News

BirdLife releases update on the status of the world's birds

Thursday 27th May 2010

In its 2010 update to the Red List of Threatened Species™, BirdLife International has released details on the status of the world’s 10,027 bird species, with some 1,240 species currently threatened with extinction.

White-bellied cinclodes (Cinclodes palliatus)

White-bellied cinclodesThe white-bellied cinclodes is one of three species moved to the highest threat category of Critically Endangered this year, bringing the total to 190 species. It is declining due to the extraction of peat by humans, and further surveys of suitable habitat have failed to find populations in additional localities, with overall numbers now believed to be extremely small.

Wattled curassow (Crax globulosa)

Male wattled curassowThe charismatic wattled curassow is now one of the 372 species of bird listed as Endangered, having moved from the Vulnerable category. The species’ small population is thought to have undergone a very rapid decline, with hunting suspected to be the main cause.

Black crowned-crane (Balearica pavonina)

Black crowned-crane western subpopulation, head detailThe black crowned-crane has been uplisted from Near Threatened to one of the 678 Vulnerable bird species. Habitat loss and trapping for domestication or illegal international trade have resulted in a rapid population decline of this species.

Sadly, BirdLife also formally announced the extinction of the Aloatra grebe (Tachybaptus rufolavatus), a species restricted to a tiny area in eastern Madagascar, mainly at Lake Aloatra, that has not been seen since 1985. The species’ demise is thought to have resulted from the introduction of carnivorous fish into the lake, as well as the use of nylon gillnets, which entangle and drown diving birds.

However, the outlook is not all bleak. This latest Red List update shows that targeted conservation efforts can bring species back from the brink of extinction, with three species now being downlisted from Critically Endangered.

Azores bullfinch (Pyrrhula murina)

Azores bullfinch, side viewThe Azores bullfinch has an extremely small range, being confined to the east of the island of São Miguel, in the Azores, and declined as a result of the loss of native forest and the spread of invasive plants. However, its status is now improving as a result of efforts to restore natural vegetation. The species has been downlisted from Critically Endangered to Endangered.

Yellow-eared parrot (Ognorhynchus icterotis)

Yellow-eared parrot on branchThe yellow-eared parrot underwent a dramatic decline due to hunting, habitat destruction, and the overexploitation of wax palms for Palm Sunday processions. However, it has begun to recover as a result of intensive conservation action, including the protection of nest sites and local community education programmes in Columbia, and has now been downlisted from Critically Endangered to Endangered.

Chatham albatross (Thalassarche eremita)

Chatham albatross pairThe Chatham albatross was previously classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, with severe storms having removed soil and vegetation cover from its single, tiny breeding site in the Chatham Islands. Although still threatened by longline fisheries, and susceptible to stochastic events, the species has been downlisted to Vulnerable, and its population is believed to be stable or even increasing.

Visit MyARKive to view a selection of images of some of the world’s most endangered birds in the Birds on the Brink scrapbook.

To browse more of ARKive’s stunning bird images and videos, and to read information on the world’s threatened bird species, go to www.arkive.org/birds/.

Further information

For more information and a full breakdown of the changes to the status of this year’s Red List for birds, see: To find out more about conservation efforts for the world’s most endangered birds, see:



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