World Bird News
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Forest & Bird wants unique West Coast environment saved – July 2011
Forest & Bird (BirdLife in New Zealand) announced today its proposal for a reserve on the Denniston and Stockton plateaux to protect the last remaining habitat of several endangered species, outstanding landscapes and unique ecosystems.
BirdLife report reveals disturbing facts about illegal killing of birds throughout Europe – July 2011
BirdLife Partners from 38 European countries have gathered information about the illegal killing and trapping of birds that occur in their countries. The revealing results were presented at the European Conference on Illegal Killing of Birds in Larnaka, Cyprus (1).
British singer goes missing – May 2011
Since 1998 we have lost over half of our breeding Nightingales and it is unclear exactly what is to blame for this dramatic fall in numbers.
Endangered Yellow-shouldered Blackbird on “Neotropical Birds” – 28/02/2011
An authoritative online life history for the Endangered Yellow-shouldered Blackbird Agelaius xanthomus has been published on Neotropical Birds Online . The species account deals with identification, distribution, life history, conservation and future research recommendations and provides an essential resource for the conservation of this species.
NABU supports demonstrations against the current Common Agricultural Policy 28/02/2011
BirdLife Europe’s German Partner NABU has begun to campaign against the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), pressing for biodiversity conservation to be properly prioritised.
Red Alert from Finland – Number of Threatened Bird Species Increases 28/02/2011
December 2010 proved to be a very sad month in Finland in terms of bird protection. The new Red List, indicating which species are threatened, showed that the number of threatened bird species in Finland had increased by almost 70%.
China’s rarest bird discovered wintering in Indonesia
A wintering Chinese Crested Tern Sterna bernsteini has been seen and photographed in Pulau Lusaolate, north Seram, Indonesia, representing the first record of the species outside the breeding season for over 70 years…..
The Magnificent Seven (rat free Fijian islands)
Two years after the BirdLife International Fiji Programme implemented an operation to eradicate rats from the Ringgold Islands, all seven islands have been confirmed rodent-free. Early monitoring also shows that the birds, people and wider wildlife of these remote islands are already benefitting from the removal of these invasive pests. BirdLife staff are continuing to work with local people to ensure the rats don’t return.
BirdLife report points the way to a more sustainable future
A new report, Partners for Sustainability – What BirdLife is doing for People and the Planet, highlights BirdLife’s work around the world which combines biodiversity conservation with sustainable development.
Catastrophic forest fire delivers huge blow to Europe’s rarest seabird
Zino’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira is Europe’s rarest seabird and one of the rarest birds in the world, nesting only on a few mountain ledges in the rugged central massif of Madeira island. A massive forest fire on the island of Madeira has killed several breeding adults and 65% of this year’s chicks of Zino’s Petrel (Endangered). BirdLife International and SPEA (BirdLife in Portugal) have launched an urgent appeal (click here ) for funds to carry out emergency conservation work needed before the winter sets in.
East Anglian birds feeling the heat July 2010
East Anglia’s ground-feeding birds are struggling to find food after weeks of dry weather. Worms and other invertebrates are buried deep underground and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is asking householders to keep bird tables well stocked.
Britain’s smallest bird continues to shrink June 2010
New results from the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO’s) Garden BirdWatch suggest that the harsh winter could be having lasting effects on Britain’s smallest bird, the Goldcrest.
Will winter woes continue for Britain’s birds? 16-04-2010
As we scrub our barbecues and patch the holes in our paddling pools ready for the summer sunshine, the days of heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures seem a distant memory. But while we humans are quick to forget, the consequences of the harsh winter are still being felt by Britain’s birds as they try to raise their families – the BTO’s Nest Box Challenge survey will tell us exactly how they’ve fared.
Chris Packham welcomes Spring 11-03-2010
Right now, there are up to 16 million birds flying from Africa to Britain, and the first wave of birds is scheduled to arrive this weekend. To mark this natural feat of endurance, Chris Packham kicks off the BTO’s A2B (Africa to Britain) celebration of migration by welcoming back the Wheatear, the first of these intrepid travellers.
Birds and climate change: indicators of a changing world 04-12-2009
Next week, the world’s governments are meeting at the United Nation’s Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark to attempt to agree action to tackle climate change. The outcomes of this will have resounding consequences for biodiversity. Climate change is already having multiple impacts on birds and their habitats, and is exacerbating many of the factors which have put one in eight of the world’s birds at risk of extinction. Many species may have to shift their ranges to survive, and considerably more losers than winners are expected.
BirdLife in Denmark 2010: in a changing climate 03-12-2009
DOF (BirdLife in Denmark) has just published “BirdLife in Denmark 2010: in a changing climate”, which introduces the organization and its activities. It is grouped around four mutually dependent tracks, which are conservation, knowledge, enjoyment and participation.
In each chapter there is a description of DOF activities, of their goals for the future and the related climate issues. For over 100 years DOF has worked for a rich and diverse bird life. Its dedicated members have strived to understand and protect wild birds by monitoring and communication, and by influencing legislation, nature management and law enforcement.
Video News
BirdLife has a growing number of videos illustrating our global conservation work. You can view many of the videos by scrolling down this page.
Trans-boundary Rainforest Park will be a symbol of peace and stability (15-05-09)
The Presidents of Sierra Leone and Liberia today met in the Gola Forest, Sierra Leone, to announce the establishment of a new Trans-boundary Peace Park, to protect one of the largest remaining blocks of intact forest in the Upper Guinea Area of West Africa.
BirdLife International announces more Critically Endangered birds than ever before (14-05-09)
BirdLife International’s latest evaluation of the world’s birds has revealed that more species than ever are threatened with extinction. A staggering 1,227 species (12%) are now classified as Globally Threatened but the good news is that when conservation action is put in place, species can be saved. “In global terms, things continue to get worse – but there are some real conservation success stories this year to give us hope and point the way forward”, said Dr Leon Bennun, BirdLife’s Director of Science and Policy.
British Birdwatching Fair continues to Prevent Extinction (30-01-2009)
The British Birdwatching Fair has once again delivered a huge boost to the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme with the presentation of cheque for £265,000 from the proceeds of the 2008 fair. This is the largest sum raised by the fair in its 20-year history and it represents a £39,000 increase on the sum raised in 2007.
Unsung heroes of bird conservation (18/12/08)
The science that underpins BirdLife International’s work depends on an army of dedicated people – professional conservationists and ordinary birdwatchers – who send in their observations from the field……
Birds show that world is falling short of biodiversity target (09/10/2008)
In 2002 the world’s governments took the unprecedented step of committing themselves to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. With two years to go, birds are showing that we are falling far short of the target – and that, far from slowing down, the rate of biodiversity loss is still accelerating.
Birds indicate biodiversity crisis – and the way forward (22/09/2008)
Common birds are in decline across the world, providing evidence of a rapid deterioration in the global environment that is affecting all life on earth – including human life. All the world’s governments have committed themselves to slowing or halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010.
Peru’s spectacular seabirds seeking sanctuary (20-08-2008)
Peru’s seabirds, especially the spectacular aggregations at its guano islands, are world famous. However, a new BirdLife report indicates that many of the sites and species are under increased threat and urgently need better protection.
Conservation gets a common language (12-08-2008 )
BirdLife scientists have been working with a number of other organisations to define a standard lexicon for biodiversity conservation. A common language is an essential foundation of any science. For example, medical researchers and practitioners use a common set of formal terms to describe human ailments and potential treatments.
Sir David Attenborough champions BirdLife International’s work to halt extinctions (18-08-2008)
Sir David Attenborough, the greatest wildlife communicator of our age, has added his weight to the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme by becoming a Species Champion.
“We have no right to exterminate the species that evolved without us”, Sir David said. “We have the responsibility to do everything we can to preserve their continued existence.”
Saving the world’s most threatened birds ( 10/06/2008)
What’s the best way to save a species? Should we target conservation at individual sites, or perhaps use a much broader approach – taking action at the landscape or seascape scale? For 99% of Globally Threatened Birds, safeguarding Important Bird Areas (IBAs) is a key part of the solution. Questions of scale for conservation programmes are the subject of a paper by scientists from BirdLife International and Conservation International published in the inaugural issue of Conservation Letters. The study identified the most appropriate spatial scale of conservation efforts for 4,239 species of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles on the IUCN Red List.