Global Assessment Finds One in Nine Migratory Bird Species at Risk of Extinction

Migratory birds are facing mounting pressure worldwide, with a new global assessment finding that one in nine migratory species is now threatened with extinction and around 45% are experiencing population declines.

The findings come from BirdLife International’s latest State of the World’s Birds report, which identifies habitat destruction, intensive agriculture, pollution, unsustainable hunting, invasive species and climate change among the major pressures affecting migratory populations.

Seabirds and shorebirds are experiencing particularly serious difficulties because of their dependence on marine environments and coastal wetlands. The assessment found that 58% of 1,099 key biodiversity areas used by migratory birds were in poor or very poor condition.

Illegal hunting remains another major threat. An estimated 13.1 million to 42.7 million migratory birds are illegally killed or captured each year across Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caucasus and the Arabian Peninsula.

Despite the decline, conservation programmes have demonstrated that recovery is possible. Habitat restoration and the removal of invasive species have helped migratory bird populations recover at locations in Australia, China and the United Kingdom.

The report was released at the Global Flyways Summit in Nairobi, where governments, conservation organisations, scientists and financial institutions endorsed the Nairobi Flyways Declaration. The agreement seeks stronger international cooperation to protect migratory routes that cross national boundaries.

Development banks also announced major financial commitments for habitat protection and restoration. The Asian Development Bank plans to mobilise $3 billion over the next decade to protect priority wetlands along the East Asian-Australasian flyway.

The assessment underscores the need for coordinated conservation across entire migration routes rather than protection limited to individual habitats or countries.

10-09-2026