1A Best Of: Birding To Help Revitalize Conservation Efforts
Dec 30, 2025
Join Amanda Rodewald, a senior director at Cornell's Lab of Ornithology, who shares insights from the alarming 2025 State of the Birds report, highlighting significant population declines across habitats. Bradley Wilkinson, from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, discusses conservation policies and the crucial role of community data in recovery efforts. Meanwhile, Drew Lanham, a wildlife ecology professor and poet, reflects on the emotional ties to birding and the urgent need for grassroots conservation to protect these vital species.
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Widespread Habitat-Spanning Declines
- Grassland and arid-land birds have suffered the steepest declines over 50 years.
- Declines span most habitats, signaling a broad ecosystem problem.
Habitat Loss Is The Main Driver
- Habitat loss and degradation are the primary drivers of bird declines.
- Climate change intensifies degradation through droughts and temperature shifts.
Submit Observations To Science Projects
- Contribute bird observations to projects like eBird, the Breeding Bird Survey, or Audubon's Christmas Bird Count.
- These datasets let scientists detect declines sooner and target conservation more effectively.