Report Warns Over 500 Bird Species Could Become Extinct Within a Century

Report Warns Over 500 Bird Species Could Become Extinct Within a Century
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A new study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution warns that more than 500 bird species may vanish within the next 100 years without urgent conservation efforts, The Guardian reported. Researchers from the University of Reading found that habitat loss, primarily due to agricultural expansion and intensification, is the leading cause of this alarming decline.

The study analyzed data from nearly 10,000 bird species, revealing that even if threats like habitat destruction, hunting, and climate change stopped immediately, around 250 species are already on the brink of extinction and require targeted recovery programs such as captive breeding and habitat restoration.

Species at risk include the puffin, European turtle dove, and great bustard. Conservation successes, such as the recovery of the California condor and the UK bittern, demonstrate that dedicated efforts can reverse declines.

Senior author Prof. Manuela González-Suárez emphasized that stopping threats alone is insufficient, with many species needing special interventions to survive. BirdLife International’s chief scientist Stuart Butchart highlighted the need for comprehensive strategies combining protected areas and targeted recovery to halt the extinction crisis threatening global ecosystems.