Truemors
We have heard about rare birds heading towards extinction but now a report tells us that even our most common birds are dwindling in numbers as their habitats are lost. These common birds though not in danger of extinction at the moment are a good barometer of the world's environmental health. The prospect of a spring in England without the sound of a cuckoo is fast approaching if measures aren't taken soon to adress the problem of habitat loss in some way.
The populations of the world's common birds are declining as a result of continued habitat loss, a global assessment has warned.
The survey by BirdLife International found that 45% of Europe's common birds had seen numbers fall, as had more than 80% of Australia's wading species.
The study's authors said governments were failing to fund their promises to halt biodiversity loss by 2010.
The findings will be presented at the group's World Conference in Argentina.
The State of the World's Birds 2008 report, the first update since 2004, found that common species - ones considered to be familiar in people's everyday lives - were declining in all parts of the world.
In Europe, an analysis of 124 species over a 26-year period revealed that 56 species had declined in 20 countries.
Farmland birds were worst affected, with the number of European turtle-doves (Streptopelia turtur) falling by 79%.
In Africa, birds of prey were experiencing "widespread decline" outside of protected areas. While in Asia, 62% of the continent's migratory water bird species were "declining or already extinct".
Comments (0)