NAIROBI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Intensifying human pressure and climate change are pushing migratory birds toward extinction, undermining ecosystems that people and economies depend on, according to a new report released on Friday.
The sixth edition of State of the World's Birds, subtitled "A focus on migratory species and their flyways," was launched at the BirdLife International Global Partnership Meeting and Global Flyways Summit 2026 in Nairobi.
The report reveals that of the 1,843 migratory bird species worldwide, 11 percent, or one in nine, are threatened with extinction, while 45 percent have declining populations, the report says. Seven species are confirmed or suspected to have been lost in the last 150 years.
"The official announcement in 2025 of the extinction of the slender-billed curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) marks the first global bird extinction in mainland Eurasia and Africa in recent years," says the report.
Compiled by the global conservation organization BirdLife International, the report identifies major threats to migratory birds, including climate change, pollution, invasive species, disease, intensive agriculture, and illegal hunting.
It warns that expanding energy infrastructure, rapid urbanization, human disturbance, and logging are driving high mortality rates among these vital species.
Martin Harper, chief executive officer of BirdLife International, emphasized that migratory birds hold immense cultural, ecological, and economic value, making their protection essential for building ecosystem resilience.
He added that safeguarding these species and critical habitats, such as wetlands, grasslands, forests, and mudflats, will allow local communities to thrive in a healthy environment.
To eliminate these threats, the report urges targeted investments in restoring key flyway biodiversity hotspots, transitioning toward sustainable agriculture, accelerating climate action, and enforcing stricter penalties against illegal hunting.
"Urgent action is needed to scale up conservation for migratory birds, protect the natural world and secure a sustainable future for people and the planet," says the report.
Musonda Mumba, secretary general of the Convention on Wetlands, stated that curbing further loss of migratory birds requires a blend of multilateral cooperation, grassroots awareness, evidence-based policy, and strong legislative action.
The findings provided the evidence base for the Nairobi Flyways Declaration, which was signed at the summit by governments, conservation organizations and financial institutions committing to step up cross-border protection of migratory birds and their habitats.
Kenya hosted more than 120 global conservation partners in Nairobi for the summit. The five-day conference, which opened on Monday and gathered policymakers, conservation leaders and researchers from across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific, concluded Friday with the adoption of the declaration.
