The Summer 2025 issue of Bird Conservation, ABC's member magazine, features an article about new research by ABC scientists that shows which Latin American bird species lack protected habitat — and how much must be conserved to prevent their extinction. 

The researchers mapped the habitat of 149 of the most threatened species in Latin America and overlaid those maps with maps of existing reserves — providing an estimate of how much habitat was protected. 

In the study, the researchers set goals for each species based on: 1, population (to protect enough habitat to support 1,000 mature individuals or the bird's total population if less than 1,000), and 2, the percentage of their habitat that is currently protected. While the majority of species met their minimal protection goals, the researchers identified 10 species that fall short of both targets, and a further 54 that do not meet targets for protected habitat.

Most of these 64 bird species are endemic to single countries, and a few occur in two neighboring nations. Below are lists of both groups of species, including links to accounts for many of them in ABC's ever-growing Bird Library. We've listed them by the countries where they live, which are roughly arranged from north to south.

These 10 species fall short of targets for their population and protected habitat to prevent extinction:

Mexico: Short-crested Coquette, Oaxaca Hummingbird

Ecuador: Blue-throated Hillstar, Lilacine Amazon, El Oro Parakeet, Pale-headed Brushfinch

Peru: Gray-bellied Comet, Marañón Antshrike, Little Inca Finch

Chile: Chilean Woodstar

The following 54 species do not currently meet targets for protected habitat:

Mexico: Worthen's Sparrow, Sierra Madre Sparrow

Panama: Glow-throated Hummingbird, Azuero Parakeet

Colombia: Gorgeted Puffleg, Colorful Puffleg, Santa Marta Blossomcrown, Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird, Cundinamarca Antpitta, Antioquia Bristle Tyrant, Chestnut-capped Piha, Antioquia Brushfinch, Baudo Oropendola

Colombia and Venezuela: Perija Starfrontlet, Orinoco Softtail

Venezuela: Tachira Antpitta, White-throated Barbtail (Paria)

Brazil and Guyana: Hoary-throated Spinetail

Brazil: Blue-eyed Ground Dove, White-collared Kite, Pinto's Spinetail, Slender Antbird, Scalloped Antbird, Alagoas Antwren, Marsh Antwren, Black-hooded Antwren, Orange-bellied Antwren, Stresemann's Bristlefront, Long-tailed Woodnymph, Gray-breasted Parakeet, Pernambuco Foliage-gleaner, Boa Nova Tapaculo, Alagoas Tyrannulet, Minas Gerais Tyrannulet, Gray-winged Cotinga, Cherry-throated Tanager, Forbes's Blackbird

Ecuador: Black-breasted Puffleg, El Oro (Ecuadorian) Tapaculo

Ecuador and Peru: Marañón Spinetail, Jocotoco Antpitta

Peru: White-winged Guan, Junin Rail, Long-whiskered Owlet, Apurimac Spinetail, White-browed Tit-Spinetail, Yellow-faced Parrotlet, White-bellied Cinclodes, Golden-backed Mountain Tanager, Rufous-breasted Warbling Finch, Plain-tailed Warbling Finch

Peru and Bolivia: Royal Cinclodes

Bolivia: Masked Antpitta, Swallow-tailed Cotinga (Apolo/Palkachupa)

ABC and our partners are using this research to guide conservation efforts in the coming years. Read more about the study in the Summer 2025 issue of Bird Conservation.