A new continent-wide analysis shows that bird declines are widespread, the rate of decline is increasing, and land use may be to blame. Researchers used 1,033 North American Breeding Bird Survey routes from 1987 to 2021 to analyze how bird abundance changed for 261 bird species across North America. Overall, more than 40% of the species examined demonstrated significant declines. Of the 122 declining species, 63 are decreasing faster over time, and 67 are struggling to replace themselves as their populations shrink. Scientists identified hot spots in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and California, where declines are accelerating. These hot spots correlated with patterns of agricultural intensity.
Read more in Science.
