For Immediate Release: December 13, 2007

Contacts:
, American Bird Conservancy, 202/234-7181

American Bird Conservancy Launches Bird News Network

(Washington, D.C.) American Bird Conservancy is pleased to announce the launch of the Bird News Network – BNN – a syndicated news service available at www.abcbirds.org for stories about birds and bird conservation throughout the Americas.

BNN will also enable media professionals, birders, and everyone interested in birds and bird conservation to subscribe to an RSS news feed that will provide regular press releases and summaries of national press coverage on bird conservation issues. These releases will include regular video news webcasts as well as stories from American Bird Conservancy and its partners in bird conservation. Organizations, blogs and news outlets can also syndicate the RSS feed on their websites.

According to recent data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 71.1 million Americans participated in wildlife watching during 2006, spending $45 billion in the process. This represents an increase in participation of 8% over 2001. At the same time, birds are facing more challenges than ever. American Bird Conservancy and Audubon have just released the latest bird “WatchList” that shows that nearly one-third of all American bird species are now of conservation concern.

BNN will cover these and many more bird stories, ranging from the effects of climate change, to invasive species, federal funding, threats to birds, scientific advances in bird monitoring, endangered species, and success stories from American Bird Conservancy and other conservation groups. Additional resources for reporters and the media (such as photographs and video) will also be provided on request.

To view current BNN headlines go to American Bird Conservancy’s website at www.abcbirds.org.

To subscribe to the RSS feed, visit www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/bnn.xml. You can also use your email client if it is RSS-supported.
To syndicate the RSS feed on your website please contact .

Other Media Resources:

B-Roll: A growing archive of broadcast quality videotape of birds and current bird conservation issues is available to television outlets via file or tape.

High-Resolution Photos: High-quality photos suitable for printing are available upon request to newspapers, magazines, and websites.

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American Bird Conservancy works to conserve native wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. ABC acts to safeguard the rarest bird species, restore habitats, and reduce threats, while building capacity in the conservation movement. ABC is the voice for birds, ensuring that they are adequately protected; that sufficient funding is available for bird conservation; and that land is protected and properly managed to maintain viable habitat. ABC is a 501(c)(3) membership organization that is consistently awarded a top, four-star rating by the independent group, Charity Navigator.