The PIF Watch List includes 86 species—these are the species of highest conservation concern at the continental (range-wide) scale (from Table 1 in the Landbird Conservation Plan). Some of these species are already recognized as federally threatened or endangered in the U.S. and Canada. The Watch List fosters proactive conservation that will help recover populations of the most at-risk species and keep the remaining species from becoming endangered. | Download the Watch List | Watch List definitions explained.
PIF’s mission calls for action to maintain the abundance of all birds fundamental to healthy habitats and functioning ecosystems—Keeping Common Birds Common. PIF identified 24 Common Birds in Steep Decline—species that are still too numerous to warrant Watch List status, but are experiencing troubling long-term declines (see figure 2, p. 11 of Landbird Conservation Plan). All of these species have lost from 50%-90% of their populations since 1970, and most are projected to lose another 50% within the next 20-25 years.
