this objectively and consistently across all species ensures reliable , comparable assessments that hold up globally .
Every year , the team burns the candle at both ends to reach conclusions about the state of the world ’ s birds – but the 2016 update was particularly special and taxing . Not only was BirdLife undertaking a four-yearly comprehensive review of the status of every bird species worldwide , but the completion of the second volume of the HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World meant an extra 742 newly-recognised species of passerines (“ perching birds ”) to assess . Now , for the first time , the Red List includes over 11,000 bird species worldwide .
NEWLY DISCOVERED , ALREADY THREATENED
This is one list that you do not want to be at the top of , however . A species being “ uplisted ” means that it is at greater risk of extinction , and that is happening all too often . But more than showing an observed change on a barometer , a bird species reaching the threshold for “ globally threatened ” means that BirdLife is officially ringing a great big red warning bell around the world . As conservationists , we are alarmed and called to action by an uplisting ; and we celebrate and learn lessons from a “ downlisting ” – an event that , pleasingly , is more common than you might think , thanks partly to the dedicated work of BirdLife Partners around the globe . This is what you will find in the following pages : stories of the “ ups ” and “ downs ” of 2016 . But don ’ t forget that in the Anthropocene – the so-called geological age of human impact – a downlisting does not mean “ saved ”, but only one step on the road to recovery , and that more species are still heading the wrong way .
THE IUCN RED LIST SCALE
EX
EXTINCT
EW
EXTINCT IN THE WILD
CR
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
EN
ENDANGERED
VU
VULNERABLE
NT
NEAR THREATENED
LC
LEAST CONCERN
WHAT ARE THE HIGHS AND LOWS FOR THE WORLD ’ S BIRDS IN 2016 ?
Unsustainable trapping for the Indonesian songbird trade , plus habitat loss , led to
19 uplistings , including Scarlet-breasted Lorikeet ( page 16 ).
6 species of Indonesian songbird now Critically Endangered , including Rufousfronted Laughingthrush ( page 16 ).
Up to 99 % decrease in number of Grey Parrots in Ghana : dire news for one of the world ’ s most popular and recognisable cage birds , now uplisted from Vulnerable to Endangered ( page 32 ).
5 island endemics downlisted to lower threat categories , thanks to conservation action :
› Including 2 Critically Endangered species in UK Overseas Territories downlisted to Vulnerable : St Helena Plover and Montserrat Oriole ( page 22 ).
› 2 times the Azores Bullfinch has been downlisted to lower threat categories in less than a decade , thanks to conservation work ( page 30 ).
742 newly-recognised species , mainly “ splits ” previously treated as subspecies .
22 species newly described to science , whose extinction risk is assessed for the first time ( page 46 ).
46 species now not recognised , due to taxonomic “ lumping ” ( page 38 ).
11,121 bird species now recognised worldwide .
THE SCIENTIST SAYS
“ Unfortunately , recognising more than 700 ‘ new ’ species does not mean that the world ’ s birds are faring better ,” says Dr Ian Burfield , BirdLife ’ s Global Science Coordinator overseeing this work . “ As our knowledge
deepens , so our concerns are confirmed : unsustainable agriculture , logging , invasive species and other threats – such as the illegal trade highlighted this year – are still driving many species towards extinction .”
BirdLife International ’ s Red List Assessments are sponsored by Zeiss and supported by the Tasso Leventis Foundation , to whom we are very grateful . Thanks also to the A . G . Leventis Foundation for supporting our taxonomic work that underpins the Red List .
More than 11 % of newly-recognised bird species threatened with extinction , including Cryptic Treehunter ( page 20 ).
13 newly-recognised species already extinct – all island endemics , likely affected by invasive species .
1 st avian extinction we know of from the Galapagos Islands : Least Vermilion Flycatcher ( page 44 ).
12 number of newly-recognised species “ split ” from the Red-bellied Pitta ( page 38 ).
DECEMBER 2016 • BIRDLIFE 15