One in Every Eight Bird Species Faces Extinction

About one in eight bird species around the world is facing extinction, according a new report by Birdlife International. Conservationists say that an investment of US$80 billion per year is required to protect threatened species.

The report titled "State of the world's birds: indicators for our changing world" was released at a meeting in Ottawa, Canada.

Birds face several threats ranging from habitat loss to climate change. Common birds such as barn swallow and purple martin are disappearing at a rapid rate rather than the exotic and endangered species. A recent study had shown that birds like purple martins can't change their migrating behavior with change is spring timing and end up losing precious food sources.

Another study on birds showed that there more birds are threatened by habitat loss than previously thought.

BirdLife Partnership has identified about 12,000 important bird and biodiversity areas, which can provide sanctuary to birds.

"Birds provide an accurate and easy to read environmental barometer that allows us to see clearly the pressures our current way of life are putting on the world's biodiversity", said Dr Leon Bennun, BirdLife's Director of Science, Information and Policy, according to a news release.

Conservationists say that it would take about US$80 billion per year to protect biological hotspots that could shelter threatened species.

"The total sums may sound large, but they are small in terms of government budgets, and they should be seen as investments, not bills - saving nature makes economic sense because of the payback in terms of services and benefits that people receive in return, from mitigating climate change to pollinating crops", said Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife's Head of Science.