One In Eight Bird Species Threatened With Extinction

A new study claims that one in eight species of bird is threatened with extinction across the world. The 2018 State of the World’s Birds report, published by BirdLife International, was five years in the making and paints a bleak picture for many well-known species including the Snowy Owl, Atlantic Puffin and European Turtle-dove.

Overall, 40 percent of the world's nearly 11,000 bird species are in decline. 222 species (2 percent) are critically endangered while 461 (4 percent) are classified as endangered. A further 786 are vulnerable (7 percent) while 1,017 (9 percent) are near threatened. The grim statistics aren't just bad news for bird populations. They are bad news for the planet as a whole due to the fact that the health of bird species is a key measure for the state of ecosystems in general.