Conservation plans are urgently needed for at least 1,221 bird species identified as threatened with extinction. BirdLife International’s Red List update also indicated that over 800 additional species are considered Near Threatened.
Today, 22% of the world’s bird species are at increased risk of extinction. Vulture and albatross populations are especially under threat, along with other island-dwelling sea birds.
BirdLife programs have shown that conservation efforts can work in order to save threatened species. In recent years the Mauritius Parakeet and Spectacled Petrel have both been downlisted due to successful conservation plans to increase their populations.