BirdWatching USA – September-October 2019

In April, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service published a
plan to downlist or delist 80
species — mammals, birds,
plants, and others — that are
currently listed as Threat-
ened or Endangered under
the Endangered Species Act.
The plan calls for final
decisions to be made in the
next three years.
Of the 20 bird species on
the list, conservationists say
many of the potential status
changes are warranted, but
others are not.
The proposals include
delisting Hawaiian Hawk
(’Io), Interior Least Tern,

and Kirtland’s Warbler —

birds that have recovered

well, says Jacob Malcom,

director of the Center for

Conservation Innovation at

Defenders of Wildlife.

Steve Holmer of Ameri-

can Bird Conservancy

questions suggestions to

either delist or downlist

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

and Western Yellow-billed

Cuckoo, saying they “still

need the current level of, or

additional, protection.”

“In the case of the

We ster n Yel low-bi l led

Cuckoo, we oppose delisting

and ask for an upgrading to

Endangered status and

designation of critical

habitat, which is overdue,”

he says. “We are also

concerned and opposed to

premature efforts to delist

or downgrade the Red-

cockaded Woodpecker.”

An FWS plan for the

woodpecker would request

that landowners voluntarily

take steps to help birds on

their properties for the next

30 years.

FWS would also delist 10

bird species “due to extinc-

tion.” They include nine

birds from Hawaii and other

Pacific islands — Po`ouli,

Maui Nukupuu, Maui

Akepa, Molokai Creeper,

Bridled White-eye of Guam,

Kauai Akialoa, Kauai `O`o,

Large Kauai Thrush, and

Kauai Nukupuu.

The tenth species is the

Ivory-billed Woodpecker,

the last confirmed sighting

of which was in 1944.

“Is the Ivory-billed

Woodpecker extinct? There’s

no absolute proof either

way,” says Mike Parr, ABC

president. “We still have

hope. As long as rumors

about the Ivory-bill circulate,

this species may simply be

‘lost’ rather than extinct.”

Feds considering status changes for Endangered birds

Conservationists push back on proposals for birds that still need protections

http://www.BirdWatchingDaily.com 5

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DOING FINE: Kirtland’s Warbler is expected to be removed from the Endangered Species List this year due to long-term positive population trends.