Large Number of Bird Species Facing Rapid Decline in North America

Nearly 150 of the 882 land bird species in North America are in sharp decline, especially in Mexico, according to a new report. The report, issued by Partners in Flight — a consortium of academics, conservationists, government agencies, and philanthropists — said that 124 of the 148 imperiled bird species spend much of their time in Mexico, where habitat destruction is occurring more rapidly than in the U.S. and Canada. The threatened birds in Mexico include the thick-billed parrot, the horned guan, and the resplendent quetzal, a green and red bird with long tail feathers that feeds on avocados. The study also identified 24 imperiled land bird species in the U.S. and Canada, including the cerulean warbler, the Canadian warbler, and the black swift. The study found that one third of the 882 land bird species in North America spend substantial amounts of time in at least two of the countries. Species that live in the U.S. often winter in Mexico or breed in Canada, meaning that habitat degradation in any of the three North American nations can adversely affect bird populations.