Migratory Bird Declines Signal Global Ecosystem Crisis
A BirdLife International report reveals 45% of migratory bird species are in decline, with 54% of shorebirds in steepest drop.
A new report from BirdLife International shows nearly half of the world's migratory bird species are in decline. The State of the World's Birds report finds 45% of over 2000 migratory species are decreasing, with migratory shorebirds suffering the steepest drop of 54%.
BirdLife International states that 11% of migratory bird species are now threatened with extinction. The organization confirmed the extinction of the migratory slender-billed curlew last year. Seven species have been confirmed or suspected lost in the last 150 years.
The drivers are all human-made. Climate change, pollution, and unsustainable development are the primary causes.
Migratory birds act as key ecosystem regulators. They disperse seeds, control insect populations, and help maintain overall ecosystem health. Their decline disrupts food webs and vital services like pollination and pest control. This creates imbalances in ecosystems far from the birds' own breeding or migratory routes. Birds are powerful indicators of environmental health.
Wetlands Underpin Migratory Journeys
Most migratory bird species rely on wetland networks to sustain their long journeys. Coastal wetlands, mudflats, rivers, and lakes provide essential food, shelter, and breeding grounds.
The East Atlantic Flyway, stretching from the Arctic to Africa, sustains millions of birds including the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper. The East Asian-Australasian Flyway spans 22 countries and is home to 50 million migratory waterbirds of over 210 species. The loss of a single mudflat in China can mean thousands of Red Knots lose a critical rest and refueling site. Peatlands across Central Asia and Mongolia are critical for threatened Siberian Cranes migrating from Siberia to China.
Wetlands are often undervalued and overlooked. Rivers are treated as water pipes, lakes are pumped dry and polluted, and other wetlands are seen as wastelands. This perception has contributed to the loss of around 22% of the world's remaining wetlands since 1970. Destruction continues through draining, damming, dredging, and degradation.
Conservation Tools Target Key Sites
Wetlands International outlines several science-based approaches to address the crisis. The organization works across flyways to restore degraded wetlands and protect healthy ones, guided by continuous data collection.
Every year since 1967, tens of thousands of volunteers have participated in the International Waterbird Census. Coordinated by Wetlands International, this census guides real conservation action and shapes international policy.
Developed with BirdLife International, the Critical Site Network Tool is an online resource for conserving 312 species of waterbirds and their important sites across Africa and Western Eurasia.
The Waterbird Populations Portal provides current and historic estimates, trends, and thresholds for over 800 waterbird species and 2300 biogeographic populations worldwide. It aims to simplify information access for better management and decision-making.
