American Bird Conservancy
Encyclopedia
American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is a non-profit
membership organization with the mission of conserving native birds and their habitats throughout the Americas
. Its focus is on threats to birds in the western hemisphere—threats which include overuse of pesticides
, urban sprawl
, habitat destruction
, and invasive species
.
ABC works in cooperation with other groups and agencies, including: Fundación ProAves
, The Bird Conservation Alliance, Partners in Flight
, the North American Bird Conservation Initiative, and others. Their partner projects have included publication of bird guides, education on the location and construction of wind turbine
s, educating farmers to promote bird-friendly agriculture, and raptor
conservation. Their Conservation Counterparts Program helps other organizations fundraise for Latin America
and Caribbean
conservation projects.
American Bird Conservancy works with partner groups such as Fundación ProAves
to purchase land that protects endangered bird habitat. They are also working with partner organizations to reduce the conversion of coffee farms that offer habitat to the Cerulean Warbler
, by helping growers market premium beans as Cerulean Warbler-friendly. In Colombia they have helped to protect wintering bird habitat by partnering with Fundación ProAves to help create the first preserve dedicated to a single U.S. migrant, the Cerulean Warbler Bird Reserve
. Also in Colombia, they helped fund an expedition in 2010 that discovered two nesting colonies of the endangered Baudó Oropendola
, one of the rarest birds in the world with less than a dozen known birds before the discovery.
, were commissioned by the U. S. Federal Government to study the US State of Birds in 2007. They found that 800 species of birds in the U.S. were "endangered, threatened or in significant decline", with more birds threatened in the state of Hawaii
than any other region. The study found that 39% of ocean birds were declining in population. They also learned that conservation efforts are very effective at helping bird populations to recover, with positive increases in some wetland bird species due to wetland conservation.
In the U.S., they are trying to stop mountaintop mining in the Appalachia
s in order to protect vital breeding habitat. In 1996, after American Bird Conservancy threatened to sue the U.S. Navy over the San Clemente loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicicanus mearnsi) whose habitat was formerly used by the Navy for bombardment training, the Navy agreed to take steps to protect the species and its habitat
.
Cats Indoors! is a public education campaign by American Bird Conservancy and supported by the National Audubon Society
and other conservation organizations to encourage control of cat
s in order to protect bird
s from predation by cats. The objective of the Conservancy's campaign is that all domestic cats should be kept safely indoors.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
membership organization with the mission of conserving native birds and their habitats throughout the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
. Its focus is on threats to birds in the western hemisphere—threats which include overuse of pesticides
Pesticide misuse
Under United States laws, pesticide misuse is the use of a pesticide in a way that violates laws regulating their use or endangers humans or the environment; many of these regulations are laid out in the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act...
, urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
, habitat destruction
Habitat destruction
Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...
, and invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
.
ABC works in cooperation with other groups and agencies, including: Fundación ProAves
Fundación ProAves
Fundación ProAves is a nonprofit environmental organization in Colombia established in 1998. Its primary aims are to protects birds of conservation concern and their habitats across Colombia.ProAves has over 60 full-time professional staff...
, The Bird Conservation Alliance, Partners in Flight
Partners in flight
Partners in Flight / Compañeros en Vuelo / Partenaires d’Envol was launched in 1990 in response to growing concerns about declines in the populations of many land bird species, and in order to emphasize the conservation of birds not covered by existing conservation initiatives...
, the North American Bird Conservation Initiative, and others. Their partner projects have included publication of bird guides, education on the location and construction of wind turbine
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
s, educating farmers to promote bird-friendly agriculture, and raptor
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
conservation. Their Conservation Counterparts Program helps other organizations fundraise for Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
and Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
conservation projects.
Latin America
In Latin AmericaLatin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
American Bird Conservancy works with partner groups such as Fundación ProAves
Fundación ProAves
Fundación ProAves is a nonprofit environmental organization in Colombia established in 1998. Its primary aims are to protects birds of conservation concern and their habitats across Colombia.ProAves has over 60 full-time professional staff...
to purchase land that protects endangered bird habitat. They are also working with partner organizations to reduce the conversion of coffee farms that offer habitat to the Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
The Cerulean Warbler, Dendroica cerulea, is a small songbird of the New World warbler family.-Description:Adult males have pale cerulean blue upperparts and white underparts with a black necklace across the breast; they also have black streaks on the back and flanks...
, by helping growers market premium beans as Cerulean Warbler-friendly. In Colombia they have helped to protect wintering bird habitat by partnering with Fundación ProAves to help create the first preserve dedicated to a single U.S. migrant, the Cerulean Warbler Bird Reserve
Cerulean Warbler Bird Reserve
Cerulean Warbler Bird Reserve, also known as the Reinita Cerúlea Bird Reserve, is a nature reserve near Bucaramanga in central Colombia. The reserve is set among oak forest on the eastern slopes of the Magdalena River...
. Also in Colombia, they helped fund an expedition in 2010 that discovered two nesting colonies of the endangered Baudó Oropendola
Baudó Oropendola
The Baudó Oropendola is a species of bird in the Icteridae family.It is endemic to Colombia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
, one of the rarest birds in the world with less than a dozen known birds before the discovery.
United States
Several organizations, including the American Bird Conservancy and the United States Geological SurveyUnited States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
, were commissioned by the U. S. Federal Government to study the US State of Birds in 2007. They found that 800 species of birds in the U.S. were "endangered, threatened or in significant decline", with more birds threatened in the state of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
than any other region. The study found that 39% of ocean birds were declining in population. They also learned that conservation efforts are very effective at helping bird populations to recover, with positive increases in some wetland bird species due to wetland conservation.
In the U.S., they are trying to stop mountaintop mining in the Appalachia
Appalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
s in order to protect vital breeding habitat. In 1996, after American Bird Conservancy threatened to sue the U.S. Navy over the San Clemente loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicicanus mearnsi) whose habitat was formerly used by the Navy for bombardment training, the Navy agreed to take steps to protect the species and its habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
.
Cats Indoors! is a public education campaign by American Bird Conservancy and supported by the National Audubon Society
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation. Incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and uses science, education and grassroots advocacy to advance its conservation mission...
and other conservation organizations to encourage control of cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
s in order to protect bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s from predation by cats. The objective of the Conservancy's campaign is that all domestic cats should be kept safely indoors.