Mohamed Bughrara 

70 hummingbird species in Pennsylvania in the 2022 U.S., according on the State of the Birds report, “at the tipping point.”

The newly released report, published by 33 leading science and conservation organizations and agencies, reveals that “long-term trends of waterfowl show strong increases where investments in wetland conservation have improved conditions,” but birds are declining in all other habitats such as forests, grasslands, deserts, and oceans.

The study was created using data from five different sources, such as the North American Breeding Bird Survey and the Christmas Bird Count, to monitor the condition of breeding birds across the United States.

The research is the first look at the country’s birds after a groundbreaking 2019 study revealed a 50-year decline of 3 billion birds in the United States and Canada.

The report indicates that more than half of U.S. bird species are dropping, with grassland birds among the fastest declining, with a 34% loss since 1970, while waterbirds and ducks have grown by 18 and 34%, respectively, during the same period.

If nothing changes, 70 species will lose another half of their remaining populations in the next 50 years.

Karen Waldrop, chief conservation officer from Ducks Unlimited, stated, “While a majority of bird species are declining, many waterbird populations remain healthy, thanks to decades of collaborative investments from hunters, landowners, state and federal agencies, and corporations.” 

The report suggests that implementing the winning wetlands formula in additional habitats will aid in the recovery of birds and natural resources. 

The full report can be found at StateoftheBirds.org.