Audubon and the America Bird Conservancy have joined forces to rally conservationists around America's most imperiled birds. WatchList 2007, a new analysis from these leading bird conservation organizations, uses the latest available research from the bird conservation community along with citizen science data.

A Tool for Conservation
      Identifying the species at greatest risk is the first step toward saving them. It helps target public policies, funding support, conservation initiatives and public commitment on the species and habitats that need it most.

      The newest chapter in Audubon's ongoing State of the Birds Reports, WatchList 2007 lays the groundwork for an "industry standard" to guide conservation priorities among conservation organizations and government agencies.

      By dividing imperiled birds into 59 continental and 38 Hawaiian "red" species, and 117 "yellow" species, WatchList 2007 helps focus highest attention on the species of greatest concern (red), while also highlighting "yellow" species while there is still time to keep them off the red list.

      The names of these species may be less familiar than those on Audubon's roster of Common Birds in Decline but WatchList birds need even more urgent attention. In many cases, by helping them we can also help many of the other

birds at risk.

      View WatchList 2007 at http://web1.audubon.org/science/species/watchlist/browsewatchlist.php

Which Species? Why?
      Birds that rely on virtually every kind of habitat found in the U.S. are found on WatchList. Global warming threatens feeding grounds for some seabirds and breeding grounds for some songbirds. Drought is having devastating consequences for grassland birds like Gunnison's Sage-Grouse and the Lesser Prairie-Chicken. Hawaiian species are losing ground to invasive, non-native species of animals and plants. Meanwhile, coastal

Text Box: WatchList Highlights America’s Imperiled Birds

development, industrialized farming practices, pollution, energy development and suburban sprawl are eliminating and degrading the places many of these species need to feed, rest and breed.             WatchList is about the power of citizen scientist volunteers who report their observations in Christmas Bird Count and/or the Breeding Bird Survey and provide the data needed for this comprehensive analysis.                      Now, the same commitment and dedication that produced the findings is essential to addressing their cause. Only citizen action can fuel the changes that will improve the outlook.
Text Box: Cedar Waxwing: A berry-eating bird that often wanders into cities in small flocks. Help by planting and maintaining its preferred native berry trees or bushes. Chimney Swift: A small bird that spends most of its time flying high over towns and cities; it nests in open chimneys. Help through proper chimney maintenance or by building a specially designed nesting tower. Text Box: Common Nighthawk: A nocturnal bird that eats flying insects and often nests on gravel roofs. Help by maintaining gravel rooftops on commercial buildings. Northern Mockingbird: A common songbird that nests in cities across the country. Help by planting bushes for it to nest in, and native berry trees and bushes for it to feed on during the winter. Text Box: No matter where you live, there are birds that need your help. Look at the list of a few recommended species below for ways to help, depending on what kind of landscape you live in and the features of your land and surrounding properties. For more species you can help go to http://www. audubonathome.org/birdstohelp/speciesList.php?habitat=urban Text Box: Birds Species Need Your Help