Newsletter / Blog
2011-07-20 Study outlines steps to protect declining North American landbird populations
A recent study carried out by scientists from Canada, Mexico and the
United States, including several BirdLife Partners found that of the 882
native landbirds shared across borders, 17% (148 species) need
immediate conservation action.
The report concludes with six steps that Canada, Mexico and the
United States must take to reverse the trend of declining North American
landbird populations:
1. Protect and recover species at greatest risk by establishing protected areas and fully implementing endangered species laws.
2. Conserve habitats and ecosystem functions through policy changes
that result in more sustainable agricultural, forestry and urban
planning practices.
3. Reduce bird mortality by adopting measures that are effective in
reducing bird mortality from collisions with windows or tall buildings,
poisoning from pesticides and unsustainable hunting and trapping.
4. Expand our knowledge base for conservation by acquiring a better
understanding of bird distribution patterns; connectivity between
locations; population responses to management practices; and the
cumulative effects of human-caused bird mortality.
5. Engage people in conservation about birds, and encourage the
participation of local communities through citizen science programs and
programs that promote the benefits of conserving birds to those who
depend on them for their well-being.
6. Increase the power of international partnerships by sharing and
transferring information and knowledge through partnerships such as
regional alliances, international joint ventures and community-based
partnerships, as well as develop new mechanisms to engage business,
industry, and NGOs.
We hope the Government of Canada will adopt these recommendations,
and by doing so, make significant progress towards the conservation of
North American landbirds.
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