For Immediate Release: July 10, 2008

Contacts:
, American Bird Conservancy, 202/234-7181 ext. 207

Congressional Hearing Today Investigates Declining Bird Populations
Experts Call for Congress to Boost Conservation Funding and Habitat Protection

(Washington, D.C.) American Bird Conservancy (ABC) will testify today at a hearing before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans to alert Congress to the plight of bird species in the United States. Dr. George Wallace, ABC’s Vice President for International Programs, will ask Congress to act to protect habitats, eliminate threats, and boost funding for bird conservation programs. The hearing will be webcast live at http://resourcescommittee.house.gov. Dr. Wallace’s testimony is available at www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/information/afs_testimony.pdf

“With 127 species of neotropical migratory birds in decline, including 60 species that have plummeted 45% or more in the past 40 years, I wonder if future generations will hear these birds singing each spring,” said Wallace. “Congress can help stem this decline by reauthorizing the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act and boosting funding for this very effective program that conserves migratory birds.”

Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) have introduced H.R. 5756 which reauthorizes the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) at a significantly higher funding level to help halt this decline.

An American Bird Conservancy report, Saving Migratory Birds for Future Generations: The Success of the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, reveals that habitat loss and fragmentation is the greatest threat to migratory bird populations. In addition, there are other threats contributing to population declines, including poisoning by pesticides, collisions with buildings and communications towers, over-fishing, predation by cats, and global warming.

“Congress can take a number of other steps act to ensure healthy bird populations such as protecting threatened shorebirds like the Red Knot by halting over-harvesting of horseshoe crabs whose eggs the birds rely on to fuel their migration,” said Wallace. “Legislation (H.R. 767) that passed the House to help halt the spread of invasive weeds choking off National Wildlife Refuges is now waiting for approval in the Senate.”

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American Bird Conservancy is the only organization that works solely 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.