2025 U.S. State of the Birds Report Highlights Urgent Need for Conservation Action

Contact: Dorie Klissas | DKlissas@manomet.org | 9172875643

Manomet Conservation Sciences Shiloh Schulte Available to Comment on Recovery of American Oystercatcher Due to Concerted Conservation Efforts

Plymouth, Massachusetts – The 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report, unveiled at the 90th annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, underscores the alarming decline of American bird populations, with 229 species now requiring urgent conservation action. Building on a 2019 study documenting a net loss of 3 billion birds in North America over the past 50 years, the latest report confirms that these declines persist.

The most significant losses have been recorded for grassland birds (-43% since 1970), aridland birds (-41% since 1970), and shorebirds (-33% since 1980).  Scientists at Manomet and their colleagues have determined that 19 North American shorebird species have suffered population declines of more than 35% since the 1980s, with the Whimbrel population plummeting by nearly 80%. In 2024, 16 shorebird species in the Americas were uplisted to near threatened or vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) global Red List of Threatened Species, signaling an urgent need for stronger conservation efforts.

Yet, science-driven conservation can yield powerful results. A prime example is the American Oystercatcher, a shorebird species that has seen population growth thanks to targeted conservation initiatives led by Manomet Conservation Sciences through the American Oystercatcher Recovery Initiative launched in 2009. In partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Manomet led the American Oystercatcher Working Group, a partnership of state, federal, and private groups, to coordinate funding and management strategies across 16 states along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.  By changing the dynamic from isolated projects to a coordinated multi-state oystercatcher effort, the recovery initiative stopped declines and ignited a 43% increase in the regional breeding population for American Oystercatchers from 2008 to 2023.

Shiloh Schulte, PhD, Senior Shorebird Scientist at Manomet Conservation Sciences in Plymouth, Massachusetts, has been tracking the American Oystercatcher for two decades. “In 2008, we saw a troubling 10% decline in the population, with numbers dropping to just 10,000 birds across the Americas—mirroring the downward trend of many other shorebird species,” said Schulte. “But through the American Oystercatcher Recovery Initiative, we have reversed that trend, and today, the population has climbed back to over 14,000 birds. This success proves that when we commit to conservation, we can restore declining species.”

About Manomet Conservation Sciences
Manomet Conservation Sciences is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using science and partnerships to address pressing environmental challenges. Founded in 1969, Manomet works to protect vital ecosystems, conserve biodiversity, and create sustainable solutions for communities and industries. With a special focus on bird conservation, Manomet’s work spans the Americas, from conducting research on migratory bird species to restoring habitats critical for their survival. Through innovative approaches and collaborative efforts, Manomet is driving tangible, science-based results that benefit both wildlife and people.

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