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The Red-legged Partridge is now Near Threatened due to over-hunting and habitat loss © Pierre Dalous

Red List 2020: seven things you might have missed

Fri, 18/12/2020
The carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas” may soon need to become one verse shorter as a European partridge is listed as Near Threatened. Meanwhile, paradise is restored for one flycatcher, proving that conservation can achieve great things. Explore these and more in our round-up of fascinating under-the-radar findings from this year’s Red List update…
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WorldwideBhutanChinaIndiaNew ZealandPapua New GuineaPeruSeychellesSpain
The Andean Condor is now classed as Vulnerable to extinction © reisegraf.ch / Shutterstock

Red List 2020: Andean Condor heads list of...

Mon, 14/12/2020
Poisoned, poached, persecuted – iconic raptors such as the Andean Condor, Secretarybird and Martial Eagle have moved to higher threat categories in this year’s update to the IUCN Red List, sparking fears that the crisis that brought many Asian and African vultures to the edge of extinction has spread to new continents and species.
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WorldwideBoliviaChileColombiaEcuador
The European Bison has moved from Vulnerable to Near Threatened © Rafał Kowalczyk

Red List 2020: European Bison recovers amid 31...

Thu, 10/12/2020
In this year’s update to the IUCN Red List of threatened species, the recovery of the European Bison shows the true power of conservation. But with 31 extinctions announced and all of the world’s freshwater dolphin species now globally threatened, it’s never been more urgent to ramp up action.
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San Cristóbal Mockingbird © Mike's Birds

Latest research: hope for threatened island birds...

Tue, 08/12/2020
Join us for a bite-sized round-up of advances published in our journal Bird Conservation International. Highlights include a species that’s learning to live alongside humans, the positive impacts of protected areas, and the next urgent challenge…
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Black-browed Albatross © Jessica Winter

New report: birds provide hopeful message on...

Wed, 30/09/2020
You may have heard about the world’s catastrophic failure to meet global biodiversity targets. But there's hope. A new landmark report from BirdLife International uses bird conservation successes to outline recommended solutions that could help the next set of targets to succeed.
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Green Peafowl (Endangered) © Roger Smith / Flickr

Latest research: how does human disturbance...

Tue, 29/09/2020
Join us for a bite-sized round-up of advances published in our journal Bird Conservation International. Highlights include insights into how human disturbance affects the feeding, breeding and overall health of bird populations.
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The Iberian Lynx is still around thanks to the hard work of conservationists © Nathan Ranc

Conservation action has prevented at least 28...

Thu, 10/09/2020
A new study shows just how effectively conservation action slows extinction rates, calculating that at least 28 bird and mammal species would have been lost since 1993 without intervention. The message is clear – with enough support, we can halt the extinction crisis.
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The Chattering Lory, a popular pet © Alan Tunnicliffe / Shutterstock

How pet owners are key to making the parrot trade...

Fri, 14/08/2020
New research reveals the social factors driving demand for parrots in Singapore. Lead author, Anuj Jain, discusses how international trade and domestic demand interact in what he refers to as the ‘ecosystem’ of the parrot trade.
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Eurasian Spoonbill © Ondrej Prosicky / Shutterstock

Why it’s important to love birds for more than...

Tue, 17/03/2020
We all know what our favourite bird looks like – but do you know why it’s evolved to look that way? Discover the amazing new project striving to build a stronger connection between people and nature – through the fascination of bird anatomy.
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The Blue-throated Macaw is bouncing back from the brink of extinction thanks to a special reserve in Bolivia © Asociacion Armonia

New study: conservation action has reduced bird...

Tue, 07/01/2020
We’ve all heard of species brought back from the brink of extinction, but have you ever wondered how impactful conservation actually is? A new study shows that global conservation action has reduced the effective extinction rate of birds by an astonishing 40%. But is it all good news?
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Guam Rail © Andersen Air Force

Red List 2019: Guam Rail second bird to recover...

Tue, 10/12/2019
This year’s update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species brings with it some fantastic conservation successes, including an almost unheard of incidence of a bird species coming back from extinction in the wild. But for other species, human threats are making it harder to stage a comeback.
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WorldwideBrazilGuamMauritius
Northern Cardinals © Steven Russell Smith Ohio / Shutterstock

How one man changed a Christmas tradition forever...

Fri, 29/11/2019
How did a continent go from shooting birds every Christmas to counting them? Discover the Audubon Christmas Bird Count – a holiday tradition that has transformed bird science.
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Is gaining over 1000 new bird species a problem...

Fri, 15/11/2019
Recent findings have shown that many birds formerly classified as one single species are actually separate species in their own right. But what do these >1,000 new species mean for bird conservation? BirdLife’s Ashley Simkins explains his new study.
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Evening Grosbeak © Jay McGowan, Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

America’s 3 billion missing birds: where did they...

Thu, 19/09/2019
A new study shows that the USA and Canada have lost more than a quarter of their birds over the past 50 years. This massive reduction in abundance involves hundreds of species, from beloved backyard songbirds to long-distance migrants. So what’s going on?
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Insuring habitats like this Mesoamerican reef may become common in the future © Nick Mustoe

New study scans the horizon for future...

Mon, 10/06/2019
Our Chief Scientist Stuart Butchart explains a “horizon scan” of emerging conservation issues that may have big impacts in the future.
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Half a billion tweets are sent every day © Pixabay.com

Could social media help us save some of the world...

Thu, 23/05/2019
A ground-breaking new study analyses social media posts from visitors to key sites for nature across the world, providing insight into which sites are most popular, and highlighting opportunities and challenges for conserving them.
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Spot the difference: the Steppe Whimbrel is identified by its white underwings © Callan Cohen & Gary Allport

Migration route of secretive Steppe Whimbrel...

Mon, 29/04/2019
The Steppe Whimbrel is the rarest and least understood member of the highly threatened Numeniini tribe (curlews and godwits). But considering they were believed to be extinct 25 years ago, it’s unsurprising that we know so little about them. A newly published report is beginning to fill in the gaps in our knowledge.
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The Adelie Penguin was one of five species studied © Jane Younger

Which penguin species will be hardest hit by...

Tue, 11/12/2018
As ice caps melt and sea levels rise, the survival of penguins will depend on their ability to adapt and relocate to new habitats. Now, a new genetic study reveals that some species may be better at adjusting than others.
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WorldwideFalkland Islands / Malvinas