More than 340 migratory bird species — totaling nearly 5 billion birds — travel from the United States and Canada to Latin America and the Caribbean each year. This represents one of the world's largest and most awe-inspiring animal migrations.
However, the wintering habitat that these migratory birds depend on is disappearing, contributing to an astounding loss of birds. Nearly one third (2.9 billion) of all birds in the United States and Canada have been lost since 1970, many of which are migratory birds that spend the nonbreeding season in Latin America and the Caribbean.
American Bird Conservancy works closely with more than 50 partners across 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to protect and restore important nonbreeding and stopover habitat for migratory bird species, including the Summer Tanager, Wood Thrush, and Blue-winged Warbler. Our goal is to deliver win-win results for people and birds by providing full annual life cycle conservation for migrating species.
Through our BirdsPlus program, we are working to incentivize and catalyze best management practices among farmers and ranchers that restore and maintain habitat for Neotropical migratory birds. This work is done within BirdScapes, which are the highest-priority landscapes for migratory bird habitat conservation. BirdScapes are mosaics of protected areas and working lands in which ABC collaborates with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, other nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and private companies to manage and enhance bird habitat.
