• State of the Birds 2010 Climate Change Report



    How climate change may affect our birds and their habitats, and actions needed, are detailed in a recent report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with Audubon and nine other organizations and agencies.




  • How are Minnesota's Birds Faring?



    Birds are important indicators of the overall health of our environment. Like the proverbial canaries in the coal mine, they send an urgent warning about threats to our water, air, natural resources, climate and more.

    Audubon Minnesota’s State of the Birds reports provide a picture of how the Minnesota birds – both common and rare – are faring. They bring together population data from our Christmas Bird Count – the longest running wildlife census in the world, the U.S. Geological Survey’s Breeding Bird Survey and other wildlife and habitat research to highlight population declines and explore the threats behind them.

    Birds and Climate Change – Winter 2009

    Nearly 60% of the 305 species found in North America in winter are on the move, shifting their ranges northward by an average of 35 miles based on the past 40 years of citizen-science Christmas Bird Count data. Only grassland species were an exception, however, this is far from good news, and instead reflects the grim reality of severely-depleted grassland habitat and suggests that these species now face a double threat from the combined stresses of habitat loss and climate adaptation. All of these findings provide new and powerful evidence that global warming is having a impact on birds, their habitat, and other wildlife. Learn more.

    Common Birds in Decline – Summer 2007

    Many of our most common and beloved birds are experiencing precipitous population declines. Analyzing 40 years of population information collected by citizen scientists for Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count and combining this with the Breeding Bird Survey data from the U.S. Geological survey, Audubon has identified the most vulnerable common birds at national and state levels. Of the 20 fastest declining common bird species in the nation, 16 are in Minnesota. Many additional species are experiencing steep declines as well.

    WatchList of Birds at Risk – Spring 2008

    More than 800 bird species occur within the United States. With limited time and resources available to protect them, it is vital to know which species are at greatest risk. It is especially important to identify at-risk species before their populations become so small that protecting them from extinction is costly, in every sense of the word. Audubon Minnesota has identified the 60 bird species that have the greatest conservation needs in Minnesota.