Although we face some serious conservation challenges here in Wisconsin and in the United States, the scope of problems facing bird species worldwide is much greater. The magnitude of these problems is considerable, but we can affect the outcome of some of these problems in direct ways, even in everyday choices we make as consumers.
A total of 1,186 bird species are threatened worldwide. This is approximately 12%, or 1 out of 8 of all of the world's avian species. The fossil record and research indicate that a species may become extinct every century, but 128 species have been missing since 1500, and 103 species have been lost since 1800. This is fifty times the rate we should expect to see.
Some species with threatened status are declining at extremely rapid rates. Hook-billed Bulbul (Setornis criniger) has a population over 10,000 individuals but lives in areas of Borneo and Indonesia that are rapidly being logged. Some species have much smaller worldwide populations and are also declining. The Sulu Hornbill (Anthracoceros montani) has a total population of only 40 individuals, found on one island in the Philippines. 961 of the 1,186 species mentioned above (81% of the total) have total populations that number less than 10,000 individuals. 78% of these 961 are in serious decline. Threatened species also often have very limited geographic ranges. 959 species have ranges of less than 50,000 km2, and 856 (72%) of the 1,186 species have ranges that amount to less than 20,000 km2.
Of the 1,186 species mentioned above, 902 species are forest birds. 93% of these are tropical species, and 82% are in tropical moist forests. Of forest birds that have threatened status, 74% are found in only one type of forest. Logging is the number one threat to bird species worldwide, and this is especially true in the tropics.
It is imperative that we determine the nature of threats to these species, and to attempt to mitigate these threats wherever possible. One organization working on these issues is BirdLife International.
Since so many threatened species are tropical moist forest species, conservation of these habitats is critical. Conservation of forest resources can begin, at one point, with us - the consumers of wood products. I'm extremely suspicious when I see wood products in a discount store that have labels of origin such as Malaysia, Indonesia, or the Philippines. Much of this wood comes from the tropical moist forests that are home to many of the endangered and threatened species that are of concern in this context. When we must buy wood and wood products, there are now sustainable forest programs in place that provide assurances about how and where these products originate.
If you would like to learn more about the programs and companies involved in sustainable forestry, some good places to begin are: the Forest Stewardship Council's Certified Forests links, the Rainforest Information Centre's Good Wood Guide, and SmartWood, an organization dedicated to practical conservation through certified forestry. If you wish to buy tropical hardwood, or wood harvested sustainably in North America, for that matter, these sources are good starting points for learning more and answering questions.
The information and data for threatened species presented above is from the following excellent publication: Birdlife International. 2000. Threatened Birds of the World. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International.
by William P. Mueller
