I am reliably told that there are approximately 11,000 bird species worldwide today, 2024. The number is based on modern taxonomic studies including those conducted by organisations like Birdlife International and The International Ornithological Congress. The species are spread across a wide range of habitats and exhibit remarkable diversity from tiny hummingbirds to large flightless ostriches.
I’m also reliably told by a team of researchers drawn from around the world that about one in ten of the world’s bird species could be driven to extinction in the next two centuries because of human pressures.
Human pressures are the driving force in the extinction of all species on the planet. And these pressures come in many forms including climate change, the building of human settlements, the construction of infrastructure, the mining of minerals and precious metals, and industry in general.
This team of researchers made the projection after creating a dataset described by The Times journalist who wrote a report on this as “the most comprehensive yet”.
They created simulations which indicate that about 1,305 (slightly more than 10% actually) species could become extinct within 200 years.
The researchers looked at bird species listed in the IUCN Red List (a comprehensive list of endangered species accessible online) and factored in the length of generations of each species.
Dr. Tom Matthews, an ecologist at Birmingham University, the lead author on the research said: “This is what might happen. It’s not saying it definitely will happen. This is one scenario.”
He added that “We could start pouring loads of money in the conservation. It could be better, it could be worse.”
Comment: it certainly could be a lot better and I don’t think, personally, that it could get a lot worse because at the moment the conservationists are being outgunned by the world’s business leaders and the leaders of nations who focus on economic growth which is anathema to conservation.
There is certainly an argument that economists should dump the concept, followed for so long, of “economic growth” and substitute it for ‘economic stability’, neither growth nor a shrinking economy. This is not going to happen because of inherent competition deeply embedded in humankind.
The number they arrived at i.e. 1,305, is around the middle of estimates calculated in the past. They don’t know precisely which species will vanish. There simulations didn’t throw up the answers.
However one group of species kept on cropping up as being a greater risk namely the Hawaiian honey-creeper of which there are about 60 remaining species.
Many of Hawaii’s bird species have already disappeared. Others are barely clinging on. Avian malaria was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands I’m told.
Rats, deforestation and hunting have already wiped out 610 bird species.
The picture on this page is of an elephant bird, long extinct which stood 3 m tall and laid enormous eggs.
It became extinct during the past 130,000 years. It was native to Madagascar and was the tallest bird ever to have lived. Another is the flightless, giant moa from New Zealand.
The study is published in the journal Science.
