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Green Violetear — Photo by Mike Lockhart
Bird populations in North America have declined by about 3 billion birds in the past 50 years. An army of conservation organizations and individuals around the world is needed to reverse global bird losses and prevent the associated disruptions to ecosystems. Please support bird conservation efforts and learn about some of Sophie’s favorite conservation organizations.
American Bird Conservancy (link: https://abcbirds.org/) is dedicated to conserving wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. With an emphasis on achieving results and working in partnership, the organization tackles the greatest problems facing today’s birds. Specific programs focus on preventing the extinction of the most endangered birds, conserving important habitats for birds, reducing top threats to birds (such as outdoor cats, collisions, invasive species, pesticides, fisheries, and lead poisoning), and building an Americas-wide network of bird conservationists.
Sophie writes about many of the threats to birds that ABC addresses in her forthcoming book Feather Trails—A Biologist’s Journey of Discovery among Threatened Birds.
Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco (link: https://www.jocotoco.org/wb#/EN/home) protects areas that are of critical importance to the conservation of endemic and threatened birds in Ecuador. The Foundation has protected a network of fifteen reserves that are home to more than 900 bird species, over 50 of which are threatened or near-threatened with extinction. The reserves provide habitat for more than 100 regional endemics (including the namesake Jocotoco Antpitta) and species with restricted distributions.
Sophie has visited several Jocotoco reserves and benefitted from the organization’s conservation efforts.
SELVA, Colombia (link: https://selva.org.co/en/) undertakes rigorous scientific research to facilitate the design, promotion and implementation of conservation actions that benefit Neotropical biodiversity. Research areas include threatened species, biodiversity and ecosystem services, climate change, migratory species, and applied ecology. SELVA’s complimentary education and outreach programs help ensure that research outcomes are effectively translated into conservation solutions.
Sophie appreciated SELVA’s work during her travels in Colombia and was grateful for its researchers’ expertise when she published a peer-reviewed article on her documentation of a range extension for the Undulated Antpitta (evNC3_BS24_2015 (sao.org.co)).
ECOAN Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos (link: https://www.ecoanperu.org/indexeng.html) is dedicated to the conservation of endangered species and of threatened Andean ecosystems. In addition to working with local communities to protect habitat, restore degraded areas, promote the sustainable use of natural resources, and engage in environmental education, the group coordinates a major initiative to protect high Andean forests in six South American countries.
Having spent four months researching the Black-and-chestnut Eagle in the Peruvian Andes, Sophie has a particular soft-spot for the Andes and cloud forest habitats. (Valdez & Osborn.fm (unm.edu))
Jocotoco Antpitta — Photo by Sophie Osborn