Dr. Leon Bennun
Director of Science, Information and Policy
Birdlife International
Why bother about birds?
Nature underpins our lives, and birds are a
wonderful window on nature.
But bird numbers are declining around the
globe.
Protecting nature is affordable, and represents a
sound investment. In the future, the costs will
be far greater.
Bird conservation makes economic sense… and
it works.
The status of the world’s birds is declining
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
Birds help us understand the natural world
We know more about birds than any other wildlife
group. Their decline reflects a deteriorating global
environment, affecting all life – including people.
Birds are an accurate and easy-to-read environmental
barometer that lets us monitor the pressures we put
Birds are excellent indicators and a popular
on the world’s biodiversity.
window on the world
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
Many bird species, including common ones, are declining
In Europe, data over 30 years show that
common birds are also in decline.
Some groups – such as those found on
farmland – are declining faster than others.
Many governments now use common bird
trends to track environmental sustainability
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
Many bird species are at risk of extinction
Near Threatened
880 (9%)
Threatened
1,313 (13%)
Least Concern
7,677 (77%)
Vulnerable
727 (55%)
Data Deficient
60 (1%)
Endangered
389 (30%)
197 bird species are
classified as Critically
Endangered, the highest
threat level
Critically
Endangered
197 (15%)
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
One in eight bird species is threatened
with extinction
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
The status of the world’s birds is deteriorating
Birds are declining, but some groups such as seabirds
are deteriorating faster than others.
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
The UN now uses BirdLife’s Red List
Index to monitor sustainability
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
A range of threats is driving declines in globally threatened birds
Unsustainable agricultural practices are
the greatest threat to bird species
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
Dr. Stuart Butchart
Head of Science
Birdlife International
Some sites are particularly important for birds and other wildlife
We know where the most important nature
sites are. We call these Important Bird and
Biodiversity Areas – IBAs for short.
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
BirdLife has identified more than
12,000 IBAs on land and at sea
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
Many IBAs are in an unfavourable state— “IBAs in Danger”
The BirdLife Partnership identified over 300 IBAs
worldwide that need effective protection and
management.
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
IBA monitoring by BirdLife Partners has
helped to identify IBAs in Danger
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
IBAs guide protection in the oceans
IBAs affect how we manage marine resources such
as fish stocks
Marine IBAs have been instrumental in
identifying Protected Areas in the oceans
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
What will it cost to save nature and protect it?
How much will it cost:
• To save all threatened
species from extinction?
• To protect and manage key
sites like Important Bird and
Biodiversity Areas?
BirdLife data show that US$80 billion per year
is needed for global nature protection
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
Investing in conservation is essential… and affordable
This expense an investment ,not a bill.
The alternative will be far more costly
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
BirdLife Partners are implementing effective solutions
BirdLife Partners have taken action for over 537
threatened species (40%), since 2008
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
Species can be saved from extinction
Habitat restoration and the
removal of invasive plant species
by the BirdLife Partner in Portugal
has helped save the Azores
Bullfinch from extinction.
In Brazil, the BirdLife Partner and
others have successfully lobbied
for a new state park to safeguard
the future of the Restinga Antwren
Over ten years, action by BirdLife Partners and
others prevented the extinction of 16 bird species
BirdLife International World Congress Ottawa Canada
Partnerships for Nature and People June 19-22 2013
State of the World’s Birds
www.birdlife.org/datazone/sowb
Citizen Science: Working Together on the State
of Canada’s Birds
Jon McCracken
Director of National Programs,
Bird Studies Canada
Co-chair, Birds Specialist Subcommittee (Committee on
the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada)
Report Overview
• Canada’s first comprehensive
report on the health of bird
populations
• What can changes in bird
populations tell us about our
environment?
• How is human activity affecting
bird populations?
www.stateofcanadasbirds.org
Changes in Canada’s Birds
 Some groups
of
species doing well
(33% of species)
On average
Canadian bird
populations have
declined by 12%
 Other groups
of
species declining
(44% of species)
Canada’s Species at Risk
70 bird species in Canada
face some risk of
extinction or extirpation
Four others are already
Extinct or Extirpated.
Canada Warbler (Threatened)
85% of Canadians say laws protecting species at
risk are crucial to the diversity and abundance of
wildlife, the Canadian economy, and Canadians’
health. – Ipsos Reid poll (December 2012)
Birds of Prey are recovering
Raptors (hawks, eagles, falcons)
– 70% average increase
– Populations of many species had crashed by the 1960s,
largely as a result of pesticides such as DDT
– Banning of DDT has allowed many species to recover -- and
made the environment healthier for people
Bald Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
Waterfowl are doing well
 Waterfowl (ducks, geese, swans)
– 45% average increase since 1970
– Reflects success of conservation
and management actions
– Effective regulation of hunting
began in 1917, spurred by
dramatic declines in populations
of many species because of
intense commercial exploitation
– Investment in wetland habitat
conservation has been key since
then
Aerial Insectivores in decline
 Aerial Insectivores (birds that catch insects in flight, such as
swallows, swifts and flycatchers)
– 64% decline
– Causes uncertain:
• changes in insect populations?
• loss of habitat?
• climate change?
Barn Swallow
Common Nighthawk
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Grassland birds in trouble
 Grassland birds - 45% decline
– Some species have declined more than 90%
– Loss of breeding and winter habitat
• Conversion of native grassland
• Agricultural intensification – replacing pasture with grain
Eastern Meadowlark
Bobolink
McCown’s Longspur
Citizen Science is Key
An army of thousands of talented volunteer
birders help monitor Canada’s bird
populations through a variety of programs:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Christmas Bird Count
Breeding Bird Survey
Project FeederWatch
Migration Monitoring
eBird Canada
Breeding Bird Atlases
There are many opportunities. Learn more at:
www.birdscanada.org/volunteer
International Conservation:
Opportunities for Action
Ted Cheskey
Manager of Bird Conservation
Programs, Nature Canada
•
•
•
Author of over 20 bird conservation plans
Steering committee member and co-author of State of
Canada’s Birds
35 years in bird monitoring and conservation
Where do “our” birds go?
4 in 5
“Canadian” bird
species spend
much of their
lives beyond our
borders.
Further = Worse off
Migrant
USA
Central America
and Caribbean
Decline
 5%
 15%
 60%
South America
Year-round Residents
Canada
(year-round residents)
Increase
 50%
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Wood Thrush
Arctic Tern
Disappearing shorebirds
Shorebirds (sandpipers, plovers)
 42% decline overall
 Largest declines for Arctic-nesting
species (>60%)
 Amazing migrations
 Dependency on stop-over sites
 Susceptibility to disturbance
 Unknown contribution of climate
change
Panama Bay Whimbrel
The
RedRed
Knot
Story
ofRufa
the Rufa
Knot
• Migrates from Canadian Arctic to Tierra del Fuego
(30,000 km round trip) annually
• Depends upon key stop-overs to refuel including
James Bay, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Delaware Bay
USA, north east and south east Brazil, and Tierra
de Fuego Chile/Argentina.
• Moon Bird
James Bay, Canada
Delaware Bay, USA
Bahia Lomas, Chile
Arrives skinny and hungry
Leaves plump and healthy
Important Bird Areas: a site-based solution
Important Bird Areas: Priorities for
conservation
• 2/3 IBAs in Canada are not
formally protected
• IBA networks throughout the
Americas benefit our species
• Canadians
(government/NGOs/
business, individuals) need
to invest conservation
efforts abroad
2 views of Panama Bay, Matt Jeffries
Address working landscape:
International Cooperation protects grassland birds
Declining grassland birds
• Habitat loss is biggest challenge
throughout range
• Pesticides also impacting species
Upland Sandpiper
Alliance for the Grasslands
•
•
•
•
•
Cooperation to conserve grasslands in
pampas of South America
Conserve traditional economy
Promote “certified” beef
Restore grassland bird populations
Apply similar strategies to breeding grounds
in Canada and USA
Bobolink
A path forward
• We know the priorities for
conservation research and
action
• We know the solutions:
– Investment in Partnerships
– Protect IBAs
– Flyways approach for key
species
– Respect and support traditional
economies
– Focus research where needed
– Apply precautionary principle
• So . . . Let’s do it!
Questions?
Thank You!
For images or copies of the report:
Ami Kingdon
SMCC
Ami.kingdon@sciencemedia.ca
613-878-8279
Vincent Allaire
SMCC Media Officer (français)
514-887-8279
Vincent.allaire@sciencemedia.ca
To coordinate interviews with panelists:
Elaine Secord
Bird Studies Canada
519-586-7251
esecord@birdscanada.org
For more information on BirdLife International:
Martin Fowlie
BirdLife International
martin.fowlie@birdlife.org