Migratory Bird Crisis as IUCN Reclassifies 16 Species to Higher Threat Levels, Some Populations Drop 30%: COP16 Update

Govind Tekale

The mighty Grey Plover, once a "least concern" superstar across eight major flyways, has plummeted by over 30% in just 23 years, forcing a sobering "vulnerable" status as habitat fragmentation and anthropogenic pressures take their toll.

GREY PLOVER (Pluvialis squatarola)

Habitat: Global distribution across Pacific, Atlantic, Black Sea-Mediterranean, East Asia-East Africa, Central & East Asia-Australasia flyways

Photo Source: Andrej Chudý (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Our adaptable Killdeer, that familiar face in American landscapes, has lost over 20% of its population across three flyways, pushing this once-stable species into "near threatened" territory despite its remarkable urban resilience.

KILLDEER (Charadrius vociferus)

Habitat: Pacific, Central & Atlantic Americas flyways

Photo Source: Animalia

Photo Source: Animalia

The charismatic Marbled Godwit, master of three American flyways, faces a staggering 30-49% population crash, elevating it to "vulnerable" as its breeding and non-breeding habitats face unprecedented pressures.

MARBLED GODWIT (Limosa fedoa)

Habitat: Pacific, Central & Atlantic Americas flyways

Photo Source: Animalia

The long-distance champion Hudsonian Godwit is experiencing a heartbreaking 30%+ decline across two Americas flyways, with climate-driven phenological mismatches threatening its breeding success.

HUDSONIAN GODWIT (Limosa haemastica)

Habitat: Central & Atlantic Americas flyways

Photo Source: Animalia

Photo Source: Animalia

The cosmopolitan Ruddy Turnstone, present in seven global flyways and hovering around 750,000-1,750,000 individuals, has slipped 20-29% in just 18 years, earning a "near threatened" classification.

RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres)

Habitat: Pacific & Atlantic Americas, East Atlantic, Black Sea-Mediterranean, East Asia-East Africa, Central & East Asia-Australasia flyways

Photo Source: Arian Fernandez

The secretive Broad-billed Sandpiper has lost over 30% of its population in 13 years across three Asian flyways, with peatland drainage in European breeding grounds dealing a devastating blow.

BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER (Calidris falcinellus)

Habitat: East Asia-East Africa, Central & East Asia-Australasia flyways

Photo Source: Animalia

Photo Source: Animalia

The elegant Stilt Sandpiper shows a concerning 20-29% decline across two American flyways, with tundra breeding habitat alterations challenging its survival.

STILT SANDPIPER (Calidris himantopus)

Habitat: Central & Atlantic Americas flyways

Photo Source: Animalia

The remarkable Curlew Sandpiper has declined 30-49% in just 15 years across five major flyways, pushed to "vulnerable" by synergistic threats across its vast range.

CURLEW SANDPIPER (Calidris ferruginea)

Habitat: East Atlantic, Black Sea-Mediterranean, East Asia-East Africa, Central & East Asia-Australasia flyways

Photo Source: Animalia

Photo Source: Animalia

Our beloved Dunlin, once abundant across seven global flyways, shows a 20-29% population crash, moving to "near threatened" as multiple threats compound across its circumpolar range.

DUNLIN (Calidris alpina)

Habitat: Pacific & Atlantic Americas, East Atlantic, Black Sea-Mediterranean, East Asia-East Africa, Central & East Asia-Australasia flyways

Photo Source: Myhill.bob

The tiny but mighty Least Sandpiper faces a 20-29% decline across three American flyways, its "near threatened" status reflecting the vulnerability of even our most widespread shorebirds.

LEAST SANDPIPER (Calidris minutilla)

Habitat: Pacific, Central & Atlantic Americas flyways

Photo Source: Animalia

Photo Source: Animalia

The distinctive White-rumped Sandpiper has plummeted 30-49% across two American flyways, its new "vulnerable" status highlighting the urgent need for stopover habitat protection.

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (Calidris fuscicollis)

Habitat: Central & Atlantic Americas flyways

Photo Source: Aniamalia

The unique Buff-breasted Sandpiper, already "near threatened," now faces 30-49% declines across two flyways, pushing it to "vulnerable" despite recent population size revisions.

BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (Calidris subruficollis)

Habitat: Central & Atlantic Americas flyways

Photo Source: Remydee1

Photo Source: Remydee1

The robust Short-billed Dowitcher shows concerning 30-49% declines across three American flyways, its new "vulnerable" status backed by multiple monitoring datasets.

SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER (Limnodromus griseus)

Habitat: Pacific, Central & Atlantic Americas flyways

Photo Source: Andy Morffew (CC BY 2.0)

The distinctive Long-billed Dowitcher faces 20-29% declines across two flyways, its "near threatened" status emphasizing the importance of temporary wetland conservation.

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER (Limnodromus scolopaceus)

Habitat: Pacific & Central Americas flyways

Photo Source: Animalia

Photo Source: Animalia

The graceful Lesser Yellowlegs shows alarming 30-49% declines across three American flyways, with unsustainable harvest and habitat loss pushing its 650,000 remaining individuals toward "vulnerable" status.

LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes)

Habitat: Pacific, Central & Atlantic Americas flyways

Photo Source: Animalia

The Greater Yellowlegs faces a 20-29% decline across three flyways, its new "near threatened" status reflecting the complexity of monitoring and protecting wide-ranging species.

GREATER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa melanoleuca)

Habitat: Pacific, Central & Atlantic Americas flyways

Photo Source: Greater Yellowlegs

Photo Source: Greater Yellowlegs

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