Boreal Birds Need HalfProtect North America’s Bird Nursery
Sign the PetitionAdd Your Name to Give Billions
of Birds a Fighting Chance
Join our campaign to protect at least half of North America’s boreal forest, the critical breeding grounds for billions of birds!
Sign the Petition
Canada and the United States have the opportunity to become world leaders in large-scale forest conservation and sustainable development.
Conservation measures are in place in some areas, but more are urgently needed to protect boreal birds and their forest home.
That is why we support efforts to realize the following vision as soon as possible:
- At least half of the boreal forest region must be protected and remain free of large-scale industrial disturbance. That level of protection is necessary to maintain healthy populations of the full spectrum of bird species and other wildlife inhabiting the North American boreal forest;
- Industrial activities undertaken in the remaining unprotected areas should be carried out with the highest global sustainability standards, with an emphasis on maintaining healthy and pristine wetlands and waterways;
- Both protected areas and industrial activities should proceed only with the free, prior, and informed consent of the affected Aboriginal communities.
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Endorsing Organizations
The following organizations endorse the Boreal Birds Need Half campaign.
Contact us to find out how to add your business or organization to the list of endorsers.
Why Boreal Birds Need Half
North America’s boreal forest, stretching from interior Alaska across Canada to the Atlantic Ocean, is the breeding ground for an estimated 3 billion birds and more than 300 species— nearly half of all bird species in the U.S. and Canada. Many species are in decline, and habitat loss is a key factor. Modern conservation science contends that at least half of an ecosystem should be protected from development to preserve its ecological health and biodiversity.
This report by theBoreal Songbird Initiative andDucks Unlimited demonstrates why preserving at least half of this forest ecosystem is needed to give boreal birds their best opportunity for survival in today’s rapidly changing world.
In addition to protecting at least half of the boreal forest, the report recommends sustainable development in the remaining areas. Both protected areas and industrial activities should proceed only with the free, prior, and informed consent of affected Aboriginal communities.
Get to Know the Birds of the Boreal
More than 300 bird species rely on the boreal forest as nesting grounds.
79Bay-breasted Warblers
An estimated 79% of North America’s Bay-breasted Warblers breed in the Boreal Forest.
82Blackpoll Warblers
An estimated 82% of North America’s Blackpoll Warblers breed in the Boreal Forest.
77Bohemian Waxwings
An estimated 77% of North America’s Bohemian Waxwings breed in the Boreal Forest.
87Bufflehead
An estimated 87% of North America’s Bufflehead breed in the Boreal Forest.
64Canada Warblers
An estimated 64% of North America’s Canada Warblers breed in the Boreal Forest.
80Dark-eyed Juncos
An estimated 80% of North America’s Dark-eyed Juncos breed in the Boreal Forest.
56Green-winged Teal
An estimated 56% of North America’s Green-winged Teal breed in the Boreal Forest.
84Lincoln’s Sparrows
An estimated 84% of North America’s Lincoln’s Sparrows breed in the Boreal Forest.
57Olive-sided Flycatchers
An estimated 57% of North America’s Olive-sided Flycatchers breed in the Boreal Forest.
98Palm Warblers
An estimated 98% of North America’s Palm Warblers breed in the Boreal Forest.
89Pine Grosbeaks
An estimated 89% of North America’s Pine Grosbeaks breed in the Boreal Forest.
68Ruby-crowned Kinglets
An estimated 68% of North America’s Ruby-crowned Kinglets breed in the Boreal Forest.
97Short-billed Dowitchers
An estimated 97% of North America’s Short-billed Dowitchers breed in the Boreal Forest.
73Swainson’s Thrushes
An estimated 73% of North America’s Swainson’s Thrushes breed in the Boreal Forest.
83White-throated Sparrows
An estimated 83% of North America’s White-throated Sparrows breed in the Boreal Forest.
87Yellow-bellied Flycatchers
An estimated 87% of North America’s Yellow-bellied Flycatchers breed in the Boreal Forest.
More on the Boreal Forest and Birds
Migration Map
More than 90% of the birds that breed in the boreal forest migrate south each fall.
Up to 5 billion birds, adults and their young, migrate to their wintering habitat in areas as close as the US and as far as southern South America.
Check out this map for a closer look at where they go.
Boreal Birds Video
Birds aren’t the only ones who intimately rely on the boreal forest for their survival. Mammals both large and small, fish, and other wildlife also call the boreal home.
This video produced by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service provides a fascinating overview of the boreal forest and why it’s so important on a global scale.