Bis200

Bird Conservation Issues in the Americas

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The world of birdconservation in the Americas is vast and complex. Birds are at risk from many factors, each one of which rarely exists in isolation.
Some issues are habitat-based, having broad-scale effects acrossentire landscapes. This category is the most significant in terms of overall impact to birds. Other issues have narrower, site-based implications. Both habitat and site-based threats tend to affectthe ability of birds to successfully breed and maintain viable populations. mortality threats affect bird populations directly through the killing of large numbers of individuals. In recent decadesthere has been increasingly wide recognition of the burgeoning threat of global climate change. While most of the effects of global warming occur at the habitat-level, it is such a vast and complex issuethat we treat it separately here.
Whatever the issue, it is important to consider cumulative impacts on birds. Five Cerulean Warblers killed at a communications tower in one night will not affect theCerulean population as a whole. But consider that single tower's impact night after night, year after year, and then combine that with all the other towers in the country. If you then combine thatimpact with the effects of mountaintop mining on the warbler's breeding grounds, loss of habitat due to agriculture on its wintering grounds, and the effects (both lethal and sub-lethal) of pesticidepoisoning, and we begin to see the extent of the problem that this and many other species face.
By clicking on the links below for the different topics, you can read about the issues affecting birds...