Globally, one in eight bird species are considered at threat of extinction | Bird decline, insect decline and neonicotinoids

The world’s birds are literally the canaries in the coal mine and their ongoing decline should serve as a warning signal of a global environment in peril, says an international report on the state of the world’s birds. Globally, one in eight species — 1,313 — are considered at threat of extinction, said the report by U.K.-based BirdLife International. Of these, 200 are considered on the brink. Nature is a crucial part of Earth’s life support system, said Leon Bennun, the group’s director of science, policy and information, and the numbers don’t bode well. “Birds are a great window into nature. They’re a wonderful indicator of the wider environment,” Bennun said. “Our assessment, unfortunately, shows us that birds are in decline, an indicator that nature itself is not in good shape.”

The report, State of the World’s Birds, noted dramatic declines in grassland birds such as killdeers and meadowlarks, Arctic shorebirds and so-called aerial insectivores like swallows and martens. And there are a small number of species that may have reached a point of no return. “There are some species that are so critically threatened that it’s almost a foregone conclusion that we’re going to lose them” said Jon McCracken of the conservation group Bird Studies Canada, a contributor to the report.
Around the world, there’s growing concern about a new generation of pesticides using neonicotinoid insecticides that are killing bees, and could pose a threat to birds. The numbers are a wake-up call, McCracken said. “There is a cascading effect and sooner or later you’re going to pay for it. If the canary dies, you might not be too far behind.”

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