Birds are telling us we must act now to ensure
our planet can sustain wildlife and people

Update Spring 2020: Why should anyone care about birds? Here are 5 key ways that birds help people—download a flier and/or share on social to help others.

We’ve Lost One in Four Birds
Since 1970

across the continent, numbers have plummeted, even among common species

In less than a single lifetime, North America has lost more than one in four of its birds, according to a report in the world’s leading scientific journal.

Published in Science by researchers at seven institutions, the findings show that 2.9 billion breeding adult birds have been lost since 1970, including birds in every ecosystem.

The losses include iconic songsters such as Eastern and Western Meadowlarks (down by 139 million) and favorite birds at feeders, such as Dark-eyed Juncos (down by 168 million) and sweet-singing White-throated Sparrows (down by 93 million).

The disappearance of even common species indicates a general shift in our ecosystems’ ability to support basic birdlife, the scientists conclude.

Note: This graph has been updated to reflect the technical image from the Science paper.

What’s Behind The Declines?

watch video

Watch the video: The decline of birds signals a broader crisis in the natural world already echoed by global losses in insects, amphibians, and other wildlife. Our quality of life—the water we drink, the food we eat, and the beauty of natural landscapes that we enjoy—all depend on keeping our planet healthy. Conservation actions work, and there is no time to lose.

How Can You Help Make a Bird-Friendly Planet?

7 Simple Actions to Help Birds

1. Make Windows Safer, Day and Night

Discover quick, affordable ways to keep birds from hitting your windows. Photo by Damien Pollet via Creative Commons.

2. Keep Cats Indoors

Indoor cats live longer, healthier lives. Outdoor cats kill more birds than any other non-native threat. Here are 6 ways to keep cats happy and safe. Photo by Gadio Sevilla via Creative Commons.

3. Reduce Lawn, Plant Natives

The U.S. has 40 million acres of lawn. That’s a huge potential for supporting wildlife. Find the best native plants for your area. Ruby-throated Hummingbird with native honeysuckle by David M. Shipper/Audubon Photography Awards.

4. Avoid Pesticides

The United States uses 1 billion pounds of pesticides each year. Here’s how to reduce your pesticide use at home. Photo by Irene Mei via Creative Commons.

5. Drink Coffee That's Good for Birds

Shade-grown coffees are delicious and help more than 42 species of North American songbirds. Here’s where to buy it. Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian.

6. Protect Our Planet

91% of plastics are not recycled, and they take 400 years to degrade. Here are 8 ways to use less plastic. Photo of a Laysan Albatross by Chris Jordan via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters.

7. Watch Birds, Share What You See

Find a project that’s right for you. Photo by Anurag Vishwakarma via the Cornell Lab of Ornithology/GBBC.

More about the 7 simple actions

Help Spread the Word Now

share awareness

You can make a difference. Polls show the majority of Americans care about the environment. But many people simply aren’t aware that these declines are happening.

You can help. Share our infographics, links, and videos to inform and inspire your family and friends. Use the hashtag #BringBirdsBack to let people know you’re part of this groundswell of support for birds.

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share solutions

Everyday actions can save millions of birds. Share this infographic of the 7 Simple Actions to Help Birds—or share the full 7 Simple Actions webpage that summarizes each problem, its solution, plus ideas for taking it farther.

Or visit our Social Media Shares page to share these good-news statistics: Raptors are up by 15 million because we curbed pesticides; waterfowl by 35 million because we invested in wetland regeneration; woodpeckers by 14 million because of habitat management. The pattern is clear: when we take action, birds recover.

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