Bird Habitats

An expanse of millions of acres of forests, from South America and the Caribbean all the way to the boreal forest of Canada, provides homes for birds year-round and a network of habitats for migrating birds like the Golden-winged Warbler and Kirtland’s Warbler. Forests throughout the Americas are threatened by unsustainable logging, clearing for development and agriculture, the spread of invasive species, and more. With our partners, public and private landowners, and local communities, ABC supports healthy, growing forests throughout the Americas that sustain birdlife and support people.

Earth is called the “blue planet” for a reason: Water covers nearly three-fourths of its surface and is a critical part of every habitat where birds are found, from saline lakes where Red-necked Phalaropes gather during migration, to the open oceans where seabirds like the Waved Albatross spend most of their lives. We collaborate with our partners to advocate for these vital bird habitats. Together, we find solutions to the biggest challenges facing birds, from fishery bycatch at sea to plastic pollution on shorelines.

Birds can survive in even the harshest environments, including deserts and other arid habitats, where species like the Chilean Woodstar and Black-throated Sparrow can thrive among cacti and canyons. Deserts are also the unexpected destination of vulnerable seabird species, like the Markham’s Storm-Petrel, coming in from the open ocean to nest. In these challenging environments, human activities and climate change can disrupt ecosystems and fragment landscapes. We work with our partners to restore natural ecosystem processes and conserve the land birds need most.

Grassland birds are among the fastest declining bird groups, living on a landscape considered to be the world’s most endangered ecosystem. Grasslands are lost to unsustainable cattle grazing, conversion to monocrops and intensive use of pesticides, and invasive species that crowd out native plantlife. Through partnerships with conservation organizations, Indigenous Peoples, and farmers and ranchers, we are helping to make agriculture and ranching more sustainable on working lands and supporting the restoration of habitats from North Dakota to Mexico for birds like the Chestnut-collared Longspur and Long-billed Curlew.

Birds know no boundaries. Many have adapted to life in cities and suburbs while others pass through on their migration journeys. The built environment can be challenging for birds who must navigate a gauntlet of reflective windows, free-roaming cats, and inhospitable landscaping. ABC and our partners work to directly address these and other threats to create human-dominated environments that also support birds.