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DISAPPEARING COMMON BIRDS SEND ENVIRONMENTAL WAKE-UP CALL

Birdsongs that filled the childhoods of countless baby-boomers are
rarely heard wafting on today's spring breezes...
Once-familiar avian spectacles now elude young birdwatchers...
It's not your imagination. . .

New York, NY, June 14, 2007 - A new analysis by the National Audubon
Society reveals that populations of some of America's most familiar
and beloved birds have taken a nosedive over the past forty years,
with some down as much as 80 percent.  The dramatic declines are
attributed to the loss of grasslands, healthy forests and wetlands,
and other critical habitats from multiple environmental threats such
as sprawl, energy development, and the spread of industrialized
agriculture. The study notes that these threats are now compounded by
new and broader problems including the escalating effects of global
warming. In concert, they paint a challenging picture for the future
of many common species and send a serious warning about our increasing
toll on local habitats and the environment itself.

"These are not rare or exotic birds we're talking about-these are the
birds that visit our feeders and congregate at nearby lakes and
seashores and yet they are disappearing day by day," said Audubon
Chairperson and former EPA Administrator, Carol Browner. "Their
decline tells us we have serious work to do, from protecting local
habitats to addressing the huge threats from global warming."

Species on Audubon's list of 20 Common Birds in Decline have seen
their populations plummet at least 54 percent since 1967. The
following are among those hardest hit:
·	Northern Bobwhite populations are down 82 percent and have largely
vanished from northern parts of their range in Wisconsin, Michigan,
New York and New England mainly due to loss of suitable habitat to
development, agricultural expansion and plantation-style forestry
practices.
·	Evening Grosbeaks that range from mountains of the west to northern
portions of the east coast show population declines of nearly 78
percent amid increasing habitat damage and loss from logging, mining,
drilling and development.
·	Northern Pintail populations in the continental U.S. are down nearly
78 percent due to expanding agricultural activity in their prairie
pothole breeding grounds.
·	Greater Scaup populations that breed in Alaska, but winter in the
Great Lakes and along Atlantic to Pacific Coasts are being hard hit by
global warming induced melting of permafrost and invasion of formerly-
southern species; populations are down approximately 75 percent.
·	Eastern Meadowlarks, down 71 percent, are declining as grasslands
are lost to industrialized agricultural practices.  Increased demand
for biofuel crops threatens increased agricultural use of lands that
are currently protected, making both Eastern and Western Meadowlarks
even more vulnerable.
·	Common Terns, which nest on islands and forage for fish near ocean
coasts, lakes and rivers, are vulnerable to development, pollution and
sea level rise from global warming. Populations in unmanaged colonies
have dropped as much as 70 percent, making the species' outlook
increasingly dependent on targeted conservation efforts.
·	Snow Buntings, which breed in Alaska and northern Canada, are
suffering from the loss of fragile tundra habitat as global warming
alters and disrupts the Arctic's delicate ecological balance;
populations are down 64 percent.
·	Rufous Hummingbird populations have declined 58 percent as a result
of the loss of forest habitat to logging and development, in both
their breeding range in the Pacific Northwest and their wintering
sites in Mexico.
·	Whip-poor-wills, down 57 percent, are vulnerable to fragmentation
and alteration of their forest habitat from development and poor
forest management practices.
·	Little Blue Herons now number 150,000 in the U.S. and 110,000 in
Mexico, down 54 percent in the U.S.  Their decline is driven by
wetland loss from development and degradation of water quality, which
limits their food supply.

Overall, agricultural and development pressures have driven grassland
birds to some of the worst declines, followed closely by shrub,
wetland and forest-dependent species.  "Direct habitat loss continues
to be a leading cause for concern," said Audubon Bird Conservation
Director and analysis author, Greg Butcher, PhD. "But now we're seeing
the added impact of large-scale environmental problems and policies."
Butcher notes that global warming is damaging some key habitats and
speeding the spread of invasive species that spur further declines.
Mounting demand for corn-based fuels is expected to result in
increased use of marginal farmland that currently serves as important
habitat. The fate of species such as Eastern Meadowlarks and
Loggerhead Shrikes could hinge on efforts to conserve these areas.
"People who care about the birds and about human quality of life need
to get involved in habitat protection at home, in pushing for better
state and national protections and in making changes in their daily
routines," Butcher adds.

Public response will shape the long-term outlook for the listed
species. Unlike WatchList birds, these Common Birds in Decline are not
in immediate danger of extinction, despite global populations as low
as 500,000 for some species - the threshold for a "common bird"
designation. But even birds with significantly higher overall
populations are experiencing sharp declines, and with their
populations down sharply, their ecological roles are going unfilled
and their ultimate fate is uncertain. Audubon leaders hope the
multiple threats to the birds people know will prompt individuals to
take multiple actions, both locally and directed toward state and
national policies.

Audubon's Common Birds in Decline list stems from the first-ever
analysis combining annual sighting data from Audubon's century-old
Christmas Bird Count program with results of the annual Breeding Bird
Survey conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey. "This is a powerful
example of how tens of thousands of volunteer birders, pooling their
observations, can make an enormous difference for the creatures they
care the most about," said noted natural history writer Scott
Weidensaul. "Thanks to their efforts, we have the information. Now all
of us - from birders to policy makers - need to take action to keep
these species from declining even further."

"Fortunately, people's actions can still make a difference," Audubon's
Greg Butcher adds. "Average citizens can change the fate of these
birds just as average citizens helped us confirm the trouble they
face."  Concerned individuals can visit www.audubon.org for important
information on how to help keep common birds common and our shared
environment healthy-suggested actions are also attached.

State-specific lists of the common birds in serious decline are
available in select areas.  Journalists may visit Audubon's online
press room at http://www.audubon.org/news/pressroom/CBID for local
contact information.

Now in its second century, Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds
and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Our national
network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and
educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining
important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and
backgrounds in conservation.

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