The number of birds considered endangered in North America has been on the rise.
With global warming, habitat loss, and a rise in pollution, these beautiful birds are constantly threatened and compromised.
Want to learn more about the endangered bird species of North America? Keep reading to find out.
Piping Plover
The Piping Plover is a shorebird found in North America. It has now been labeled as threatened or endangered depending on the area.
These birds were majorly hunted for their feathers during the 19th and 20th centuries, which is when their rapid decline began.
Ever since, there have been many efforts to preserve the Piping Plover population, which is currently 8,000. Nesting habitats are now given protection in most states.
California Condor
These large majestic birds are at high risk in North America. The California Condor is critically endangered due to major habitat loss.
Most birds are victims of the acts of man, such as destruction of habitat, poaching, hunting, or poisoning. Research also discovered that Condors were dying due to lead and DDT poisoning.
Due to the rapid loss in population, a desperate conservation effort was made.
Almost all Condors were captured and released into a captive breeding habitat to increase numbers.
The population has now risen from 22 birds in 1982 to 337 birds living in the wild now.
Gunnison Sage Grouse
The land bird Gunnison Sage Grouse is an endangered bird specific to only seven locations in North America.
These majestic birds are almost as big as chickens and perform with their spiky tail feathers and neck sacs.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife have made many conservation efforts.
Florida Scrub-Jay
The Florida Scrub-Jay has been a resident of Florida for over 2 million years. It is probably the only species endemic to the state.
The tiny creatures are now labeled as endangered. Their population has been dropping and ranges between 2500-9999 due to habitat loss.
The increase in scrub areas due to fire suppression has contributed to the population loss.
Moreover, the increase in residential and commercial areas has led to a further decline within the species.
California Least Tern
These birds are considered a subspecies of the Tern birds.
The California Least Tern is an endangered bird found on the coasts of California. They can also be spotted South of North America near San Francisco.
The California Least Tern has been declared endangered since the 1970s. However, due to numerous conservation efforts, the population has somewhat improved.
The California Least Tern also comes under the protection of the Migratory Bird Treaty.
The state is taking necessary steps to preserve its population and stop the decline.
Florida Grasshopper Sparrow
The Florida Grasshopper Sparrow is a bird native to the green lands. These birds are mainly found only in southern and central Florida.
These tiny birds have been entered into the endangered category due to a rapid loss in habitat. They depend on prairie habitat, which has been on the decline recently.
Multiple conservation efforts have been made to reduce the decline of the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow population.
Whooping Crane
There are only two Crane species found in North America, and one of them is endangered – The Whooping Crane.
These majestic long-legged beauties are now near extinction in the North American region due to rapid loss of habitat and hunting and poaching.
There were only 16 cranes left-back in 1941.
After several conservation efforts and captive breeding facilities, the Whooping Crane population increased to 826 in 2020. Out of this, 667 were found in the wild.
Red-Cockaded Woodpecker
Found all over East and Southeast of the North American region, the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker exists in old-grown pine forests.
They are also called keystone species because other birds species use their nests.
Their population has been on a rapid decline due to natural fires and the suppression processes within the continent. This landed them in the endangered category.
Many conservation efforts are under the works to increase the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker population. Nesting cavities or man-made nests are made on trees to encourage breeding.
Marbled Murrelet
This sea bird is known for nibbling on sardines or anchovies, mainly found in the Pacific North West or Alaska.
The Marbled Murrelet prefers to stay in old-growth forest areas in the northwest.
This is because they tend to nest there. Moreover, they also nest on the ground in Alaska.
The Marbled Murrelet population has been declining for quite some time due to a rapid loss of habitat and nesting areas.
Their eggs are also targeted by larger birds, halting the breeding process.
Masked Bobwhite Quail
The Masked Bobwhite Quail, known as a subspecies of the Northern Bobwhite, is found mainly in the Sonoran Desert and mostly in Southern Arizona, USA, Mexico, etc.
The Masked Bobwhite Quail has been subjected to a rapid population loss due to wide livestock grazing in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The population suffered greatly. So much so, that wildlife officials announced them as extinct in Arizona in the last century.
The birds that were left in Southern Sonoran were put into captive breeding habitats and released by 1985.
Mississippi Sandhill Crane
The Mississippi Sandhill Crane is a critically endangered bird species within the region. There are only 100 birds left in the world, with only 20-25 breeding pairs.
The only place you can find these birds is on the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge.
The Mississippi Sandhill Cranes were originally found along the Gulf coastal plains from Louisiana east to Mississippi, Alabama, and even Florida.
The insane loss in population is due to the destruction of the habitat ever since the pine plantations in World War II.
The suppression of natural fires within the continent is also one of the reasons Mississippi Sandhill Cranes are endangered.
Black Polled Yellowthroat
True to Central Mexico, the Black Polled Yellowthroat is found in many lake areas, freshwater marshes, and reed beds.
The Black Polled Yellowthroat was previously found extensively near almost all lake or water bodies. However, now it is limited to only five lakes and wetlands.
The Black Polled Yellowthroat does not adjust well to habitat changes.
Due to the rapid loss of habitat, they have been constrained to only five lakes and have been on the decline ever since.
Socorro Dove
Known for being extinct in the wild, the Socorro dove is a medium-sized bird that mainly lives on the ground. It is predominantly cinnamon in color with a blue-grey and pink neck.
The Socorro Dove is one of the rarest species in the Bristol Zoo Gardens. Their population is currently at threat from many predators since they do not have escaping tendencies.
The Socorro Dove, true to its name, was only found in the islands of Socorro, off the coast of Mexico.
However, the last sighting of the dove was in 1972. Now, there are only 100 left in human care.
Golden Cheeked Warbler
True to Texas, the Golden Cheeked Warbler is a nesting resident found in Central Texas. The exotically colored birds are the only species native to this state.
The Golden Cheeked Warbler has been decreasing due to a constant loss in their habitat.
This happened because various juniper and oak woodlands that served as nesting spots for the Golden Cheeked Warbler were destroyed.
Moreover, the Golden Cheeked Warbler is also threatened by Cowbirds since they tend to lay eggs in the warbler’s nests.
Short-tailed Albatross
The Short-tailed Albatross is probably one of the rarest of the Albatross species, which is seen in the Northern Pacific Oceans.
The Albatross was first found within the Northern region only.
However, due to the rapid loss in their natural habitat and relocation, they have now moved to some islands in Japan.
Bermuda Petrel
Known as the bird lost to science, the Bermuda Petrel was nearly extinct in the world until it was introduced back, thanks to wildlife conservation methods.
True to Bermuda, the species is still highly vulnerable within North America.
Threatened by predators such as cats and dogs and also subject to heavy hunting – the Bermuda Petrel is still at risk.
These petrels tend to nest in soil burrows on the islands. However, due to increased loss in almost all nesting islands, they now nest near limestone cervices or artificially made burrows.
Final Words
As you can see, the North American bird species are declining at an alarming rate.
Most of these exotic birds are dying or moving away from the region to better places such as the Albatross.
A majority of these species were categorized as endangered. This was mainly due to a loss of habitat caused by increased human intervention and climate change.
We have to realize that our actions are not only harming the planet but also affecting our wildlife.
As responsible North American natives, we need to play our part and take proper conservation measures to save the bird population.
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