American Bird Conservancy

Rainforest Trust, American Bird Conservancy, and Jocotoco are thrilled to announce the creation of the Ecuador Ridgely Reserve in Selva Alegre! ?? Named after renowned ornithologist and co-founder of Fundación Jocotoco Dr. Robert Ridgely, this reserve is a major step in protecting Ecuador’s astounding biodiversity. ???? In addition to safeguarding wildlife, Ecuador Ridgely Reserve will generate numerous benefits for human residents of the region, including clean water, landslide reduction, and the preservation of the area’s unique ecosystems. ?? This reserve is part of the #ConservaAves initiative, led by American Bird Conservancy, National Audubon Society, BirdLife International, Birds Canada and RedLAC, and supported by Bezos Earth Fund. ??? Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g-EZexgd

Our next free webinar, “Here They Come! Preparing for a Bird-Friendly Spring” is TOMORROW! ?? Join us Tuesday, March 25 at 4 pm ET for lots of information and tips for helping migratory birds this spring from ABC experts, including: ?? Grant Sizemore, Director of Invasive Species Programs ?? Patrick Weber, Great Lakes Wildlife Habitat Specialist ?? Sarah Belles, Gulf Coast Avian Ecologist If you can't make the webinar live, RSVP anyway and we'll send you a recording to enjoy when the time is right for you! https://lnkd.in/g8kH8gyM Jordan E. Rutter Erica Sánchez Vázquez

We do better when we work together. The work I lead American Bird Conservancy is called Together for Birds. While that work has some specific initiatives, partnerships are the heart of all of our work for birds. SPLASh is one of my favorite initiatives because it allows for direct and in person community building and collective action through cleanups, allowing individuals to have an immediate impact and to connect with each other. Chloe Dannenfelser describes that work in this video. I have not yet been to Texas, but hope to attend a SPLASh cleanup at some point! One of the most impactful things that I did with my daughter when she was younger was an Anacostia River cleanup with Ocean Conservancy - she still talks about it. The SPLASh program is not limited to cleanups, working to promote care for birds and other relatives, wild places, and our communities in a range of ways. One of our 2024 Conservation and Justice fellows, Cindy Nguyen, has been working with her host, Elizabeth Virgl, on some exciting and impactful education and awareness efforts.

Time for Bird of the Week! Whimbrels are also known as “Seven Seas Whistlers” due to their wide distribution and variety of songs. Unfortunately, we’re singing a melancholy tune today: Whimbrel populations are decreasing in response to human-caused threats. ?? ???Destruction of coastal wetlands and tundra for oil and gas infrastructure threaten Whimbrel habitats. ???Rising sea levels could wipe out important Whimbrel nesting, stopover, & wintering habitats. ??Whimbrels are exposed to several harmful environmental contaminants from runoff and water pollution (One study in Chile showed high levels of cadmium in Whimbrels and their prey caused by untreated mining waste). American Bird Conservancy is working to address these threats– from ??? policy to ?? research to ?? community partnerships. Learn more about our efforts to conserve Whimbrels and their habitats at https://bit.ly/4hyIIF4.

Don't forget Earth Hour is tonight (Saturday, March 22 from 8:30pm-9:30pm your local time)! ?? ?? One way you can show support is by turning off nonessential lights — and consider making it a habit, since lighting can disorient birds and lead to deadly window collisions. ?? ?? Learn more about how darkening the skies at night can help birds at https://lnkd.in/g2DwX8NW. #EarthHour Earth Hour

???? Happy #WorldWaterDay! Today we're giving a special shoutout to our SPLASh (Stopping Plastics and Litter Along Shorelines) program — now in its 5th year of creating cleaner, safer waterways for birds! ?? Marine debris accumulates on the Texas coast 10x faster than for other Gulf states, leading to a litter problem that doesn’t just impact your day at a Texas beach ???— it puts 600+ bird species at risk. ?? But American Bird Conservancy & our partners are taking action for Gulf Coast birds! ?? Enter… SPLASh! ?? Since 2020, more than 24,000 volunteers have helped SPLASh remove 55,000 lbs of trash from coastal and bay habitats — and counting! ?? SPLASh is a proud partnership of American Bird Conservancy, Black Cat GIS & Biological LLC, and Gulf Coast Bird Observatory. Learn more about Stopping Plastics and Litter Along Shorelines at https://bit.ly/4hkm430. Chloe Dannenfelser #SPLAShTexas #SPLAShTrashTexas #CleanOceans

Here’s another reason to support bird conservation—Birds contribute $279 billion to the U.S. economy and create 1.4 million jobs. ?? Birds are big business! The benefits of birding go beyond recreation. Birds support local economies, unite Americans across demographics, and boost mental health. #StateOfTheBirds Support birds where you live and be a part of the bird-friendly movement! Learn more about the 7 simple actions you can take to help birds at https://lnkd.in/eCR5GVS.

The 2025 State of the Birds report has an urgent message—112 species are at a tipping point. But it’s not too late to take action for birds! Supporting conservation policies and providing adequate funding are the most effective ways to restore birds and benefit communities in every U.S. state. Enacting policy measures now in support of conservation will keep birds off of the Endangered Species list. Contact your representative to let them know how you feel and why birds and wildlife matter to you at https://bit.ly/3QRkNFM!

We’ve learned that when done right, conservation can Bring Birds Back. It’s time to support wildlife policies and funding that support known conservation solutions. The 2025 State of the Birds delivered some shocking news about bird declines, but it also contains seeds of hope. ?? Oystercatchers along the Atlantic Coast rebounded thanks to multi-state conservation efforts. Grassland birds in North Dakota rebounded thanks to conservation ranching programs. Birds in oak woodlands in the West are gaining ground thanks to partnerships with public and private lands. With focused conservation action, we can stop the downward trend together! ??Contact your representative to let them know how you feel at https://bit.ly/3QRkNFM.

Migratory birds like warblers, tanagers, and flycatchers travel thousands of miles — facing significant dangers along the way. Sadly, many won’t make it to their breeding grounds due to human-caused threats like habitat loss, collisions with infrastructure, and free-roaming cats. ?? But here’s the good news: YOU can help make their journeys safer! ???? Join American Bird Conservancy for a free webinar on Tues, March 25 at 4pm ET to learn how to help these brave little travelers. Can’t join live? RSVP anyway — we’ll send you the recording to enjoy when the time is right for you! ?? https://lnkd.in/gFsbVeUZ Jordan E. Rutter Sarah Belles Erica Sánchez Vázquez