Across the Planet, 40 percent of the Bird Population is on the verge of extinction. In north America ( Canada and the United States), an estimated 3 billion birds have been lost since 1970 signalling a widespread ecological crisis. According to a study published in the Journal of Science the Birds on the verge of extinction include Sparrows, Warblers, Finches, Old World Vultures which have declined by 68 percent, Albatrosses which have also declined by the same margin, Parrots by 29 percent. The Atlantic Puffin is on a high risk of extinction according to the publication.
Some parts of Africa and Asia have even reported a more catastrophic decline with birds such as vultures and Grey Parrots having declined by 90 percent in the last Century according to Birdlife International.
The decline in the Bird Population is significant in that, it signals an Ecological Crisis globally due to the influential role which birds play in Food webs and Ecosystems functioning; from food dispersal to pest control. More so, it impacts Tourist Activities like Bird watching which fetch foreign exchange earnings for Countries like Uganda, Rwanda , Kenya and Congo and will in the long run cause Job losses.
The reasons for the decline in Bird Population is mainly attributed to Logging/ Wood harvesting which destroys the habitats and niches of the birds, Urbanisation, Agriculture and Climate Change. For more reading on this, click, www.geographical.co.uk