More than 350 newly recognised bird species have been assessed by BirdLife International for the first time on behalf of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Speciesâ„¢. Worryingly, more than 25% of these newly recognised birds have been listed as threatened on The IUCN Red List – compared with 13% of all birds – making […]
Category: birdlife
White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi is on the very edge of extinction
White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi, a secretive and unobtrusive sub-Saharan bird, is the latest species to join the growing list of those on the very edge of extinction. Destruction and degradation of its high altitude wet grassland habitat, including wetland drainage, conversion for agriculture, water abstraction, overgrazing by livestock and cutting of marsh vegetation, have driven […]
Red List for Birds 2013: Number of Critically Endangered birds hits new high
The number of bird species listed as Critically Endangered has reached an all-time high with the release of this year’s Red List for birds by BirdLife International. White-winged Flufftail Sarothrura ayresi, a secretive and unobtrusive sub-Saharan bird, is the latest species to join the growing list of those on the very edge of extinction. Destruction […]
Searching for Pacific Petrels
Until recently, Becks Petrel Pseudobulweria becki was only known from two specimens: a female taken at sea east of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea in 1928, and a male taken in the Solomon Islands in 1929. After a long gap of nearly 80 years it was only definitively re-recorded when, in July and August 2007, […]
A voyage for Caribbean Seabirds
Documenting new seabird-colony Important Bird Areas, finding previously undocumented colonies and colonies thought to be extirpated: these are just some of the exciting discoveries reported within Environmental Protection in the Caribbeans (EPICs) ground-breaking Seabird Breeding Atlas of the Lesser Antilles. read more at birdlife>
Alaotra Grebe extinction – Do you care?
Today we announced that Alaotra Grebe, a waterbird from Madagascar, is officially extinct on the Red List. The Dodo is the undoubted ‘celebrity’ among extinct species with its depiction in books, cartoons and the well-used expression ‘Dead as a Dodo’. Less well known about the Dodo is that it heads up a group of single […]
BirdLife welcomes passing of law to secure transboundary ecosystems in East Africa
The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has passed a crucial law that could transform how transboundary ecosystems and resources in East Africa are managed. EALA is the legislative arm of the East African Community, a regional block bringing together five countries, namely, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. Hon. Dr. George Nangale, the former Chairman […]
Cook Islanders decide next steps for their IBAs
The pacific islands of Mauke and Mangaia have been identfied as Important Bird Areas (IBAs) and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) by Te Ipukarea Society (TIS; BirdLife in the Cook Islands) and BirdLife International. TIS Programme Manager Jacqui Evans recently travelled to the two islands to raise awareness in the community about the importance to the […]
More petrels discovered in Haiti
The nocturnal calls of Black-capped Petrels Pterodroma hasitata have guided Haitian researchers to discover more nesting locations for this Endangered seabird. During November and December 2011, researchers from the Socit Audubon Hati (SAH) carried out field expeditions as part of their ongoing efforts to better understand and conserve Haitis unique biodiversity. read more at birdlife>
Sustainable tourism for Nepals wetlands
Wetlands are diverse habitats that are extremely important for biodiversity. They also provide vital benefits for millions of people, including food, fibre, flood protection, water purification and supply. Their importance is reflected in the designation of nearly 2,000 Wetlands of International Importance (or Ramsar sites: see www.ramsar.org) covering more than 191 million hectares. read more […]