Extinction Threat can be Applied to one in Eight Bird Species

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It looks like the threat of extinction for common bird species has never been as great as it is in today’s world. This is what a study centered on global bird species population has just uncovered. The State of the World’s Birds, as it has been named, is a compendium that took five years to be completed, which contains a majority of population data covering almost every single bird species that is out there.

What did this study find

From what data suggests, it looks like birds are going through a biodiversity crisis triggered by the expansion of agriculture. The main threats that they are facing are farming, logging, and even hunting. Researchers are very worried since in the past they saw species that lived in remote areas facing extinction but now it looks like common, everyday bird species such as the Atlantic puffins, European turtle doves or even kittiwakes are under the threat of extinction.

The population data shows that 40 percent out of all the bird species in the world are seeing a drastic decline in their numbers. We have to mention that climate change, pollution and even humans are all threats that endanger most bird species, making it hard for them to survive.

When it comes to seabird species, like the kittiwake or the puffin, they are threatened by overfishing which leaves them with less food than they used to have, making it harder for them to feed and climate change, which drastically alters their habitats.

On the other hand, this century 25 bird species were saved from extinction with the help of conservation work, showing that if people put in the minimum amount of effort into their decisions, their waste levels and the pollution that they cause, they could peacefully inhabit the same land as bird species without threatening their habitat or their food supply. We just need to be more aware of our actions.

As our second lead editor, Anna C. Mackinno provides guidance on the stories Great Lakes Ledger reporters cover. She has been instrumental in making sure the content on the site is clear and accurate for our readers. If you see a particularly clever title, you can likely thank Anna. Anna received a BA and and MA from Fordham University.