State of the Birds 2025 highlights how conservation partnerships are benefitting western forest birds in decline and their neighboring communities
MEDIA CONTACT: Elva Manquera-DeShields, Science Communications, Outreach, and Community Conservation Manager, Klamath Bird Observatory, 541‐908-0040, ejm@KlamathBird.org
[Ashland, Oregon] – [3/18/2025] – The State of the Birds 2025 report has been delivered to the American people by scientists from more than two dozen conservation groups and agencies, including Oregon-based Klamath Bird Observatory. This report paints a concerning picture of declining bird populations in the United States. The report also underscores the significant environmental, economic, and human benefits of bird conservation and birdwatching to millions of Americans.
The report reveals that more than 50% of the birds in our western forests are declining. This alarming trend is largely attributed to current forest conditions that drastically differ from those that characterized western forests pre-settlement. Pre-settlement conditions included mosaics of older and mixed-aged forests that experienced regular fires. Over the past 100 years, industrial timber practices and fire suppression have changed our forests, making them less resilient putting bird populations and our rural communities at risk of extreme fires and drought.
State of the Bird 2025 report also highlights ongoing efforts addressing western forest bird declines through sustainable forest management and fire-use practices. Many of these efforts are being guided by bird habitat conservation plans that focus on investments in increased watershed resilience and benefits for both birds and people. Migratory Bird Joint Ventures (JVs) in the West, such as the Intermountain West and Pacific Birds Habitat JVs (Pacific Birds), are facilitating long-term investments that are increasing ecosystem and community resilience, reconnecting people to forests and forest birds and integrating tribal priorities. Led by Pacific Birds, the Pacific Northwest Oak Alliance is focusing investments on oak ecosystem restoration and protection. These oak woodlands provide crucial habitats for many of our most at-risk western forest birds, including species like Lewis’s Woodpecker.
“The trends for western forest birds are a clear call to action,” says Dr. John Alexander, Executive Director of the Klamath Bird Observatory. “At the same time, increased investments in implementing forest restoration practices that benefit at-risk bird species also show benefits to the people who depend on resilient forested lands in Oregon and throughout the West. This State of the Birds report underscores the urgent need for continued investments in conservation strategies that protect our vital forest ecosystems while highlighting the many ways birds enrich our lives and communities. For example, the popularity of birding and its proven economic and health benefits demonstrate Americans’ deep connection with birds and the natural world.”
While the State of the Birds 2025 report draws attention to the challenges birds in the United States face, the report also emphasizes the profound and widespread benefits that birds offer communities. Nearly 100 million Americans are birdwatchers, a diverse group that includes large shares of hunters (58%) and anglers (53%). This widespread passion for birds generates $279 billion annually in total economic output through birder trips and equipment expenditures. Beyond the economic impact, the report highlights compelling research demonstrating the mental health benefits of engaging with birds. Encounters with birds have been shown to benefit the mental well-being of people with depression and can significantly reduce stress and anxiety.
State of the Birds 2025 critically assesses the health of the nation’s bird populations, providing essential data to inform conservation policy and action for the benefit of both birds and people.
The full State of the Birds 2025 report is available at www.StateOfTheBirds.org.
The Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO) is a non-profit organization that advances bird and habitat conservation through science, education, and partnerships. Working in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the ranges of migratory birds KBO emphasizes high-caliber science and the role of birds as indicators to inform and improve natural resource management. KBO also nurtures an environmental ethic through community outreach and education.
Pacific Birds is one of 25 migratory bird joint ventures, which are regional partnerships that conserve habitats for the benefit of birds, biodiversity, and people. Pacific Birds works from Alaska to Northern California and across the Pacific Islands. Our mission is to create the ideal environment for bird habitat conservation through promoting collaboration, advancing knowledge and planning, building capacity, and informing and inspiring. For more information, visit pacificbirds.org.
The U.S North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) Committee is a forum of government agencies, private organizations, and bird initiatives helping partners across the continent meet their common bird conservation objectives. For more information, visit nabci-us.org.
The Prairie, Oaks, and People Investment Strategy offers an action oriented five-year strategy, with $304.2 million of ready-to-implement projects. Developed by partnerships across the Pacific Northwest, this effort brings together tribes, conservation organizations, community groups, private landowners, businesses, and government agencies in a nonpartisan commitment to conserve the oak and prairie landscape while advancing key natural disaster risk reduction strategies. The strategy identifies priority areas for investment, the strategic use of funding to achieve critical outcomes, and key sources of funding support. It highlights these landscapes’ economic, cultural, and ecological values, the importance of working lands and private landowners, elevates tribal priorities, and calls attention to the benefits of collective action and leveraging funding support. The plan includes cost estimates for needed restoration and wildlife risk reduction strategies, land protection, species recovery, and long-term land management capacity, ensuring that investments deliver durable and high impact results.
This presentation will acquaint you with how to go to the refuge and what you might see when you get there. Maps of the refuge will be provided. A book will be featured that invites you to take some young person (or any age person) to the refuge to learn about the wonders of the waterfowl refuge. Klamath Refuge was designated the first waterfowl refuge in 1908. The presentation is hybrid and will be held on January 28th at 5:30 pm in the KBO office in Ashland.