassand BrdsOf 46 grassland-breeding birds, 48% are spe-cies of conservation concern, including 4 withpopulations that are federally endangered. Eightof twelve sparrow species are listed as of con-servation concern. Of the 42 grassland specieswith sufcient monitoring data, 23 are decliningsignicantly.

The grassland birds indicator, based on data for24 of 25 obligate species, dropped by nearly 40%from the baseline value, with a slight recoveryevident in the last ve years.

Grassland Bird Indicator60

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1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2007

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Grassland Obligates (24)


endangered: (Northern)

Aplomado Falcon,

(Attwater’s) Greater

Prairie-Chicken,

(Masked) Northern

Bobwhite, (Florida)

Grasshopper Sparrow.

Some of the Ameri-•can landscape’s most

iconic birds are showing steep declines. Easternand Western meadowlarks , Bobolinks , Short-

eared Owls , and Northern Bobwhites havedeclined by 38–77% since 1968.

Six species that breed in the Great Plains of the•United States and Canada and that winter inMexico’s Chihuahuan grasslands are show-ing steep declines of 68–91%: Mountain Plover ,Sprague’s Pipit , Lark Bunting , Baird’s Sparrow ,Chestnut-collared Longspur , and McCown’s

Longspur.

Lesser• and Greater prairie-chicken , Sharp-tailedGrouse , Northern Bobwhite , and Northern

Pintail—all popular game birds—have declinedfrom historic levels because of loss and frag-mentation of grasslands. Lesser Prairie-Chicken

is a candidate for listing under the EndangeredSpecies Act.

GrAsslAndsAmerica’s Heartland isHome to Our Nation’s FastestDeclining Birds

Native grasslands once stretched across the United States fromCanada to Mexico, and east from the Rocky Mountains as far as

Ohio. More than 95% of the tallgrass prairie has been convertedto agriculture and other uses. Short- and mixed-grass prairiescontinue to be converted to agriculture.

greater prairie-ChiCken by gerrit vyn

south dakota by ? striziCh

Western Meadowlark

d o nal d me t z ne r

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J u d d p a t t

e r s o n



bobolink by gerrit vyn

Major Threats

Agriculture

Grassland birds have declined because of theintensication of agriculture, including largerelds with fewer grassy edges, native weeds, andinsects, as well as the spread of row crops into

drier regions.Pastures cannot support many birds if overgrazed, burned too frequently, or burned at the beginningof the nesting season or the end of the grass-grow-ing season.

Grasslands in public lands and parks are oftenmowed too frequently and kept too short toprovide bird habitat. Open areas are frequently al-lowed to revert to forest instead of being managedas grassland.

Energy and Climate ChangeHigh commodity prices and demand for biofuelscontribute to reduced acreage for farm conser-vation programs, which may reverse the recentimprovement in grassland bird populations.

Wind turbines, if improperly sited, can fragmentgrasslands and disrupt nesting activity of game birds such as Lesser Prairie-Chickens.

Global warming is expected to increase droughtconditions in grassland regions, leading to lowerproductivity and reduced food supply for birds.

SoutonsFarm conservation programs remain our best•tool for restoring and maintaining grasslands for

birds, especially in areas of row-crop agricultureand across the short-grass prairie.

Haying, grazing, mowing, and burning can be•conducted in ways that are compatible with birds, usually at very small cost to the producer.These costs can be compensated by conservationprograms that provide other benets as well,

such as erosion control.Wetland conservation programs should con-•tinue to include adjacent grasslands becausesuch areas are valuable for both grassland andwetland birds.

Many national, state, and local parks could be•managed to benet grassland birds, and newacquisitions from willing landowners should beexplored. Management should include a balanceof disturbance to eliminate woody vegetationwhile allowing a healthy tall grassland.

Beyond Our BordersMore than half of grassland obligate speciesdepend on Canadian prairie habitats, as well asthose in the central United States. ChihuahuanDesert grasslands in Mexico host a wide varietyof U.S.-breeding birds in winter, but more than amillion acres have been converted to agriculture inthe past ve years. Ranchlands are often over-grazed, causing desertication.

Migrants such as Bobolink , Upland and Bu-

breasted sandpipers , American Golden-Plover ,and Swainson’s Hawk y to South America wheregrasslands are being converted to agriculturalproduction.

Farm conservation programs provide millions o acres o protected grasslands

that are essential or the birds in a landscape where little native prairie remains.

Reasons for

HoeAfter recent, alarm-ing declines in somegrassland specialists,such as Henslow’s

Sparrow , increaseshave resulted fromthe Conservation

Reserve Program and other programs that haverestored wildlife habitat. Healthy populations of these birds will require maintaining or increas-ing acreages and conservation practices.

Birds that use wet grass and grass adjacent towetlands are doing better than average, per-haps because these species have been the focusthe Conservation Reserve Program, WetlandsReserve Program, conservation easements, andother initiatives.

g

r e g l a v a t y

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Henslow's Sparrow



Upland game bird hunting in the United Statesgenerated nearly $2 billion and providedrecreation for nearly 3 million licensed hunters

in 2006. Because management for the 19 nativeresident game bird species falls under the jurisdiction of state wildlife agencies, regionalpartnerships such as the Northern BobwhiteConservation Initiative and North AmericanGrouse Partnership formed so states can work together on rangewide management efforts.These efforts target landscape-level habitatchanges that benet both game and non-gamespecies. In addition, volunteer organizations assistmanagement efforts for resident game birds,

including the National Wild Turkey Federation,Quail Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, and theRuffed Grouse Society.

The State of

Resdent Game BrdsOf 19 native resident game bird species, 47% arespecies of conservation concern and 2 are federallyendangered. Based on the best data from a varietyof sources, Greater Sage-Grouse , Gunnison’s Sage-

Grouse , Greater Prairie-Chicken , Lesser Prairie-Chicken , Sooty Grouse , and Northern Bobwhite are thought to have declined by more than 50% inthe last 40 years, and Scaled Quail have declined by33%. For these species, further research is requiredto understand fully the limiting factors. IntroducedChukar , Ring-necked Pheasant , and Gray Partridge

show stable overall populations; however theirnumbers are augmented by captive-breeding andrelease programs because of demand for recreation-

al hunting.

Brds n TroubeFederally listed as endangered: (Attwater’s)

Greater Prairie-Chicken, (Masked) Northern Bob-

white.

Northern Bobwhite has declined by 75% over thepast 40 years because of alteration of grassland-shrub communities in pine, agricultural and graz-ing lands where the limiting factor is nesting and

brood-rearing habitat.Both Greater and Lesser prairie-chickens arehighly social species that are sensitive to loss andfragmentation of native grasslands. Encroachment by osage orange, western red cedar, and invasivegrasses also reduces habitat quality.

Despite state and federal measures to avoid, mini-mize, and mitigate known threats, Greater Sage-

Grouse continues to be threatened by the spreadof invasive grass species, degradation and lossof sagebrush habitat from livestock grazing, the

development of renewable energy, and the spreadof West Nile virus.

Heavy livestock grazing and subsequent inva-sions of nonnative plants have eliminated under-story owering plants and grasses from habitatused by Montezuma Quail in southern Arizonaand northern Mexico.

Reasons for HoeFarm Bill programs that result in the retirementof millions of acres of intensely cropped landsoffer the greatest hope for the long-term man-agement of many resident game birds. Greater

Prairie-Chicken populations have beneted fromthe creation of core grasslands in several states,

and population goals for recovery of NorthernBobwhite have been written into recent Farm Billinitiatives.

By the early 1900s, most Wild Turkey populationshad been wiped out in North America. As lateas the Great Depression, fewer than 30,000 WildTurkeys remained in the entire United States. Re-introduction programs, active management, andregulated hunting have allowed the Wild Turkeypopulation to expand to more than 7 million birds by 2008.

Sustainable forest management provides foresthabitat diversity for Rued Grouse, which inhabityoung forest.

Cooperative partnerships have implemented

landscape-level management benefting bothgame and non-game bird species.

spogh o r Gam B

Managing Land for Game Birds Helps All Birds

Northern Bobwhites have declinedby 75% during the past 40 years.

Recent Farm Bill initiativesinclude goals for recovery of

bobwhite populations.

gerrit vyn

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In general, urban-adapted species from easternforests, especially permanent residents, haveshown stable or increasing populations, whereasmigratory birds, such as Common Nighthawk ,Chimney Swit , and Wood Thrush , show the samedeclining trends as many eastern forest obligates.This suggests that birds living in urban habitatsyear-round benet from higher overwinter sur-vival. In the West, a majority of common urban/suburban species are declining, especially birdsnative to southwestern aridlands and Pacic Coast

forests.The wide variety of native birds that thrivein urban areas underscores the importance of these articial habitats to the survival of many bird populations. Creating greenspace in urbanenvironments, landscaping with native plants in backyards and parks, adopting architecture andlighting systems that reduce collisions, and keep-ing pets indoors will provide the greatest benetto breeding birds and migrants seeking safe placesto rest and nd food during their spectacular journeys.

Urban Birds Indicator60

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1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2007

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Urban Birds (114)

Exotic Bird Species The most common birds in nearly every urban

environment are exotic species introduced rom

other parts o the world Exotic species also occur

in most natural habitats in North America and many

have signicant negative eects on native birds,other wildlie, and humans European Starlings can

damage seed and ruit crops and compete with na-

tive birds or nest cavities Mute Swans, introduced

rom Eurasia in the 19th century, have displaced

ducks and geese rom wetlands and have over-

grazed aquatic vegetation Other exotic birds have

positive economic impacts, such as Ring-necked

Pheasant, a popular species with hunters

O the 17 exotic species considered in this report,

some have been established or more than a century

and now occur across the continent These birds,

including Rock Pigeon, European Starling, and

House Sparrow, show stable or declining trends over

the past 40 years In contrast, populations o some

recently introduced species are growing, including

Eurasian Collared-Doves, whose abundance and

distribution have increased exponentially since they

colonized Florida rom the Bahamas in the 1970s

The impacts o exotic species on the well-being o

humans and our native fora and auna are not wellstudied Exotic birds merit

closer monitoring, and

careul vigilance will

be needed to protect

against negative

impacts to our native birds

Introduced to the Bahamas in the1970s, Eurasian Collared-Doveshave spread to Florida and across the

United States.

spogh

o Uba B

Habitat for Birds and PeopleAlthough bird communities in urban environ-ments are often dominated by a few exotic andubiquitous species such as Rock Pigeons andHouse Sparrows, a surprising number of native birds have adapted to life around humans.

American Robins can thrive in many habitats,including lawns with abundant earthworms. Cali-fornia Quail and Abert’s Towhees nd suburbanplantings a suitable substitute for native aridlandhabitats. Gulls, vultures, and crows seek abun-dant food at garbage dumps and along roadsides.Hummingbirds, chickadees, sparrows, nches,

woodpeckers, and other birds take advantage of bird feeders. Even hawks and owls nd increas-ingly safe nesting sites and abundant prey in ourtowns and cities.

The urban/suburban indicator, based on data for114 native bird species, shows a steady, strongincrease during the past 40 years, driven primar-ily by a small number of highly successful speciessuch as Wild Turkey , Double-crested Cormorant ,vultures, gulls, doves, House Finch , and Great-

tailed Grackle. This indicator may represent a

sensitive “rst alert” to environmental changesfrom urban and suburban development.

viCki laCkey

Creating greenspace or birds in cities

can help adaptable urban birds as well

as migrants stopping over during

their long journeys.

gregg lee

11

American Robins can thrivein many habitats, including

urban yards and parks.



The State of Forest BrdsOf 310 forest-breeding birds nationwide, 22%are species of conservation concern, including11 federally listed as endangered or threatened.Roughly one-third of all forest-breeding specieshave declined. The overall indicator for obligateforest birds, based on 96 species with adequatedata, declined by roughly 10% through 1980, thenrecovered slightly in recent years (see graph, page5). Bird population trends in forests differed acrossfour geographic regions (see pages 14–15).

The eastern forests indicator, based on data for 25obligate species, declined steadily over the past 40years, dropping by nearly 25% since 1968.

In western forests, the indicator based on 38obligate species shows a slightly declining trend;however, monitoring data were unavailable for40% of western forest obligates, including 10 spe-cies of conservation concern. Many western forest birds, such as Montezuma Quail, Elegant Trogon,White-headed Woodpecker, and Hermit Warbler,are at risk because of their small geographic range

or small and threatened populations.The indicator for boreal forests, based on 31 of 37obligate species with adequate data, has uctu-ated greatly with a generally declining trend overthe rst 25 years, and then a general increase more

Consder Ths:North America has a tremendousP

diversity o orests harboring morethan 300 breeding bird species.

Some orest birds are doingP

well, giving hope or continuedconservation eorts, but roughlyone-third o all orest-breedingspecies have declined.

Forests are threatened by unplannedPand sprawling urban development,unsustainable logging, intensewildfres ollowing decades o fresuppression, overbrowsing bydeer, and tree pests and diseasesexacerbated by a changing climate.

Opportunities abound or orest birdP

management, including a balance oeconomically viable but sustainableorestry and grazing practices; the

U.S. manages 193 million acres oNational Forests.

recently. Many boreal birds are not well moni-tored over large partsof their range, however,reducing our condencein this indicator.

Similarly, in subtropicalforests of South Texasand Florida, monitoringdata were insufcient tocreate a bird population indicator. Many species

in these regions are known to be expanding theirrange northward, perhaps in response to warmingtemperatures.

Forest Birds Indicator60

40

20

0

-20

-40

1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2007

P e r c e n t a g e

C h a n g e

Year

Eastern (25)

Western (38)

Boreal (31)

FOrestsHealthy Forests Are Key to

the Future of Birds and OurNatural Resources

As many as ve billion birds y south from the boreal foresteach fall, according to the Boreal

Songbird Initiative. Many of these birds spend the winter inthe United States.

Sustainable orestry, landowner incentives or orest

preservation, and urban greenspace initiatives can

protect natural resources and help ensure thelong-term viability o many orest birds.

sCarlet tanager by gerrit vyn

Elegant Trogon

gar y h .r o s e nb e r g

12

C o u r t e s y

C a n a d i a n p a r k s a n d W i l d e r n e s s s o C i e t y



Major Threats

Development and Disturbance

Rapid urban growth threatens forests in allregions. Development increased from 15 millionto 60 million acres during 1945–2002 and is stillincreasing exponentially.

The loss of economic incentives for private for-estry has led to the sale and subdivision of forestindustry lands and a rapid rise in second-homeand other ex-urban development, causing forestloss and fragmentation.

Decades of unnatural re suppression havecreated fuel for more intense res, dramaticallyincreasing the acreage burned in recent years (e.g.,9.8 million acres burned in 2006). Historically,natural res burned large areas of some foresttypes annually, but were less intense. These res

were essential for the health of forests and theirwildlife.

Resource Use

The U.S. harvests 21.2 billion cubic feet of timberfrom forests annually. Harvest increased by 40%during 1950–1980, but has declined since 1985.More than half of all timber comes from south-eastern forestlands, 87% of which are privatelyowned. Only a small portion of timber originatesfrom federal lands, but important forest typessuch old-growth forests in the Pacic Northwest

and Alaska remain available for logging.

Invasive Species

Nearly every important tree species is aficted byan exotic insect pest or disease, which will likely be exacerbated by a changing climate. Mountainpine beetle has killed vast areas of western pineforests and the hemlock woolly adelgid threatens

eastern hemlock with extinction within 50 years.

Unnaturally high populations of white-tailed deerhave destroyed the shrubby understory of manyeastern forests, contributing to declines in forest-nesting birds.

SoutonsThe U.S. manages 193 million acres in 155•National Forests, 80% of which are in westernstates. By 2008, 13% of forestlands in the west-ern U.S, 6% in the East, and 26% in Alaska had been set aside in forest reserves. Conservationof roadless areas and additional reserves andimproved management, such as sustainableforestry and grazing practices, would ensure thelong-term viability of many forest birds.

Sustainable forestry practices improve the•long-term health of forests. Economically viablepractices on private lands and incentives for pri-vate landowners can provide a mosaic of forestages and structure to benet diverse birds andprevent development.

Smart growth and urban greenspace initiatives•are critical for stemming the tide of suburbansprawl and preserving the integrity and connec-tivity of forest ecosystems. Incentive programsthat enable landowners to keep their land asforest need to be expanded.

Beyond Our BordersHalf of all forest bird species migrate from breed-ing habitats in the U.S. and Canada to winter inthe Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and SouthAmerica. Collaborative initiatives involving inter-national partnerships are essential for successfulconservation of these species and their habitats.

Reasons for HoeForest-breedingraptors, such asCooper’s Hawk , Red-

shouldered Hawk ,and Merlin , as wellas tree-nesting Bald

Eagle and Osprey ,have respondedpositively to protec-tion from shooting,

banning of harmful pesticides, and abundantprey in urban areas.

The Cerulean Warbler is one of more than 40 species of colorfulwood-warblers that breed in U.S. forests. They migrate thousands

of miles annually to winter in the Neotropics. Many long-distance migrants are threatened by loss and degradation of

forests across the hemisphere.

Cerulean Warbler by greg lavaty

s h a n e r

. C o n k l i n

13

Red-shouldered Hawk



An eastern deciduous forest turns ablazewith color in fall. Eastern forests includenorthern hardwood and other mixed forestsof the Northeast and upper Midwest,oak-hickory and other deciduous forests of the Appalachians, coastal plain, and river

valleys, and southeastern longleaf andslash pine forests.

Brds n TroubeFederally listed as endangered: Wood Stork,

Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Red-cockaded Wood-

pecker, Bachman’s Warbler, Kirtland’s Warbler.

Threatened: Florida Scrub-Jay.

The eastern U.S. has lost two forest species toextinction: Passenger Pigeon and Carolina Para-

keet. Hope is dimming for Bachman’s Warbler and Ivory-billed Woodpecker.

Many eastern forest birds are suffering consistent and troubling declines:

Red-cockaded Woodpecker• , Brown-headed Nuthatch , and Bachman’s

Sparrow , year-round residents of mature southern pine forests, especiallythe highly threatened longleaf pine ecosystem.

Neotropical migrants that require large blocks of intact forests, such as•Kentucky Warbler , Wood Thrush , and Eastern Wood-Pewee. The Ceru-

lean Warbler is threatened by mountaintop-removal coal mining alongAppalachian ridges and clearing of riverine forests.

Species dependent on disturbed or early successional forest or natural• disturbance (including pine barrens) including the Golden-winged War-

bler , Whip-poor-will , Prairie Warbler , Eastern Towhee , and Field Spar-

row , and popular game species such as Northern Bobwhite and American

Woodcock.

Reasons for HoeWild Turkeys were close to extinction in the early1900s but have increased tremendously (8.9%per year since 1968) in response to reintroductionprograms, management, and forest regeneration.

Many characteristic eastern forest birds, includ-ing woodpeckers, chickadees, hawks, and owls,have adapted to urban and suburban plantingsand parks, buffering them from the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation.

Brds n TroubeFederally listed as threatened: Marbled Murre-

let, (Northern) Spotted Owl, (Mexican) Spotted

Owl, (Southwestern) Willow Flycatcher.

Several groups of birds are declining:

Specialized permanent residents, such as•Pinyon Jay (threatened by massive die-off of pinyon pines), Oak Titmouse (threatened byloss of California oak woodlands), and Yellow-

billed Magpie (threatened by loss of oaks and by West Nile virus).

Temperate migrants dependent on mature pine forests, including• Lewis’s

Woodpecker , Plumbeous Vireo , Grace’s Warbler , and Cassin’s Finch.

Neotropical migrants such as• Black Swit , Western Wood-Pewee , andBlack-throated Gray Warbler. The steeply declining Black Swit is vulner-able to increasing drought conditions because it nests behind waterfalls.

Many Pacic forest birds, including• Marbled Murrelet , Spotted Owl ,Olive-sided Flycatcher , Varied Thrush , Band-tailed Pigeon , Ruous Hum-

mingbird , and Chestnut-backed Chickadee. Murrelets and Spotted Owlsrequire structurally diverse old-growth forests.

Reasons for HoeVast areas of western forests on public lands areprotected from permanent conversion to otherland uses. Improved forest management, suchas restoring natural re regimes and fencingriparian areas to prevent overgrazing, can benetmany forest birds.

Redwood and Douglas-r forests of the PacicCoast are some of the tallest forests in theworld. Western forests also include conifer,pine-oak, and pinyon-juniper forests of themountains, riparian ribbons of deciduous forestalong major rivers, and oak woodlands.

Lewis’s WoodpeckerGolden-winged Warbler

Wild Turkey

Spotted Owl

g e r r i t v y n

g e r r i t v y n

g e r r i t v

y n

J a m e s l i v a u d a i s

ke n ne t h v .r o s e nb e r g

r o ge r e r i Ck s s o n

14

Eastern Forest Western Forest



The boreal forest stretches south from the arctictundra across an area larger than the Amazon

rainforest, a blanket of spruces, birch, peat bogs, andother wetlands. Occurring mostly within Canada,the North American boreal forest extends into the

United States in Alaska, in states bordering the

Great Lakes, and in northern New England.

Brds n TroubeFederally listed as endangered: Whooping

Crane.

Lesser Scaup• and White-winged Scoter nestin boreal forests and winter in coastal regions; both have declined by more than 50% in 40years.

The U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan identi-•es four boreal-nesting species that are of highconservation concern: Whimbrel , Hudsonian Godwit , Solitary Sandpiper ,and Short-billed Dowitcher. Lesser Yellowlegs and Least Sandpiper alsoare experiencing long-term declines.

Harris’s Sparrow• and Rusty Blackbird are temperate migrants that winterentirely within the U.S.; causes of their steep declines have yet to be de-termined (Rusty Blackbirds have declined by 75% in 40 years).

Birds that periodically come south in winter, such as• Bohemian Waxwing ,Pine Siskin , White-winged Crossbill , and Evening Grosbeak , have experi-enced long-term declines.

Many Neotropical migrants show consistent declines, including boreal•specialists such as Blackpoll Warbler , Cape May Warbler , and Connecticut

Warbler.

Reasons for HoeBoreal wetland birds such as Common Gold-

eneye , Bufehead , and Bonaparte’s Gull haveincreased. Management efforts for Trumpeter

Swans throughout their historic range have beenhighly successful.

Vast areas of virgin boreal forest still remain, pre-senting opportunities for large-scale conservation.In 2007 and 2008, Ontario and Quebec promised

to protect more than 120 million acres of Canada’s boreal forest—one of thelargest conservation actions in North American history if implemented.

Brds n TroubeFederally listed as endangered: Wood Stork.

Threatened: (Audubon’s) Crested Caracara.

Smooth-billed Ani• in Florida and Groove-

billed Ani in Texas have declined dramaticallyfor unknown reasons.

Other less-common species of the Rio Grande• Valley, such as Altamira and Audubon’s

orioles , also have declined, possibly due toBronzed and Brown-headed cowbirds that lay eggs in the orioles’ nests.

Reasons for HoeCouch’s Kingbird , Long-billed

Thrasher , and Olive Sparrow

are among many species thatare moving northward in Texas,perhaps in response to warming

temperatures.Acquisition and restoration ef-forts by the U.S. Fish and Wild-life Service, the state of Texas,The Nature Conservancy, andNational Audubon Society havecreated a string of protected areasalong the Lower Rio Grande thatare vital to many subtropical for-est specialists. The newly formedLower Rio Grande Joint Ventureis a public-private partnership striving to protect and restore additionalremnant forests in south Texas and northeastern Mexico.

Nearly all of south Florida’s remaining subtropical forests are protectedwithin Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress National Reserve.

A forest of live oaks in Tree Tops Park,Florida. Subtropical forests in theUnited States occur only in south

Texas (Tamaulipan thorn forest) and inpeninsular Florida (bald cypress and

hardwood hammocks).

Rusty Blackbird

Trumpeter Swan

Altamira Oriole

d e b s i m o n

ke n ne t h v .r o s e nb e

r g

s a m

C r o W e

J a Ckb ar t h ol o mai

mar kke i t hl y

gar t h

l e nz

Green Jay

15

Borea Forest Subtroca Forest





Major Threats

Climate Change

Warming temperatures are more extreme at thepoles than in other places on earth. Thawing per-mafrost in the southern arctic is lowering the wa-ter table and drying out coastal tundra supporting

the highest densities of breeding shorebirds andwaterfowl.

Warming temperatures may cause a mismatch between the timing of nesting and availability of food. Melting sea ice cover will affect seabirds,such as Ivory Gull, by causing shifts in theirmarine food resources. Changes to vegetation andsnowpack could affect lemmings, important preyfor Snowy Owls and other birds.

Energy

Oil exploration and production threaten majorareas of great importance to arctic-breeding birds.Arctic warming will make it easier to develop off-shore energy facilities and to transport products,increasing the risk of fuel spills that kill or harm birds.

Development and Disturbance

Predators that thrive near human development,such as arctic foxes and gulls, prey on the eggsand young of ground-nesting birds. Predatorsintroduced to islands can devastate bird

populations.

SoutonsReducing emissions is the only direct way to•slow effects of global climate change. Bettermonitoring is needed to understand the effectsof climate change on arctic wildlife.

Energy and commercial development plans•should avoid key breeding and staging areas,

minimize effects on breeding birds from oilspills and other hazards, and include adequatedisaster responses.

A system of protected areas in productive re-•gions of the arctic is needed to ensure that birdshave areas to use as conditions change in thearctic.

Management actions continue to be needed to•control the overpopulation of geese that nega-tively affect the habitat for other species such asshorebirds.

As arctic birds respond to a changing climate,•increased monitoring efforts will be required inareas that are difcult to access, to determinepopulation redistribution and impacts, and todevelop conservation strategies.

Beyond Our BordersMost arctic and alpine breeding birds have largepopulations in Canada, and some also inhabitarctic Europe and Asia. Birds that breed in thearctic may winter in habitats from South Americato southern Canada, so protection of internationalwintering and migratory areas is essential. Of 51shorebird species that breed in northern NorthAmerica, substantial populations of 40 species(78%) winter in Latin America, Asia, Australia,Polynesia, and Europe.

Reason for HoeOil and gas leasinghas been deferredfor 10 years aroundAlaska's Teshekpuk Lake, which supportshigh densities of breeding shorebirdsand large numbers of molting geese.

The uture o arctic habitats and birds

depends on our ability to curb global

climate change and to explore energy

resources with minimal impact to wildlie.

long-tailed Jaeger by gerrit vyn

g e r r i t v y n

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

17



Consder Ths:Nearly one-quarter o all U.S. birdsP

rely on reshwater wetlands, includingmore than 50 shorebird species, 17long-legged waders, and 44 specieso ducks, geese, and swans.

Wetland bird populations are wellP

below historic levels but managementand conservation measures havecontributed to increases o many

wetland birds, including huntedwaterowl.

Degradation and destruction oP

wetlands reduce clean water andother benefts to society and eliminatecritical areas needed by wetland birds.

Bird-related conservation programsP

have contributed signifcantly to therestoration o wetlands. For example,“Duck Stamps” and the North

American Wetlands Conservation Acthave generated billions o dollars andprotected nearly 30 million acres.

The State of Wetand BrdsOf 163 bird species that breed in freshwater wet-lands, 24% are species of conservation concern,including 10 federally listed as endangered orthreatened. Half of the remaining high-concernspecies are shorebirds that breed in the arctic, boreal forest, or grasslands. The wetland birdsindicator, based on data for 139 species, shows asteady increase beginning in the late 1970s, coin-ciding with major policy shifts from draining toprotecting wetlands. Dramatic increases in many

wetland generalist species, as well as arctic-nest-ing geese and cavity-nesting ducks, contribute tothis overall trend.

Wetland Birds Indicator60

40

20

0

-20

-40

1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2007

P e

r c e n t a g e

C h a n g e

Year

Wetland Species (139)

Brds n TroubeFederally listed as en-

dangered: Wood Stork,

(Everglades) Snail

Kite, (Yuma) Clapper

Rail, Whooping Crane,

(Mississippi) Sandhill

Crane, Piping Plover,

Least Tern. Threat-

ened: Spectacled Eider,

Steller’s Eider, Bald

Eagle (Sonoran Desert population only).

Green Heron• and Spotted Sandpiper are amongthe few wetland generalists that show long-term declines. Other declining wetland speciesinclude prairie-nesting Franklin's Gull and Black

Tern , southeastern marsh specialists such asKing Rail , boreal-nestingWhite-winged Scoters ,Lesser Yellowlegs , and Rusty Blackbirds , andmany arctic-nesting shorebirds.

See pages 9, 15, and 16 for more information on•wetland birds in grasslands, boreal forests, andarctic habitats.

wetlAnds Wetlands Restoration:A Model for Bird Conservation

More than half of our nation'soriginal wetlands have beendrained or converted to otheruses. Many wetlands arewithin other habitats, such as

grasslands, boreal forest, andarctic tundra.

green heron by steve Wolfe

k e n n e t h

v . r o s e n b e r g

mar i a n ne di a nt o ni o

Although many wetland birds show troubling declines,

conservation programs have protected millions o acres

and contributed to thriving populations o herons, egrets,hunted waterowl, and other birds.

Wood Stork

18



Major Threats

Agriculture

Excessive chemicals, nutrients, and sedimentsfrom unsustainable agriculture can disrupt thefunction of wetlands, dramatically reducing cleanwater and other environmental benets, and

eliminating critical areas needed by wetland birds.Disturbance

Impacts of oods and drought on wetland birdsare exacerbated by degradation from streamchannelization, construction of levees, dikes, anddams, depositing of ll, and unsustainable for-estry practices.

Energy

Rising corn prices and conversion of wetlands andadjacent grasslands for biofuel production threat-

ens the nesting habitat of several duck species andother birds in the Prairie Pothole region.

Global climate change will degrade wetlands, af-fecting birds and other wildlife. Warming temper-atures and more storms, droughts, and oods willcause unpredictable changes in hydrology, plantcommunities, and prey abundance.

SoutonsWidespread public education efforts and•

government regulations helped reverse theloss of wetlands starting in the 1970s. Continu-ing education about the value of wetlands andmanagement techniques are vital for successfullandowner incentive programs.

Creative policies based on incentives and regu-•lation, such as the Wetlands Reserve Program

and enforcement of regulations, have enabledprivate landowners to maintain agriculture andtimber production while managing wetlands.

Increasingly, hunting leases, bird watching,•and ecotourism are providing landowners witheconomic opportunities that are enhanced bymanagement of quality wetlands.

Land purchases can be the most secure form of •wetlands conservation. With more than 96 mil-lions acres on 548 refuges, the National WildlifeRefuge System is our nation’s only public land base dedicated solely to the conservation andprotection of wildlife, with a high priority formigratory birds. This network can be increasedin key areas.

Small wetlands need special attention because•of their vulnerability to conversion duringdroughts and their noteworthy value to wet-

lands birds.

Beyond Our BordersThe U.S. shares many wetland breeding bird popu-lations with Canada. In addition, many waterbirds from arctic, boreal, and grassland regions of the United States migrate to Latin American andCaribbean countries for the winter. Continentalprograms such as the North American WaterfowlManagement Plan provide a solid foundation toexpand vital international cooperation.

Reasons for HoeOur national bird,the Bald Eagle ,recovered fromnear extinction inthe lower 48 statesafter protection from

shooting, restora-tion of wetlands,and banning of DDTand other harmful

pesticides. Most Bald Eagle populations wereremoved from listing under the Federal Endan-gered Species Act in 2007, after three decades of conservation work to restore the species.

Wetlands management and restoration alsohave contributed to thriving populations of many wetland generalists, including American

White Pelican , Double-crested and Neotropiccormorants , herons, egrets, Osprey , Sandhill

Crane , Black-necked Stilt , gulls, and kingsh-ers.

A majority of colonial-nesting wading birds,such as egrets, herons, and White Ibis , continueto recover from populations devastated by theplume trade and market hunting in the early20th century. Once nearly conned to rookeriesin south Florida, many of these species haveexpanded west into Louisiana and Texas, andnorth along the Atlantic Coast.

osprey by James livaudais

W i l b e r

s u i t e r

19

Bald Eagle



The rich tradition of waterfowl hunting in NorthAmerica has ensured a sustainable population of waterfowl across the continent. Federal Migratory

Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps (“Duck Stamps”), purchased primarily by hunters, haveprovided more than $700 million for wetlandsconservation. The North American Wetlands Con-servation Act (NAWCA), enacted in 1989, set thestage for creative partnership funding to protectvital wetlands. In an unparalleled conservationpartnership among Canada, the United States, andMexico, NAWCA partners have raised more than$3 billion dollars and have conserved nearly 25million acres of wetlands and associated uplandhabitats.

Waterfowl habitat conservation in North Americaserves as an example for other conservationchallenges and offers hope that through synergy,

planning, collaboration, and persistence, we canconserve and restore wetland habitats for the ben-et of both wildlife and future generations.

The State of Our Naton’s

WaterfowAmong 44 species of ducks, geese, and swans,2 are listed as federally threatened and 2 areof conservation concern (Emperor Goose andTrumpeter Swan). The waterfowl indicator, basedon 39 hunted species, has increased steadily overthe past 40 years, reecting the success of man-agement efforts. Many ducks, such as Mallard,

Gadwall, Wood Duck, and Redhead, show stableor increasing populations, and most arctic-nestinggeese, as well as Trumpeter Swans, have increaseddramatically. Reintroduced populations of resi-dent Canada Geese in the lower 48 states have been so successful that the geese have become aproblem in many urban areas. However, a fewduck populations, notably Lesser Scaup, NorthernPintail, and several sea ducks, continue to showtroubling declines.

Waterfowl Indicator

0

100

150

200

-100

1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2007

P e r c e n t a g e

C h a n g e

Year

Waterfowl (39 hunted species)

Brds n TroubeFederally listed as threatened: Spectacled Eider,

Steller’s Eider.

Signicant declines of Northern Pintail and Lesser

Scaup represent continued challenges for water-fowl management. Pintail numbers dropped to 2.6million in 2008, 36% below the long-term average.

Although not as well monitored as other species,several “sea ducks” such as King Eider , White-

winged Scoter , and Long-tailed Duck appear to be

declining—perhaps reecting increasing threats intheir coastal wintering habitats.

Reasons for HoeIn 2008, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimat-ed that there were 37.3 million breeding ducks, anincrease of 11% above historical averages through2007. Redheads reached a record high and esti-mates for the Green-winged Teal were the secondhighest on record. Changes in precipitation, landuse, and management practices encouraged bythe North American Waterfowl Management Planhave contributed to recent waterfowl recoveries.

Ross’s Goose was estimated at only 2,000 to 3,000individuals in 1931, prior to stringent huntingregulation. After regulation, the population recov-ered to 188,000 breeding birds in 1988, and growthcontinues. Most other arctic-nesting geese haveincreased dramatically as well.

Wood Ducks have responded well to nest-boxprograms throughout their range; populationsincreased by more than 200% in the past 40 years.

long-tailed duCks by gerrit vyn

spogh o wafo

Conservation Partnerships Produce Results!

Successul waterowl conservation in

North America is a model or wide-

spread habitat protection that has

reversed declines o many bird species.

20



spogh o

Mah B

Secretive Marsh Birds RequireCloser Monitoring

Thirty-three wetland bird species, includingducks, grebes, bitterns, and rails, depend onemergent vegetation in freshwater marshes for breeding. Many widespread marsh-nesting birdshave shown stable or increasing populations overthe past 40 years, but marsh specialists in theMidwest and Southeast have suffered declines.

The State of Marshand BrdsOf the 33 obligate marsh species, 21% are speciesof conservation concern, including the federallyendangered Snail Kite and freshwater races of Clapper Rail. Other birds of high concern includeYellow Rail, Black Rail, and King Rail. For 31 spe-cies with adequate data, the marsh bird indicatorshows a steady decline until about 1990, followed by wide uctuations over the last two decades,perhaps reecting precipitation patterns. Becausemany marsh birds are notoriously difcult todetect, the indicator may not accurately reect thestatus of these populations.

Marsh Birds Indicator60

40

20

0

-20

-40

1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2007

P e r c e n t a g e

C h a n g e

Year

Marsh (31)

Brds n TroubeFederally listed as endangered: Snail Kite.

Marsh-nesting birds of Midwest prairies, suchas Horned , Eared , and Clark’s Grebe , Cinnamon

Teal , Franklin’s Gull , Clapper Rail , and Black Tern have shown population declines that are probablylinked to loss and degradation of wetlands.

Several southeastern marsh specialists, notablyKing Rail and Purple Gallinule , also have experi-enced steep declines. Migratory populations of King Rail are listed as endangered or threatened by most states within its northern range.

Reasons for HoeWidespread marsh species, such as Pied-billed

Grebe , Least Bittern , Virginia Rail , and Common

Moorhen can take advantage of small or ephem-

eral wetlands and have maintained stable range-wide populations over the past 40 years.

Everglades National Park protects the largestfreshwater wetland in the United States; recentefforts to restore the greater Everglades ecosystemrepresent one of the largest conservation initia-tives in U.S. history. Although populations of many wading birds remain well below historic es-timates in the Everglades, several species, such as

White Ibis , have beneted from the conservationeffort there. The endangered Florida population of Snail Kite (the “Everglades Kite”) has respondedwell to conservation efforts, reaching a populationof 685 individuals in 2008.

Marshes respond quickly to management and res-toration efforts, and small but productive marshescan support very large numbers of birds. Wetlandrestoration projects, such as Wakodahatchee inFlorida and Sweetwater Wetlands in Arizona, are

a mecca for waterbirds, as well as for bird watch-ers and wildlife photographers.

Common moorhen by Clark rushing

21

Marshes respond

quickly to

management

and restoration

eorts, and even

small marshes

can support largenumbers o birds.



Consder Ths:Although coastal areas occupy lessP

than 10% o our nation’s land area,they support a large proportion o ourliving resources, including more than170 bird species.

Generalist birds, such as gulls,P

have been extremely successul indeveloped areas, but specializedspecies, such as migrating shorebirds,

have declined.

Coastal habitats continue to suerP

rom unplanned and unsustainablehousing development, pollution, andwarming oceans caused by climatechange.

The USFWS National Wildlie ReugeP

System manages extensive publiclands in coastal zones. At least161 coastal reuges may be at risk

because o ongoing and predicted sealevel rises.

The State of Coasta BrdsOf 173 bird species that use coastal habitats atany time of year, 53 are species of conservationconcern and 14 are federally listed as endangeredor threatened. Fourteen of twenty-seven shorebird species that primarily use coastal habitats havedeclined.

Based on 50 species that winter exclusively incoastal habitats, the indicator shows a steadyincrease over the past 40 years, to roughly 20%above the 1968 baseline. Large increases in Com-

mon Eider, Northern Gannet, Laughing, Heer-mann’s, and Western gulls, contribute to thisoverall trend. Sea ducks, such as King Eider andWhite-winged Scoter, as well as wintering shorebirds such as Wandering Tattler and Purple andRock sandpipers, have shown steep declines.

Wintering Coastal Bird Indicator60

40

20

0

-20

-40

1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 1998 2003 2007

P e r c e n t C h a n g e

Year

Wintering Coastal (50)


endangered: Brown

Pelican, Wood Stork,

(Caliornia) Clapper Rail,

(Light-ooted) Clapper

Rail, Whooping Crane,

(Caliornia) Least Tern,

Roseate Tern, (Cape

Sable) Seaside Sparrow.

Threatened: Spectacled

Eider, Steller’s Eider, Piping Plover, Snowy Plover,

Marbled Murrelet.

Plovers, terns, and other beach-nesting birds•are vulnerable to people and pets who inadver-tently destroy or disturb nests. Wilson’s Plovers have declined by 78% in 40 years. With a U.S.population of about 6,000, they are vulnerable todevelopment and catastrophic hurricanes.

Small populations of coastal marsh birds, such•as rails and sparrows, are vulnerable to habitatloss and degradation from pollution and chang-ing water levels that affect feeding areas and

plant cover. Seaside and Saltmarsh Sharp-tailedsparrows are found only in coastal saltmarshesof eastern North America.

Common Murres• are still one of the most nu-merous seabirds in the Northern Hemisphere, but local populations can be severely reduced by climate change, disturbance, shing, intro-duced nest predators, and oil spills. They havedeclined by 76% over the past 40 years.

East Coast populations of • Red Knots have de-clined by an alarming 82%. Semipalmated Sand-

piper , Sanderling , and Dunlin have also showndramatic declines.

COAsts Where Land Meets Sea,Coastal Protection OffersHope for Birds

Coastal ecosystems includecoastlines, nearshore islands,nearshore waters, estuaries, andtidally-inuenced sections of rivers and creeks—productivehabitats for abundant wildlife.

g e r r i t v

y n

Common murres by gerrit vyn

b i l l dal t o n

Least Tern

22



Major Threats

Development

Nearly half of the U.S. population lives and worksin coastal areas, with resident populations expect-ed to increase by 25 million people by 2015. Morethan 180 million people visit the shore for recre-

ation every year. These recreational uses oftenconict with the needs of birds and other wildlife.

Conversion of marsh to open water from dredg-ing, water control, boat trafc, and a changingclimate have caused 93% of the coastal habitat lossthat occurred from 1998 to 2004.

Resource Use

Red Knots and other shorebirds depend on horse-shoe crab eggs for food. Overharvesting of horse-shoe crabs during the past decade has reduced thedensity of crab eggs along the eastern seashore by up to 99%, which is believed to be a principalcause of steep declines of many shorebird species.

Diving birds such as loons, grebes, gannets, ducks,and shearwaters die from entanglement in shinggill nets. Overshing of forage sh (e.g., menha-den along the Atlantic Coast) and bycatch of sh(e.g., in small-mesh shrimp trawls) may depletefood needed by sh-eating birds.

Pollution and Climate Change

From 1998 to 2002, sediments in about half of es-

tuaries in the U.S. had one or more contaminantsexceeding benchmarks for “possible or probableadverse effects” on aquatic life. Excess nutrientsfrom agricultural runoff deplete oxygen in coastalwaters, forcing sh, shrimp, crabs, and the birdsthat feed on them to move from the area or die.

Oil spills, as well as chronic pollution from bilgepumping, outboard engines, and mishandlingof petroleum products, kill untold numbers of coastal birds and can be linked to declining ordepressed local populations of birds such as Com-

mon Murres and Marbled Murrelets.

Global climate change causes sea level rise,increased storm surge events, changes in marshdistribution, and changes in the food resourcesfor some birds. In the Southeast, rising sea levelsin the next century are expected to ood 30% of habitat in National Wildlife Refuges.

Additionally, birds nesting on beaches and near-

shore islands suffer from some of the same threatsas island birds, including predation and habitatdamage from invasive species (see page 26).

SoutonsFederal or state incentives can encourage coastal•management beneting people and wildlife.Neighboring communities can cooperate to re-strict sprawling development and create green-ways and natural areas.

Incentives can be developed to create seaside•preserves such as the Cape Cod National Sea-shore, with private or public ownership andlocal, state, or federal management.

Nest sites can be protected from unintentional•disturbance by fencing and other measures.

Sustainable shing will prevent overharvest•of important food sources for birds, includinghorseshoe crabs.

Beyond Our Borders

Many of our nation’s coastal birds spend partof the year in Canada, Mexico, and Central andSouth America. The international Western Hemi-sphere Shorebird Reserve Network is vital to theconservation of these long-distance travelers.

Reasons for HoeSince 1990, underthe Federal CoastalGrants Program,about $183 millionin grants have beenawarded to acquire,

protect or restoremore than 250,000acres of coastal wet-lands.

The U.S. Department of Interior Ocean andCoastal Activities Implementation Plan provides better integration of coastal habitat managementprograms across agencies with ocean, coastal,and Great Lakes stewardship.

Fish-eating birds, such as Brown Pelican andNorthern Gannet , rebounded after the pesticide

DDT was banned in the U.S.Whooping Cranes wintering in and around theAransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas haveincreased from 15 birds in 1941 to 266 in 2008,the result of successful endangered species con-servation and management.

saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparroW by kenneth v. rosenberg

Hal o all coastally migrating

shorebirds have declined, indicating

stress in coastal habitats besieged

by development, disturbance, and

dwindling ood supplies.

23

Brown Pelican J a n e o

g i l v i e



Consder Ths:At least 81 bird species inhabit ourP

nation’s marine waters, spending theirlives at sea and returning to islandsand coasts to nest.

At least 39% o bird species in U.S.P

marine waters are believed to bedeclining, but data are lacking ormany species. Improved monitoring isimperative or conservation.

Ocean birds travel through watersP

o many nations and are increasinglythreatened by fshing bycatch,pollution, problems on breedinggrounds, and ood supplies altered byrising ocean temperatures.

The health o our oceans and wildlieP

will improve with policies that addresssustainable fshing, changes in oodsupply, and pollution.

The State of Ocean BrdsOf 81 ocean bird species, almost half are of conservation concern, including 4 that are feder-ally listed as endangered or threatened. Based onavailable data, 39% of ocean bird species are de-clining, 37% stable, and 12% increasing. Too littledata exist to determine the population trends for12% of ocean birds. There were insufcient datato generate an indicator similar to those presentedfor other habitats in this report, so trend categorieswere based on a variety of data sets and expert

opinion.

Trends for Ocean Bird Species

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Apparent

Stable Unknown

P e r c e n t a g e

o f S p e c i e s

i n

C a t e g o r y

Decline Increase

Biologically significant

Brds n TroubeFederally listed as en-

dangered: Short-tailed

Albatross, Hawaiian

Petrel. Threatened:

(Newell’s) Townsend’s

Shearwater, Marbled

Murrelet.

Mortality from•incidental capture incommercial sheries

(bycatch) is the most signicant source of mor-tality for Black-ooted and Laysan albatrosses , both species of high conservation concern.

The• Black-capped Petrel nests locally in theCaribbean and forages off the eastern U.S. sea- board, but little is known about the populationsize or threats to this rare species.

The• Ashy Storm-Petrel faces threats at its nest-ing colonies in southern California and BajaCalifornia. In marine foraging areas, it is vulner-able to contaminants, petroleum products, and

plastics encountered while foraging.

OCeAnsFar at Sea: Birds Face Hazardsfrom Fishing, Pollution, andAltered Food Supplies

Oceans may appear homogeneousbut are composed of distincthabitats created by massive

circulating currents. Humanactivity has affected the healthof our oceans even far from land.

Nearly hal o ocean birds in the U.S. are o conservation

concern, indicating deteriorating ocean conditions.

Management policies and sustainable fshing regulations areessential to ensure the health o our oceans.

Black-capped Petrel

b r i a n l

. s u l l i v a n

blaCk-footed albatross by brian l. sullivan

b r i a nl . s ul l i va n

24



The Black-footed Albatross, a species of conservation concern, wanders the North

Pacic for most of the year and returns toremote islands to breed.

Major Threats

Resource Use

Overshing by humans reduces and alters thefood supply for many seabirds.

Longline sheries worldwide unintentionallyinjure and drown as many as 60 bird species, espe-

cially surface-feeding seabirds such as albatrosses.

Pollution

Pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and oil harmocean birds. Major oil spills kill thousands of birds, but small spills and chronic releases from boats and ports also cause signicant harm.

Many seabirds consume oating plastic and mayfeed it to their chicks. Ninety percent of LaysanAlbatrosses surveyed on the Hawaiian Islandshad plastic debris in their stomachs.

Climate ChangeSea-surface temperatures have risen up to 4degrees Fahrenheit in the North Sea and areexpected to continue increasing across the world’soceans, affecting important food sources for ocean birds.

Breeding failures of some seabirds in northernlatitudes have been attributed in part to increasedpests and diseases that survive in warmer winters.

Kittlitz’s Murrelet population declines probablyresult from cyclical changes in the oceanic envi-ronment and glacial melting, affecting their abilityto nd food.

In addition to the threats noted above, ocean birdsface challenges on their nesting grounds includingdevelopment, disturbance, invasive species, andsea level rise. (See pages 22 and 26.)

SoutonsFisheries laws provide the platform to ensure a•sustainable ocean environment and can includeprovisions to reduce bycatch, orient marine sh-ery policy toward ecosystem management, andseparate conservation and allocation decisions.

International efforts, such as the Agreement on•

the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, canset a standard for cooperative management of seabirds.

Coordinated, regionwide programs are needed•to collect, assess, and distribute data to betterassess the status of seabird populations.

Increased monitoring of ocean birds and their•food base are essential to measure change inocean health and help develop more effectiveconservation actions.

Reasons for HoeRegulations andvoluntary measuresto minimize bycatchhave been estab-lished for U.S. sher-ies in Alaska andHawaii, resulting insignicant decreasesin ocean bird mor-tality, especially for

Black-ooted, Laysan, and Short-tailed alba-

tross.

The recent protection of 335,561 square miles infour Marine National Monuments will greatlyimprove the health of our oceans, benetingpeople as well as birds and other ocean life.

Laysan Albatross b r i a n l . s u l l i v a n

blaCk-footed albatross by brian l. sullivan

25



More bird species are vulnerable to extinction inHawaii than anywhere else in the United States.

Before the arrival of humans, the HawaiianIslands supported 113 bird species unique in theworld, including ightless geese, ibis, rails, and 59species of Hawaiian honeycreepers.

Since humans arrived, 71 bird species have be-come extinct and 31 more are federally listed asthreatened or endangered. Of these, 10 have not been seen in as long as 40 years and may be ex-tinct. Humans have introduced many bird speciesfrom other parts of the world: 43% of 157 speciesare not native. Among landbirds, 69% are intro-duced species.

Brds n TroubeFederally listed as en-dangered: Short-tailedAlbatross , HawaiianPetrel , Nēnē , HawaiianDuck (Koloa) , LaysanDuck , Hawaiian Hawk (Ìo) , Hawaiian Moorhen(Àlae Ùla) , Hawaiian

Coot (Àlae Keòkeò) ,Hawaiian Stilt (Aeò) ,Hawaiian Crow (Àlalā) , Oàhu Elepaio , NihoaMillerbird , Kāmaò , Olomaò , Puaiohi , Kauaì `Ō`ō ,Laysan Finch , Nihoa Finch , `Ō`ū , Palila , Maui Par-rotbill , Kauaì Àkialoa , Nukupuù , Àkiapōlāàu ,Hawaiì Creeper , Oàhu Àlauahio , Kākāwahie ,Hawaiì `Ākepa , Maui ̀ Ākepa , `Ākohekohe ,Poòuli. Threatened: Newell’s Shearwater.

after becoming confused by bright lights. Downedshearwaters often die of exhaustion, are hit bycars, or are killed by predators.

Reasons for HoeEndangered LaysanDucks, numbering 600on Laysan Island, have been translocated toMidway Atoll, wherethe population nowexceeds 200 after just afew years.

Population growthof forest birds such

as Hawaiì Creeper and Àkiapōlāàu has beendramatic in the Hakalau Forest National WildlifeRefuge, where the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

is fencing to exclude feral mammals, aggressivelymanaging invasive plants, and replantingendangered plants. Application of these successfulmethods is urgently needed elsewhere.

Rats were eradicated from Midway Atoll in 1997,resulting in an increase of Bonin Petrels from anestimated 5,000 pairs in 1979 to more than 100,000pairs in 2008, and recolonization by Tristram’sStorm-Petrels and Bulwer’s Petrels.

The 7,500-acre Hanawi Natural Area Reserve supports some of Hawaii’s most important concentrations of native birds, including

`Ākohekohe and Maui Parrotbill. Hawaii’s islands were once forestedwith native trees such as koa, ̀ ohia, mānele, and sandalwood. Sincehuman colonization, approximately half of these forests have been lost.

J a Ck J e f f r e y

Hawaiian Stilt

Àkiapōlāàu

e r i C v a n d e

r W e r f

J a C k J e f f r e y

spogh o h B of h Haaa ia

The Race to Save Hawaiian Birds

Nearly all native Hawaiian forest birds are declin-ing, their populations devastated by nonnative

disease-carrying mosquitoes, predators, feral cat-tle and pigs, and loss of habitat. The Palila , foundonly on the Big Island, has declined from 6,600 birds in 2003 to 2,200 in 2008. The Àkikiki andÀkekeè of Kauai have also declined dramaticallysince 1970 and are proposed for listing under theEndangered Species Act.

Exotic plants and diseases can wreak havoc on na-tive habitats. Golden crownbeard is overwhelmingthe breeding habitat of Black-footed and Laysanalbatrosses in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.Òhia rust threatens one of the most important foodplants of endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers.

Seabirds that nest on islands, including theendangered Hawaiian Petrel , face severe threatsfrom feral cats and other introduced species, andhabitat damage by feral ungulates.

Since 1979, approximately 30,000 Newell’s Shear-waters , a threatened species, have collided withutility lines and structures or have been grounded

26



Saving Hawaii’s Birds Restoration and protection of mid-elevation•forest is essential for the recovery of endan-gered species such as ̀ Akiapōlāàu, Hawaiìand Maui `Ākepas, and Hawaiì Creeper.

A highest priority action with the greatest po-•tential benets for native birds is the fencingof habitats to exclude feral ungulates. This im-proves habitat quality and reduces numbers of disease-carrying mosquitoes (trampled areasand downed tree ferns collect water wheremosquitoes breed).

Protecting all groups of native Hawaiian birds• by federal law should be explored and imple-mented, such as for Hawaiian honeycreepers,which are not protected under the MigratoryBird Treaty Act.

Targeted trapping and use of rodenticides to•reduce numbers of nonnative predators suchas rats, cats, and mongoose will improve nest-ing success and survivorship of birds.

Focused efforts are urgently needed to re-•

duce the spread of invasive, exotic plants inareas important to threatened birds. Goldencrownbeard needs to be eradicated from theNorthwestern Hawaiian Islands, especiallyon Midway Atoll where the plant threatensto overwhelm nesting areas for the world’slargest colonies of Laysan and Black-footedalbatrosses.

Some bird species require captive breeding to•ensure the continued existence and recoveryof wild populations. Release of captive-bredPalila and translocation of wild birds hasresulted in the establishment of a small breed-ing population in a second location on the BigIsland.

Nesting albatrosses on Midway Atoll can en-•counter lead-based paint peeling from WorldWar II era buildings. On Midway Atoll, asmany as 10,000 Laysan Albatross chicks diefrom lead poisoning each year. Cost-effectivemeasures of reducing this threat should befurther explored.

isand Brds: Vunerabe and

Often OverookedMost island birds evolved on remote archipela-goes, so they are extremely vulnerable to inva-sive plants, wildlife introduced by humans, theonslaught of new predators, habitat degradation,and disease. In the last ve centuries, 87% percentof bird extinctions worldwide have taken place onislands.

Most of Hawaii’s conservation crises result fromthe introduction of nonnative plants and animals, but climate change is a growing concern. Theleading threats to Hawaiian birds include habi-tat degradation from trampling and grazing byintroduced ungulates; nonnative predators (e.g.,feral cats, mongooses, rats); nonnative plants anddiseases; and bird diseases spread by introducedmosquitoes.

Most native birds are now largely restricted toforests above the mosquito line at about 5,000 feet,a haven that is expected to shrink as increasingglobal temperatures enable mosquitoes to surviveat higher altitudes. In addition, rising sea level isprojected to inundate important breeding sites formany species, especially for seabirds on the low-lying Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

More Onne

Visit www.stateofthebirds.org for informationon birds of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands,Guam, Northern Marianas, American Samoa,remote Pacic Islands, and Navassa Island.

J a C k J e f f r e y

palila by JaCk Jeffrey

The endangered `Ākohekohe lives in the native forests of Maui.In its very restricted range, `Ākohekohe are vulnerable to habitat

degradation by introduced plants and by the grazing of introducedcattle, pigs, and goats. Fencing to control feral mammals will help tostabilize or reverse population declines.

Hawaii’s native birds and habitats are

under siege rom invasive species and

disease. Immediate action is needed to

prevent birds rom going extinctwithin our lietimes.

27



28

Taxon StatusYear ofListing Habitat(s)

Estimated Population atListing/Historic Numbers Trend Since Listing

CurrentPopulation

Hawaiian Goose (Nene) E 1973 Islands Low o 30 Gradual increase 1,700

Hawaiian Duck E 1973 Islands <500 in 1949 Gradual increase 2,400

Laysan Duck E 1973 Islands Low o 7; ~500 at listing Signicant recent increase 650

Steller’s Eider T 1997 Arctic, Coasts Unknown Likely remained stable (staging) 75,000

Spectacled Eider T 1993 Arctic, Coasts 3,400; hard to survey Likely increase 7,000

Greater Prairie-Chicken (Attwater’s) E 1973 Grasslands 1 million in early 20th Century Decreasing 72

Northern Bobwhite (Masked) E 1973 Grasslands Extirpated late 1800s Never ully established 10

Short-tailed Albatross E 1973 Ocean Believed extinct beore 1950 Signicant Increase 2,400

Hawaiian Petrel E 1973 Ocean, Islands Unknown Decreasing 15,000

Newell’s Shearwater T 1975 Ocean, Islands Unknown Decreasing At least 36,000

Brown Pelican (Gul Coast, Caliornia) E 1973 Coasts Less than 1,000 in CA, almost

extirpated along Gul Coast

Steady increase 46,000

Wood Stork E 1984 Wetlands, Coasts ~5,000 at listing Steady increase 22,000

Caliornia Condor E 1973 Aridlands 22 in 1987 Gradual increase 330

Snail Kite (Everglades) E 1973 Marsh 65 Increase with fuctuations 685

Bald Eagle (Sonoran Desert) T 1973 Wetlands, Coasts 21 in 1975 Steady increase 100

Hawaiian Hawk (Ìo) E 1973 Islands ~2,000 Stable 2,000Crested Caracara (Florida) T 1987 Subtropical Forest 100 Initial increase; since stable 1,000

Aplomado Falcon (Northern) E 1986 Grasslands, Aridlands Extirpated in the 1950s Slow increase 100

Clapper Rail (Caliornia) E 1973 Coasts Unknown Likely remained stable 1,350

Clapper Rail (Yuma) E 1973 Marsh 750 Likely remained stable 1,000

Clapper Rail (Light-ooted) E 1973 Coasts 406 in 1980 Apparent steady increase 800

Common Moorhen (Hawaiian) E 1973 Islands 57 in the 1960s Gradual increase <1,000

Hawaiian Coot E 1973 Islands ~1,000 Gradual increase 3,000

Sandhill Crane (Mississippi) E 1973 Wetlands 40 Slight increase 100

Whooping Crane E 1973 Wetlands, Coasts 16 in 1941 Gradual increase 540

Snowy Plover (Western, Pacic Coast) T 1993 Coasts Unknown Gradual increase 2,300Piping Plover (Atlantic, Great Plains) T 1985 Coasts, Wetlands Unknown Gradual increase 7,000

Piping Plover (Great Lakes) E 1985 Coasts Unknown Increase with fuctuations 110

Black-necked Stilt (Hawaiian) E 1973 Islands ~1000 Gradual increase 1,500

Eskimo Curlew E 1973 Arctic Historically abundant Likely extinct Unknown

Least Tern (Interior) E 1985 Wetlands 5,000 but surveys incomplete Probably stable 18,000

Least Tern (Caliornia) E 1973 Coasts 1,200 Steady increase 13,000

Roseate Tern (Florida) T 1987 Coasts Unknown Decreasing 350

Roseate Tern (Northeast) E 1987 Coasts ~6,000 Fluctuating 6,000

Marbled Murrelet T 1992 Coasts, Forests Unknown Decreasing 25,000

Spotted Owl (Northern) T 1990 Western Forest Unknown Decreasing 8,500

Spotted Owl (Mexican) T 1993 Western Forest Unknown Unknown (in US) 1,500

eag spc

The long Road to Recovery

In 1973, the United States Congress passed theEndangered Species Act to protect and recoverimperiled species and the ecosystems uponwhich they depend. The Act has succeededmore often than it has failed, and some success-es have been spectacular, such as the increaseof the Aleutian Canada Goose from fewer than1,000 birds to more than 60,000, and the remark-able comebacks of the Bald Eagle and PeregrineFalcon.*

However, the possibility of extinction is still a

cold reality for many birds: 13 species may nolonger exist in the wild (10 species from Hawaii,plus Bachman’s Warbler, Ivory-billed Wood-pecker, and Eskimo Curlew). Several speciesface unprecedented conict with humans forland at peak economic value (for example, inpeninsular Florida, mid-continental prairies,coastal California, Texas hill country, and thePacic Northwest).

Of the 74 bird species, subspecies, and popu-lations listed in the United States, 30 have in-creased since listing, 16 have remained stable,15 have decreased, and 13 are possibly extinct.

s nai l ki t e b y mar t J a nl a m me r t i nk



29

Taxon StatusYear ofListing Habitat(s)

Estimated Population atListing/Historic Numbers Trend Since Listing

CurrentPopulation

Red-cockaded Woodpecker E 1973 Eastern Forest 10,000 Steady increase 20,000

Ivory-billed Woodpecker E 1973 Eastern Forest Unknown Unknown Near or at zero

Willow Flycatcher (Southwestern) E 1995 Eastern Forest 700; surveys incomplete Apparent increase 2,000

Kauaì Òò E 1973 Islands ~10 Likely extinct late 1980s 0

Loggerhead Shrike (San Clemente) E 1977 Aridlands 50 Gradual increase 230

Bell’s Vireo (Least) E 1986 Aridlands 600 Steady increase 6,000

Black-capped Vireo E 1987 Aridlands Unknown Some increases noted 12,000

Florida Scrub-Jay T 1987 Eastern Forest 11,000 Decreasing 6,500

Hawaiian Crow (Àlala) E 1973 Islands 96, including captive fock Extinct in the wild (all captive) 60

Elepaio (Oahu) E 2000 Islands Unknown Decreasing 2,000

Caliornia Gnatcatcher (Coastal) T 1993 Aridlands Unknown Decreasing; habitat loss (in U S) 5,000

Millerbird (Nihoa) E 1973 Islands ~400 Fluctuating (in 1996) 155

Kamaò E 1973 Islands 350 Likely extinct early 1990s 0

Olomaò E 1973 Islands Ten or ewer Likely extinct 1980s 0

Puaiohi E 1973 Islands Unknown Gradual small increase 350

Bachman’s Warbler E 1973 Eastern Forest Probably extinct beore listing Likely extinct Unknown

Golden-cheeked Warbler E 1990 Aridlands Unknown Likely decreasing 21,000

Kirtland’s Warbler E 1973 Eastern Forest 167 Steady increase 3,000

Caliornia Towhee (Inyo) T 1987 Aridlands 100 Steady increase 750

Sage Sparrow (San Clemente) T 1977 Aridlands Unknown Likely stable 300

Grasshopper Sparrow (Florida) E 1986 Grasslands 600 Stable or slight decrease 400

Seaside Sparrow (Cape Sable) E 1973 Coasts 6,000+ Decreasing 3,200

Laysan Finch E 1973 Islands ~11,000 Fluctuating ~11,000

Nihoa Finch E 1973 Islands ~3,000 Unknown, likely fuctuating 2,800

Òù E 1973 Islands Unknown Likely extinct c late 1980s 0

Palila E 1973 Islands Unknown Decreasing 2,200

Maui Parrotbill E 1973 Islands 500 Stable 500

Greater ̀Akialoa (Kauaì) E 1973 Islands Probably extinct beore listing Likely extinct c 1960s 0

Nukupuù E 1973 Islands Unknown Likely extinct c 1995 0

Àkiapolaàu E 1973 Islands ~1,200 Likely stable 1,200

Hawaiì Creeper E 1975 Islands ~12,000 Decline 6,300

Oàhu Àlauahio E 1973 Islands Unknown Likely extinct c 1990 0

Kakawahie E 1973 Islands Probably extinct beore listing Likely extinct 0

Àkepa (Maui) E 1973 Islands 10 in 1980 Likely extinct 1980s or 1990s 0

Àkepa (Hawaiì) E 1973 Islands ~14,000 Stable 14,000

Àkohekohe E 1973 Islands ~3,800 Stable 3,750

Poòuli E 1975 Islands ~20 Likely extinct in 2004 0

In the continental United States, populationsof more species that were listed early-on haveincreased than those listed more recently, ac-cording to the American Bird Conservancy.This indicates that long-term conservation ef-forts can pay great dividends.

An Urgent Need for Protection

Some species languish on the candidate list ow-ing to lack of resources for listing. The highestpriority candidates must be quickly protectedso that urgently needed conservation actionscan be mounted. Funding for endangered Ha-waiian birds must be increased: only 4.1% of all state and federal funding for federally listed bird species is spent on Hawaiian birds, whichrepresent 44% of all listed species.

The most cost-effective solution of all is to stop bird species from declining before they requireEndangered Species Act protection. Coopera-

tive conservation measures involving govern-ment and tribal agencies, nongovernmentalorganizations, and private landowners are es-sential to keep common birds common and torecover failing bird populations while there isstill time.

For more on endangered species, including birds listed in the U.S. island territories, visitwww.stateofthebirds.org.

Key:

E—Endangered, T—ThreatenedPopulation estimates include captive andwild populations where known. Estimatesare approximate except for species with verysmall populations.

* Fully delisted: Aleutian race of the CanadaGoose, and American and arctic races of thePeregrine Falcon. Partial delisting: Bald Eagle,Brown Pelican.



CHAllenGesSuccessful bird conservation requires giving birds a long-termchance to survive and reproduce. Humans have created numerousthreats to birds in addition to the natural challenges that birdsconstantly face from starvation, predation, and severe weather.

Based on decades of research, conservationists have identied themost important threats to birds, including the greatest threat of all—habitat loss. Addressing these conservation challenges can ensure asafe future for birds and improve the quality of life for people too.Here, we summarize the major challenges affecting bird populations.

Resdenta and Commerca DeveomentThe accelerated pace of urban, suburban, and commercial development inthe United States threatens the integrity of every major habitat, from con-tinued draining of wetlands and destruction of coastal marshes, to loss andfragmentation of forests, aridlands, and grasslands because of suburbansprawl. Unlike timber production and livestock grazing, urbanization andsprawl cause permanent loss of natural habitats. Increased development in

rural areas, such as second-home development, has equal or greater eco-logical consequences than growth of urban centers.

Steep declines in many bird populations are a direct result of unplannedand sprawling urbanization. Birds that are particularly hard hit includefarmland species such as meadowlarks and Bobolink; eastern birds de-pendent on shrubby habitats, such as American Woodcock and BrownThrasher; and birds of western deserts and chaparral, such as Bendire’s andCalifornia thrashers. Fragmentation of forests by development can increaserisk of predation for forest-interior birds, such as Wood Thrush, KentuckyWarbler, and Cerulean Warbler, and can contribute to nest failures fromincreasing numbers of cowbirds, which lay their eggs in these birds’ nests.

Coastal development causes loss of beach dunes and threatens fragile saltmarshes, harming birds such as Black Rail and Seaside Sparrow, as well asmigratory shorebirds and other water birds dependent on tidal mudatsand estuaries.

As many as one billion birds each year may die from collisions with man-made obstacles, including windows, transmission towers, power lines, andwind turbines. Tall, lighted buildings and other structures along coastlineskill millions of migrating birds each year. Conservationists are explor-ing and implementing innovative ways to reduce this grim toll, but muchremains to be done.

AgrcutureThe way that we use land to grow our food has signicant impacts on birds.Because of conversion of grasslands to agriculture, grasslands are the mostendangered ecosystem in North America. The Conservation Reserve Pro-gram and other initiatives pay farmers to keep areas with erodible soils andsensitive habitats out of production. Farmer participation in this success-ful program varies. In 2008, for example, farmer involvement was affected by high commodity prices for corn and other grain caused by the growingdemand for food and biofuels. In the future, millions of program acres willexpire or will not be renewed, putting vital grassland habitat in jeopardy.

Suburban sprawl and other causes of habitatloss are the biggest threats to birds.

e r i Ce p s t e i n

30



Energy producton and MnngEnergy development has signicant negative effects on birds in NorthAmerica including habitat loss, reduction in habitat quality, direct mortality,and disruption. Construction, operation, and associated infrastructure of energy development such as oil and gas elds, wind farms, and geothermalelds reduce and fragment habitat. Oil and gas development in the Westis affecting birds such as Greater Sage-Grouse by fragmenting large blocks

of habitat. Energy eld development alters natural environments in waysthat favor invasive plants and animals. Gulls that prey on other birds aresubsidized by garbage dumps at drilling facilities in Alaska. Surface watercreated as a result of coalbed methane extraction allows mosquitoes thattransmit diseases such as West Nile virus to breed. Roads used for construc-tion often become paths for invasive plants such as cheatgrass to spread.

Deaths of birds and nesting failures are associated with spills during trans-portation of petroleum products and oil eld practices such as dischargingoily waste into uncovered pits. Collisions with wind turbines, offshore oilrigs, and powerlines cause signicant mortality. Construction and opera-tions of energy elds can displace birds and disrupt nesting. Prairie-chick -

ens and sage-grouse avoid nesting near tall structures. Studies show thatthey usually abandon breeding areas near drilling rigs or wind turbines.

Mining can cause extensive habitat disturbance, degradation, and loss. Forexample, coal mining that blasts mountaintops to reveal coal seams belowhas removed large areas of eastern forests and buried nearby streamsidehabitats under tons of debris. This contributes to the decline of birds that breed in interior forests, such as Cerulean Warblers.

Natura Resource UseThe intentional killing of birds has been a signicant factor in the past,

including egrets killed for plumes,

shorebirds for food, and raptorsfor sport. Hunting is no longer acause of bird population declines inthe United States, thanks to strongregulations and harvest manage-ment. However, numerous otherpractices related to resource use arestill a deadly factor for birds.

Most U.S. forest ecosystems have been affected by logging, road

construction, monocultural tree plantations, and re suppression. These

have caused fragmentation; a lack of mature trees, snags, and natural earlysuccessional forests; degradation of streamside habitats; and overgrowth of brush and small trees because of re exclusion, all of which can have nega-tive consequences for wildlife. For example, more than 85% of old-growthforest in the Pacic Northwest has been eliminated, leading to the listing of the Northern Spotted Owl and Marbled Murrelet as threatened under theEndangered Species Act.

In arid regions of the West, excessive grazing has degraded grasslandsand denuded streamside areas where most bird species forage and breed.Overshing in oceans has led to the starvation and nesting failures of birds.Overharvesting of horseshoe crabs has been attributed to rapid declines of

Red Knots, which must gorge on horseshoe crab eggs in Delaware Bay tonish their annual migration to the arctic. Many shing practices such aslong-lining, gill nets, and trawling can hook or entangle seabirds or disrupttheir food supply.

invasve and probem SecesInvasive species are those that spread uncontrollably after being introducedto an area where they are not native. Invasive plants and animals are majorthreats to native bird species in numerous ways.

Nonnative predators have the greatest single impact by killing adult birdsas well as eggs and young. Domestic and feral cats kill hundreds of millions

of birds each year. Island nesting birds, particularly seabirds, are very vul-nerable since they mostly nest on the ground or in burrows and are easilycaptured by rats, foxes, cats, dogs, and mongooses.

Invasive plants also impact birds by rendering the habitat unsuitable.Because of the aggressive shrub saltcedar, areas along southwestern water-ways have become extremely poor habitat for Willow Flycatcher, Yellow- billed Cuckoo, and other species. Saltcedar has also crowded out beachesneeded by nesting Snowy Plovers. Cheatgrass has modied millions of acres of sagebrush habitat, lowering its value for species of concern such asGreater Sage-Grouse, Sage Thrasher, and Sage Sparrow.

The number and scope o severe threats to birds is

daunting, but implementing solutions immediately and

widely will pay o in benefts to society, the economy,

and the health o our environment.

Unsustainable logging in the boreal forest destroys

habitat needed by wildlife.

p e t e r l e e

31





31

7

4

8

6

3

9

105

11

35

22

16

27

34

2819

18

33

2

17

12

14

24

13

2521

2932

36

23

3720

30

1

26

15

OUr APPrOACHThe State of the Birds: Focus on HabitatsTo develop this rst State o the Birds report or the United States, our team o experts drew upon a variety o

sources to determine the conservation status and population trends o 498 bird species that occur regularly within

the continental US, Hawaii, and US oceans

Healthy bird populations depend on maintenanceof both the quality and quantity of habitats. Thesesame habitats provide resources that are essentialfor human survival and quality of life. Trends in bird populations can give us initial insight intothe health of these habitats, and thus provide anindication of environmental sustainability.

We began by assigning each bird species to oneof seven primary habitats: oceans, coasts, wet-lands, arctic, forests, grasslands, or aridlands.Hawaiian landbirds were treated separately. Wedened habitats following the 2008 Heinz Foun-dation report, The State of the Nation’s Ecosystems. Acomplete list of the birds in each habitat, as well ashabitat trends from the Heinz report can be foundat www.stateofthebirds.org.

Birds that are restricted to a single habitat for breeding were dened as habitat obligates , rep-resenting an important group of species that aremost characteristic of a habitat and that should bemost sensitive to environmental problems. Birdsfound in three or more habitats were considered generalists. We recognized birds that use urban andsuburban landscapes as occupying a secondaryhabitat.

Brd pouaton indcators:

A Measure of Envronmenta

HeathTo assess the health of habitats, we created birdpopulation indicators based on the best availablemonitoring data for groups of species in each hab-itat. The concept of wild bird indicators has beenapplied widely throughout the world in otherState of the Birds reports and has been acceptedas an important measure of environmental health.Each indicator represents the change in abun-dance for a group of bird species combined into asingle indicator line. We chose 1968 as a base year

Map Key

Coasts

Arctic

Boreal Forest

Eastern Forest

Subtropical Forest

Grasslands

Western Forest

Arridlands

www.stateofthebirds.orgVisit our website or additional details about

the science behind bird population indicators as

well as inormation about bird conservation andmonitoring programs

Numbers reer to bird conservation regions created by the NorthAmerican Bird Conservation Initiative See www.stateofthebirds.org.

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Suggested Citation for this Report: North American Bird Conservation Initiative, U.S. Committee, 2009. The State of the Birds, United Statesof America, 2009. U.S. Department of Interior: Washington, DC. 36 pages.

Contributors: Project Leads: Bob Ford, Paul Schmidt

Science Team: Brad Andres, Laurel Barnhill, Bob Blohm, Brad Bortner, Greg Butcher, Jorge Coppen,Charles Francis, Debbie Hahn, Mark Koneff, David Mehlman, David Pashley, Kenneth V. Rosenberg, John

R. Sauer, Jennifer WheelerCommunications Team: John Bowman, Connie Bruce, Miyoko Chu, Ashley Dayer, Steve Holmer, PatLeonard, Alicia King, Ellen Marcus, Gemma Radko, Nicholas Throckmorton, Blythe Thomas, Nancy

Severance, Joshua Winchell

Lead Analyst: John R. Sauer

Editor: Miyoko Chu

Designer: Susan Steiner Spear

We thank the following people for reviewing or contributing to the development of this report: John Alexander, Eleanora Babij, Breck Carmichael, Tom Cooper, Martha Desmond, Dan Dessecker,George Fenwick, John Fitzpatrick, Krishna Gifford, Richard Gregory, Catherine Hickey, Dave Howell,

Dave Krueper, Marcia Maslonek, Larry Neel, Daniel K. Niven, Mike Parr, Melissa Pitkin, Terry Rich,

Diane Tessaglia-Hymes, Scott Yaich, Emily Silverman, George Wallace, Jeff Wells, Roger Wells.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took the lead in creating this report through an unprecedented

partnership involving the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, State wildlife agencies, and nongovernmentalorganizations as a subcommittee of the U.S. North American Bir d Conservation Initiative (NABCI).

A Special Thank You to Volunteers Our understanding o the long-term health o birds depends largely on the

thousands o bird watchers and biologists who volunteer each year or the

Breeding Bird Survey, Christmas Bird Count, or many other monitoring programs

The dedication and skill o these citizen scientists refects their love o birds

and the natural world, as well as their concern or the health o habitats and

our environmentWithout the continued

involvement o this

army o volunteer

observers, this and

any uture State o

the Birds reports

would simply not be

possible For more on

how to participate

in bird-monitoring

programs see www.stateofthebirds.org

for these indicators, reecting the 40-year span of reliable bird-monitoringdata for many species, as well as a period of environmental consciousnessand habitat protection in the U.S.

Seces of Conservaton ConcernBecause reliable long-term trend data were not available to create birdpopulation indicators for all U.S. habitats, we also used the proportion of species of conservation concern in each habitat as a separate indicator of health or threats to that habitat. Our last line of defense against extinctionis the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, which lists 67 bird species aseither endangered or threatened (see page 28).

We also recognize an additional 184 species of conservation concern, basedon the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2008 Birds of Conservation Concern,and the 2007 WatchList, produced by the American Bird Conservancy andthe National Audubon Society from information compiled by bird conser-vation partnerships. These species show elevated levels of risk based onsmall range or population size, high threats, or declining trends. Proac-tive conservation efforts aimed at keeping these species from becoming

federally listed constitute the primary focus of Partners in Flight, the U.S.Shorebird Conservation Plan, Waterbirds for the Americas, and the NorthAmerican Bird Conservation Initiative.

The State of Our Brd Montorng DataIn this rst U.S. State of the Birds report, we relied on long-term trend datafrom three primary bird population surveys. The North American BreedingBird Survey (BBS), administered by the U.S. Geological Survey and Cana-dian Wildlife Service, and conducted at more than 4,000 sites by volunteerobservers, provided data for 365 breeding species since 1968. For 120 spe-cies that breed outside the area of reliable BBS coverage, but winter primar-

ily within the U.S., we used trends from the National Audubon Society’sChristmas Bird Count. Finally, trends for 13 waterfowl species were pro-vided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Servicefrom the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey, conducted bytrained pilots and wildlife biologists across the northern U.S. and Canada.

Analysis for this State of the Birds report represents the rst integration of long-term results across these three important surveys, using new statisti-cal techniques developed by scientists at the USGS and National AudubonSociety. Our analysis also highlights the lack of reliable long-term data formany poorly monitored bird groups, most notably arctic-nesting shorebirds, colonial seabirds, and oceanic species. New monitoring efforts for

these species and habitats are essential for future State of the Birds reports.

di a ne t e s s a gl i a-hy me s

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baCk Cover photos from top , left to right: greater sage-grouse by ted sChroeder; hanaWi natural area reserve , maui ,

haWaii , by eriC vanderWerf; Cassin's finCh by darrell e. spangler , paCifiC Coast , big sur , California , by gerrit vyn ,Common murres by gerrit vyn , everglades by kenneth v. rosenberg. this page: sandhill Cranes by david Quanrud.

The birds we see in our backyards, felds, orests, deserts, and oceans have much

to tell us about the health o the environment. Each year, thousands o citizen-

science participants contribute data rom across the United States, making it

possible to identiy birds in trouble. By understanding the message rom birds

and taking action, we can help them thrive and saeguard our own uture.

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Documents

State of the Birds - American Birds Sending Troubling Message About The Environment