The State of the Birds report examines the conservation status and population trends over the past 40 years for more than 800 species of native birds found in the United States.

Spring 2009

A partnership of government wildlife agencies and conservation organizations has released the first comprehensive analysis of the state of the nation’s birds. Drawing on data from a variety of sources, the report examines the conservation status and population trends over the past 40 years for the more than 800 species of birds that occur regularly in the United States.

Of the eight habitat types assessed, the report found significant declines in most. Grassland bird populations showed some of the most rapid declines, with 55 percent of species decreasing significantly. While agricultural practices were considered one of the leading causes for grassland decline, farmland conservation programs that promote habitat conservation on agricultural lands were cited as the most effective approach to bringing these species back. The Central Hardwoods Joint Venture is actively working on conservation projects that target grassland and grass-shrubland species, including habitat restoration and bird population assessments.

As a group, forest birds were found to be faring better than grassland populations, but many species have still suffered significant declines. The Central Hardwoods Joint Venture is working with partners to improve management of forests and woodlands for its high priority birds, and is employing new modeling techniques to determine where within the Central Hardwoods region habitat improvements will be most successful. The State of the Birds report also acknowledged the importance of migratory habitat. Because half of all forest bird species winter in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, the report recommended that international collaborations will be needed to address conservation of these species. The Central Hardwoods Joint Venture is working with the Yucatan Peninsula Alliance for Birds to protect bird habitat in northeastern Yucatan.

Wetlands provided one of the bright spots in the report. Overall, populations of bird species that depend on wetland habitat have increased over the past four decades. The report attributed the upswing to the success of programs focused on wetlands conservation and management.

The report acknowledged the role that Joint Ventures have played in bird conservation: "Over the last two decades, unprecedented private-public partnerships, called Joint Ventures, have been highly effective at leveraging scarce funds to conserve millions of acres of wetlands and other wildlife habitat."

Partners in the State of the Birds project include:

American Bird Conservancy
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Klamath Bird Observatory
National Audubon Society
The Nature Conservancy
North American Bird Conservation Initiative, U.S. Committee
U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Read more and download the report at www.stateofthebirds.org.

CHJV Projects