America's Most Endangered Birds

The National Audubon Society this week published online its list of the Top 10 Most Endangered Birds in North America. The list was published as a way to draw attention to recent proposals in Congress to weaken the Endangered Species Act. Here is the list (pdf):

1. Ivory-billed Woodpecker
2. California Condor
3. Whooping Crane
4. Gunnison Sage-Grouse
5. Kirtland’s Warbler
6. Piping Plover
7. Florida Scrub-Jay
8. Ashy Storm-Petrel
9. Golden-cheeked Warbler
10. Kittlitz’s Murrelet

Audubon's presentation highlights species across a range of bird families and with different habitat needs, showing the array of threats to birds and challenges to conservationists. The report includes a separate section listing the most endangered birds of Hawaii.

Like nuthatch, I wondered about the wisdom of leading the list with the ivory-billed woodpecker given the continuing controversy over the validity of the CLO's findings in Arkansas. But this list was prepared at some point last year; I received a pamphlet from NAS during the fall that had this list with the same species on it. I wonder why it took them so long to release this on their website.

Tags:

• Conservation