BTO: Over Half of Migratory Bird Species in Major Decline
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- British Trust for Ornithology, working with other international conservation organisations, found that more than half of global migratory bird species are suffering major declines in numbers
- Many of the threatened species use the African-Eurasian flyway, described as one of the largest mass-migration systems on the planet
- Causes of decline cited include habitat loss, disease, and pesticide use, but the climate crisis stands out due to extreme weather events that have become far more frequent and intense
- The ongoing heatwave across Europe is cited as the latest—and not the last—example of extreme weather hitting migratory birds
- Autumn migration is already underway: cuckoos and swifts have left, swallows and warblers will depart in September, and Arctic-breeding waders are refueling at coastal marshes
- The report calls for conservation strategies that address threats across birds' lifecycles and international flyways, combined with habitat creation and preservation closer to home
Why it matters: With more than half of migratory species in decline, the BTO's findings pressure governments and conservation groups to coordinate action across the African-Eurasian flyway and beyond. The report ties climate-driven extreme weather—exemplified by Europe's current heatwave—directly to population losses, demanding both international flyway-level strategies and local habitat preservation to stem further losses.
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