FLYING LOWER
Hummingbirds, other Pa. birds ‘at the tipping point’
Although they are not the widely popular rubythroated hummingbird that is common in Pennsylvania, several hummingbird species have made it onto the 2022 U.S. State of the Birds report showing 70 bird species “at the tipping point.”
The rufous hummingbird, several of which show up each year in Pennsylvania, and the Allen’s hummingbird, which has been documented in Pennsylvania
only a handful of times, are on the list of 70 species that have lost half of their populations in the past 50 years and are at the tipping point to lose another 50%.
Published by 33 leading science and conservation organizations and agencies, the newly released report reveals that “long-term trends of waterfowl show strong increases where investments in wetland conservation have improved conditions,” but birds are in decline in every other habitat: forests, grasslands, deserts and oceans.
The report is the first look at the nation’s birds since a landmark 2019 study showed the loss of 3 billion birds in the United States and Canada in 50 years.
Report authors note that more than half of U.S. bird species are declining, U.S. grassland birds are among the fastest declining, with a 34% loss since 1970, and waterbirds and ducks in the U.S. have increased by 18% and 34%, respectively, during the same period.
“The rapid declines in birds signal the intensifying stresses that wildlife and people alike are experiencing around the world because
of habitat loss, environmental degradation and extreme climate events,” said Amanda Rodewald, director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Center for Avian Population Studies.
The report was built from five sources of data, including the North American Breeding Bird Survey and Christmas Bird Count, to track the health of breeding birds in habitats across the United States.
Waterbirds OK
“While a majority of bird species are declining, many waterbird populations remain healthy, thanks to decades of collaborative investments from hunters, landowners, state and federal agencies, and corporations,” said Karen Waldrop, chief conservation officer for Ducks Unlimited.
“This is good news not only for birds, but for the thousands of other species that rely on wetlands, and the communities that benefit from groundwater recharge, carbon sequestration, and flood protection.”
The report suggests applying that winning wetlands formula in more habitats will help birds and natural resources rebound, advising that meeting the tremendous need will require a strategic combination of partnerships, incentives, science-based solutions and the will to dramatically scale up conservation efforts.
“The North American Waterfowl Management Plan, federal Duck Stamp Program, grants from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and regional partnerships are all part of a framework that has a proven track record with restoring and protecting wetland-dependent species,” said Martha Williams, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Now we want to use that precedent to work with our partners to restore bird populations, conserve habitat, and build a foundation for how we respond to the loss of other bird groups.”