State of the Birds 2022
Every year, the President of the United States delivers a State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. Similarly, every year a State of the Birds Report is released by the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NACI). This week NACI released the State of the Birds, United States of America, 2022. The report presents data on changes in bird populations across habitats of the United States in the past five decades. Here are the key findings:
1 in 4 birds have been lost from the United States and Canada in the past 50 years.
90 bird species have lost half of their populations in the past 50 years. Let that sink in. HALF in 50 years. This list includes:
Black Skimmer
Red-headed Woodpecker
Snowy Owl
Chimney Swift
Least Tern
Lesser Yellowlegs
Ruddy Turnstone
Rufous Hummingbird
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone. One of 90 species identified as losing 50% or more of its population during 1970-2019. It and other species are on a trajectory to lose another 50% in the next 50 years.
Population rebounds of waterfowl show that when investments in habitat conservation are made, we can bring birds back. At the same time, continuing declines in other habitats show the critical need to restore ecosystems under stress.
The Birds of Conservation Concern (BCC) list, mandated by law and updated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, identifies 269 migratory nongame bird species that, without additional conservation actions, are likely to become candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act.
Scientists with the Road to Recovery initiative have identified 70 Tipping Point species from the BCC and/or state lists of Species of Greatest Conservation Need. These birds have lost half or more of their populations in 50 years and are on a trajectory to lose another half in the next 50 years—or they already have small remaining populations and face high threats, but lack sufficient monitoring data.
Grassland birds have suffered the biggest bird declines of any terrestrial biome since 1970. The eastern Great Plains are a hotspot of population loss due to habitat conversion, tree and shrub encroachment, and pesticide applications.
How can you help today?
Congress is now considering the bipartisan Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Enhancements Act of 2022 (H.R.9135 and S.4187), an important bill that would provide a major funding increase to migratory bird conservation, as well as more equitable access to the funding. Learn more about this bill, and if so inclined, fill out the form to let your members of Congress know that birds matter to you!
Thank you! Let’s protect what we love.
