Almost 50% of all bird species worldwide are experiencing population declines – “Birds tell us a lot about the health of the natural environment – if we ignore their messages, we put ourselves at risk”
The future of birds appears particularly uncertain, as described in the latest State of the World’s Birds Report 2022, published every four years by Birdlife International. In particular, approximately one (1) in two (2) bird species found on the planet are declining, with the populations of many of them having shrunk dramatically.
Simultaneously, one in eight species is threatened with extinctionwhile habitats critical for the survival of birds are being lost or are in an unfavorable state of conservation.
As the Hellenic Ornithological Society points out, “birds make up a group of species with an extremely high diversity and their chirping echoes even in the most remote corners of our planet. Consequently, their state of conservation is a barometer for the health of all of Nature.”
According to the results of the Report nearly 50% of all bird species worldwide are experiencing population declineswhile only 6% shows increasing trends.
At the same time, according to the latest data of the Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), over 2,000 species worldwide, i.e. more than 1 in 8 birds are considered threatened (Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered).
According to Ornithologia, “the fact that this population decline is not limited to Europe and North America, where the greatest overlap of inhabited and Important for Birds areas is recorded, is also worrying, but now concerns all bird species across the globe – from forest and aquatic species in Japan to predators in Kenya.”
Main cause of these losses, according to the new Report, are the expansion and intensification of agricultural activity, the climate crisis and extreme weather events, the loss or degradation of important habitats, as well as pressures on birds from specific anthropogenic activities such as pollution , poaching, residential expansion and expansion of energy infrastructure.
The Exhibition also presents the meters which are necessary to be adopted immediately to address the biodiversity crisis we are experiencing, many of which are already being implemented in many regions of the world. Objectives and actions to address the pressures on birds and biodiversity, to restore degraded ecosystems, but above all to effectively preserve, safeguard and manage Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas are considered crucial.
As Ornithologia comments: “Despite the dramatic situation in which the natural environment is, birds offer us reasons to remain optimistic. They show us how, with meaningful action, many species can be saved and Nature can recover. From 2013 to today, the declining population trend of 726 globally threatened bird species has been reversed through conservation actions and programs led or participated in by BirdLife partners. At the same time, 450 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) have been declared protected through pressure from partner organizations of the large Federation, among which the Hellenic Ornithological Society.
“Birds tell us a lot about the health of the natural environment – if we ignore their messages, we put ourselves at risk. Many regions of the world are already experiencing extreme wildfires, droughts, heatwaves and floods, as many human-altered ecosystems struggle to adapt to climate change. The pandemic and the rising cost of living have undoubtedly turned the world’s attention away from critical environmental issues, but the global community must remain focused on the effort to stem the biodiversity crisis,” said BirdLife International chief Patricia Zurita. .
Finally, the landmark report is based on data collected tirelessly by researchers, conservationists and volunteers from around the world, and summarizes what the birds themselves tell us about the state of nature and the pressures on it, emphasizing to the measures that need to be implemented immediately for their protection and survival.
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I am Terrance Carlson, author at News Bulletin 247. I mostly cover technology news and I have been working in this field for a long time. I have a lot of experience and I am highly knowledgeable in this area. I am a very reliable source of information and I always make sure to provide accurate news to my readers.
