2025 U.S. State of the Birds Report Shows Widespread Declines

Bird enthusiasts have received sobering news with this year’s U.S. State of the Birds report. According to a new assessment completed by American Bird Conservancy, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, National Audubon Society and more, more than one-third of U.S. bird species are now considered of “high or moderate” conservation concern. Here’s what the numbers mean for your backyard birds.

Rapid Bird Population Declines

Courtesy Brenda Doherty

According to the report, more than 100 U.S. bird species have lost more than half of their populations over the past 50 years. Of these, those assembling the report are especially concerned about what they call “Tipping Point species,” which face a serious risk of extinction in the next 50 years if nothing is done to intervene.

The report also highlights “Red-Alert” species, which it labels as birds that require immediate intervention to stabilize their population’s rapid decline.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

The numbers listed in the report are disheartening. Only two categories of birds increased since 1970: Dabbling and diving ducks (up 24%) and waterbirds (up 16%).

Sea ducks, western and eastern forest birds, shorebirds, aridland birds, and grassland birds all decreased, with grassland birds seeing the sharpest decline (down 43% since 1970).

Threats to Hummingbirds

Courtesy Marion Ball

One species on the “Red-Alert” list belongs to a backyard-birder favorite category: hummingbirds. Spotted in California and along the West Coast during migration and breeding seasons, the Allen’s hummingbird resembles the rufous hummingbird with its narrow tail as its major distinguishing feature. The rufous is also at risk, listed as an “Orange-Alert” species.

Readers within the Allen’s hummingbird’s range might have seen it at sugar-water feeders or zipping through their gardens. However, as time has passed, backyard birders have seen fewer and fewer of them: their populations decreased by 80% between 1968 and 2019.

Overall threats to hummingbirds like the Allen’s and rufous include collisions with buildings, predation from outdoor cats, and deforestation or shrinking habitats.

More Tipping Point Bird Species

Courtesy Michele Lam

Other bird species included on the “Tipping Point” list include:

• Florida scrub-jay
• evening grosbeak
• chimney swift
• wood thrush
• eastern towhee
• pyrrhuloxia
• rufous hummingbird
• bobolink
• Kirtland’s warbler

How Can Birders Help?

Courtesy Nancy Tully

According to the report, nearly 100 million Americans are bird-watchers, more than a third of the adult U.S. population. Saving our birds is certainly a good reason to come together.

The report notes that despite the decreases, it’s clear what is needed to help birds. With cooperation from a number of organizations, it is possible to reverse the decline. Efforts like forest renewal, conservation ranching and seabird translocations have all proven effective in the past.

Read on to learn why monarch butterfly numbers are declining—and how you can help.

Sources

• North American Bird Conservation Initiative, “State of the Birds 2025“
• American Bird Conservancy, “Tips to Help ‘Tipping Point’ Species: Collaborate and Think On a Landscape Scale“
• University of Wyoming, “UW Researcher Studies Why Hummingbird Numbers Are Declining“
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “Allen’s Hummingbird: Life History“