Actions have been identified for all Globally Threatened Birds

Dave Gandy Intensive management has seen numbers of the Critically Endangered Kakapo rise to 86 individuals in 2003 Zoom In

The key actions required to improve the status of all Globally Threatened Birds have been identified. Many of these actions are underway, but there are still crucial gaps, and research must be followed up by more direct interventions.

Many species still need more research

In 2000, an analysis was published that identified nearly 5,500 key actions to help save the world’s Globally Threatened Birds (GTBs). Many actions focused on research because threatened species are, by their very nature, often rare and poorly known. Thus, conducting baseline surveys to map distributions and estimate population sizes was a key action for over 900 GTBs (more than 70% of the total). Good data are essential to identify the highest priority species, but also to understand the reasons for their declines so that effective conservation action can be taken.

Actions at sites will help protect most species

The identification, protection and management of sites is a key action for nearly 750 GTBs (more than 60% of the total). Selection of sites that regularly hold significant populations of GTBs, through BirdLife’s Important Bird Area (IBA) programme, is already making a major contribution to addressing this need. Recognition of IBAs is leading to improved safeguards for these sites, through a range of conservation approaches.

Some species need extra Attention

Beyond site conservation, some actions address factors that directly impact particular GTBs, such as control of hunting and trade or eradication of alien invasive species. For a smaller set of GTBs, including more than 40 Critically Endangered species, actions relate to the need for intensive management, such as recovery plans, captive breeding and re-introductions. Countries whose avifaunas have suffered heavily from widespread habitat loss and invasives require intensive management of their remaining species. For example, 47% of GTBs in the USA (almost entirely in Hawaii) and 44% in New Zealand require such management.

Many actions are underway but there are still gaps

The actions proposed for GTBs in 2000 provide a baseline against which conservation responses can be measured—the first time that such a global analysis has been possible for a complete class of animals. So far, some key actions have been started for 67% of GTBs, but for only 5% have all key actions been implemented (see box 1). For only 24% of GTBs has this led to any improvements in their status (box 2). There are still many crucial gaps, not least the 28 Critically Endangered bird species for which no actions are currently in place. For widespread species, actions are needed across entire ranges in order to improve their global status (box 3). For many species, research actions are being tackled, but direct interventions are still needed (box 4). In the longer term, these conservation efforts will only be successful and sustainable if they are integrated with (and influence) global and regional agreements, national legislation and sectoral policies such as those on agriculture, fisheries, forestry and energy.

Boxes: case studies and scientific analyses

Download SOWB pp.56–57 (PDF, 344 KB) containing the following:

1. Are we doing enough to save the world's birds?
a) Actions are underway for 67% of GTBs
b) b) The BirdLife Partnership is contributing to the implementation of actions for 42% of GTBs

2. Are actions having any effects?
Actions have directly benefited 24% of GTBs

3. In Europe, many essential nationally based actions have been undertaken but many more need to be addressed
About 50% of high priority actions for GTBs in Europe were undertaken between 1996-2001

4. For globally threatened gamebirds, resaerch is laying the basis for strategic interventions
Actions proposed for globally threatened pheasants (1995–1999 compared to 2000–2004)