American Bird Conservancy Releases New Bird News Network Video
Highlighting the State of the Birds Report

ABC's Darin Schroeder speaks at the press conference launching the State of the Birds Report. Secretary Salazar center.

American Bird Conservancy’s latest Bird News Network videocast highlights the recently released The State of the Birds report and its importance in marking a way forward for bird conservation efforts in the United States. The video features Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, and American Bird Conservancy’s Darin Schroeder speaking at the press conference for the release of the report, as well as interviews with staff about American Bird Conservancy’s efforts to address threats to birds.

State of the Birds: United States of America, 2009, a collaborative report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, American Bird Conservancy, and several other non-profit groups, reveals that hundreds of bird species in the United States are in decline, and some are threatened with extinction. Reversing this situation is a major challenge, but change is possible. The report makes it clear that when we invest in conservation, we can succeed in saving endangered wildlife, protecting habitats, and countering the multitude of threats at the root of these bird declines.

State of the Birds finds that the birds of Hawai`i, the birthplace of President Obama, are in the greatest peril. Many Hawaiian bird species are on the brink of extinction; ten have not been seen in years and two more, the Akikiki and Akeke`e, are expected to be listed in the coming year. Much of Hawai`i's native bird habitat has been permanently lost to development and agriculture, and much of what remains has been degraded by invasive plants and animals. This crisis received considerable attention at the press conference held by Secretary Salazar to release the report, and afterwards by Hawaiian lawmakers at congressional briefings about the report.

American Bird Conservancy dedicated the most recent issue of Bird Conservation magazine to Hawaiian birds, focusing on specific threats and solutions to the problems. Action is urgently needed to conserve and restore habitat, and to address the multiple threats causing Hawaiian bird declines, which include the spread of diseases that have decimated many forest bird populations.

The report also finds that many species of oceanic birds are in great danger. Overfishing is eliminating their food sources, while oil spills, trash, and other pollutants pose a continuing threat to populations. Great progress has been made to reduce seabird deaths on longline fishing gear in American waters, but seabird bycatch remains a serious problem globally. Across America, birds continue to face a gamut of threats to their survival, including toxic pesticides, collisions with man-made structures, predation by domestic cats, and habitat loss.

“U.S. State of the Birds calls attention to the problems and the solutions. Now we need to act before it is too late, to ensure that future generations of Americans will enjoy a better quality of life, and the same magnificent diversity of birds that we treasure today,” said Darin Schroeder, American Bird Conservancy’s Vice President for Conservation Advocacy, whose speech at the report’s release drew attention to the disparity between the significant needs of Hawai`i's birds and the limited conservation funding they receive.

The report and an inspiring video are available at www.stateofthebirds.org.