Species Conservation

In order for bird conservation to be successful, we must know which bird species are most in need of attention, and direct appropriate conservation action towards them. There are several lists that are used to identify at risk bird species, both domestically and internationally.

The U.S. Endangered Species List, maintained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, contains all the U.S. species and sub-species that have been determined by the federal governement to be in immediate danger of extinction. The Endangered Species Act, under which the list is maintained, protects these species, and also has the provision to protect certain places, designated as Critical Habitat, for the full recovery of the listed animal or plant. ABC's Endangered Species Act Report has analyzed the benefits to birds of this act in depth, and concluded that it is one of the most important pieces of legislation currently in effect for rare birds, requiring appropriate funding to enable conservation efforts to be fully effective in restoring populations.

ABC has also worked with the National Audubon Society to draw up the WatchList of birds in the United States that are in need of conservation attention. Using methods originally laid out by Partners in Flight, the list provides a comprehensive look at all birds facing serious threats in the country.

Internationally, ABC has been a leading partner in the Alliance for Zero Extinction, a global consortium of conservation groups that aims to prevent species extinctions by identifying and protecting sites that are the last remaining refuges for endangered or critically endangered species (as defined by the IUCN Red List). So far, the Alliance has identified 595 sites that are the final redoubts for 794 endnagered species. ABC is undertaking conservation action at 19 of these sites in the Americas that have been identified for birds.