The small-billed curlew was officially declared extinct last year. This was the first recorded bird extinction on the Eurasian and African continents in centuries. Worldwide , seven migratory bird species have been confirmed or suspected to be extinct in the last 150 years.
Threats to migratory birds mainly stem from human activities, including intensive agriculture , unsustainable hunting, pollution, invasive species, and global warming. These issues are highlighted in the State of the World's Birds report by BirdLife International.
According to a report published by BirdLife International, seabirds and coastal birds are facing particularly severe impacts due to their dependence on marine environments and coastal wetlands.
BirdLife International scientist Stuart Butchart said that migratory birds are "indicators" of ecosystem health. Their decline shows increasing pressure on the natural systems that sustain human life. However, he stressed that conservation measures can be effective, with coordinated action helping to prevent extinction and support population recovery.
The report was released at the Global Flyways Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. There, governments, scientists, conservation NGOs, and financial institutions signed a commitment to strengthen protection for migratory birds along their migration routes.
The Nairobi Declaration on Migration Routes included a commitment from three development banks to incorporate conservation of migration routes into their lending frameworks, allocating $6 billion for the protection and restoration of habitats along these routes.
Threats to migratory birds also include illegal hunting and killing. It is estimated that between 13.1 million and 42.7 million migratory birds are killed or illegally captured each year in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caucasus, and the Arabian Peninsula. Among these are many songbirds caught using mesh nets or sticky traps for food.
Invasive species also threaten migratory birds. For example, rodents are sometimes inadvertently introduced to small islands where seabirds breed.
The loss or degradation of natural habitats is also one of the main causes. According to the report, scientific monitoring over the past decade shows that more than half, or 58%, of the 1,099 biodiversity hotspots critical to migratory birds are in poor or very poor condition.
However, the report also points out that conservation measures, often implemented across borders, are helping some species recover.