Aridland Birds

 

Habitat loss is accelerating bird declines

Since 1968 the West has lost almost half (46%) of aridland habitat from pressures such as drought, wildfires, and invasive plants. Renewable energy development adds to these pressures, which collectively contribute to widespread declines for birds such as Sagebrush Sparrow and Cactus Wren.

Public/private/Indigenous partnerships are showing great promise in protecting aridlands habitat. Addressing pressures requires active management, including more voluntary, proactive conservation efforts that support healthy, intact aridlands for communities of birds, other wildlife, and people.

Aridland birds have had a 41% decline since 1970. Of 31 species, 17 are declining, and 14 are stable.
*No increasing species.

eBird Trends for Obligate Aridland Birds

Map showing trends for aridland bird species in areas: Great Basin (trending towards decline with some areas of increase); Shrub-steppe (trending towards decline); Coastal chaparral (some areas of increase, some of decline); Sonoran desert (a mix of increasing and decreasing trends); Chihuahuan desert (increasing trends). Declines are marked in red, increases are marked in blue.
A composite map of eBird Trends for aridlands birds shows declines across the West.
Allen’s Hummingbird, Bendire’s Thrasher, LeConte’s Thrasher, Verdin, and Greater Sage-Grouse are showing the biggest losses. Verdin by Bryan Calk / Macaulay Library.

  • Aridland Birds on the Brink

    Aridland Birds on the Brink: Nearly a quarter (seven) of the 31 aridland birds included in this analysis are designated as Tipping Point species. Scaled Quail and Rufous-crowned Sparrow are showing steep declines across more than half of their ranges.

  • Aridlands Conservation for All

    Landscape-scale efforts like Migratory Bird Joint Ventures focus on entire ecosystems and deliver broad benefits—including carbon sequestration, access for hunting and outdoor recreation, and sustainable groundwater supplies for communities and agriculture.

  • Priority Planning for the Best Sagebrush

    The Sagebrush Conservation Design working group has identified key areas for conservation and management funding. These areas are strongholds of bird populations where sage-grouse populations are stable, and sagebrush songbird counts are up to 10 times higher than in other areas.

Making Solar Energy Friendly for Thrashers

The Desert Thrasher Working Group has been conducting surveys across the aridlands region to fill in knowledge gaps about Bendire’s and LeConte’s Thrasher (both Tipping Point species).

What started as a localized effort in a single state has now expanded into a coordinated effort across multiple states in the southwestern U.S. and northwest Mexico, as well as by Indigenous Nations on both sides of the border. Recently the working group published a set of voluntary beneficial management practices for solar energy development sites to mitigate habitat fragmentation for thrashers and shrikes. The proactive measures are already being used by agencies to prevent further thrasher declines and reduce the need for regulatory measures and legal protections.

A beige bird with a yellow eye and long tail perches on spiky grass.
Bendire’s Thrasher is a Tipping Point species that will benefit from the Desert Thrasher Working Group’s recommendations for solar energy development sites. According to eBird data, nearly 80% of the global Bendire’s Thrasher population breeds in the United States, mostly in southern Arizona. Bendire’s Trasher by Angel Poe / Macaulay Library.
List of Obligate Aridland Species

Abert’s Towhee
Allen’s Hummingbird
Bell’s Sparrow
Bendire’s Thrasher
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Black-throated Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow
Cactus Wren
California Thrasher
Canyon Towhee
Chihuahuan Raven
Costa’s Hummingbird
Crissal Thrasher
Curve-billed Thrasher
Gambel’s Quail
Gila Woodpecker
Gilded Flicker
Greater Sage-Grouse
Lawrence’s Goldfinch
LeConte’s Thrasher
Lucy’s Warbler
Phainopepla
Pyrrhuloxia
Rock Wren
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Sage Thrasher
Sagebrush & Bell’s Sparrow
Sagebrush Sparrow
Scaled Quail
Verdin
Wrentit