Eastern Forest Birds

Some encouraging increases, yet widespread declines continue

Obligate eastern forest breeding birds have lost more than a
quarter of their populations since 1970. Losses are widespread, with two-thirds of species declining across 40% of their breeding ranges. Differences in trends among species can be partly explained by changes in forest structure and composition related to harvesting practices, forest succession, and disturbance regimes like fire. Birds that breed in mature forests, such as Hooded Warbler, are generally doing well across much of their ranges since 2012, whereas species like the Prairie Warbler and Field Sparrow that need regenerating or disturbed forests continue to plummet.

Eastern forest birds have had a 27% decline since 1970. Of 28 species, 6 are increasing, 18 are declining, and 3 are stable.

 

eBird Trends for Obligate Eastern Forest Birds

Two maps of the eastern and central U.S. showing trends of birds: the map on the left shows mostly declines in disturbance-dependent species, and the map on the left shows many areas of increase (except for along coast) for other species. Declines are marked in red, increases are marked in blue.
eBird Trends shows disturbance-dependent forest birds are faring poorly compared to other eastern forest birds.
Obligate eastern forest birds that breed in early-successional habitats maintained by fire or tree harvests show more widespread declines than species that rely upon mature forests.

  • Disturbance-Dependent Birds Are In Trouble

    Steep declines continue for birds that use shrubby areas or older forests with canopy gaps and diverse understories. Without disturbance or active management, forests progress toward closed-canopy conditions that lack the structural complex­ity and tree species needed by many disturbance-dependent birds.

  • A Hotspot of Loss in the Southeast

    Tipping Point species such as Bachman’s Sparrow are declining where pine forests face pressures from short-rotation harvesting and pest outbreaks. Most forests in the Southeast are on private lands, so conservation requires voluntary and incentive-based programs.

  • Big Losses Along the East Coast

    Declines for eastern forest birds were especially prominent along the Atlantic Coast, partly due to habitat loss from residential development and agriculture. Efforts to conserve forest and natural areas in these regions can also enhance the resilience of coastal communities against storms and flooding.

Birds Need Annual-Cycle Conservation

More than 80% of birds that breed in eastern forests are migratory, including Baltimore Oriole and Rose-breasted Grosbeak—which spend more than half their year in Central and South America.

Because these birds depend upon multiple habitats across hemispheres, conservation efforts cannot be restricted to breeding areas. Cross-border bird conservation invest­ments in Latin America can support U.S.-breeding birds after they migrate south to other nations.

Map of North and South America showing areas where eastern forest birds live through the year with the breeding area in the U.S. marked out. Darker purple areas indicate high population areas, yellow color shows smaller populations.
eBird data show that the most important non-breeding locations for obligate eastern forest–breeding birds are in the Caribbean, Yucatan Peninsula, and Central and South America. Rose-breasted Grosbeak by Logan Parker / Macaulay Library.
List of Obligate Eastern Forest Species

Acadian Flycatcher
American Woodcock
Bachman’s Sparrow
Blue-winged Warbler
Brown Thrasher
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Cerulean Warbler
Chuck-will’s-widow
Eastern Towhee
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Field Sparrow
Golden-winged Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Red-headed Woodpecker
Scarlet Tanager
Swainson’s Warbler
Wood Thrush
Worm-eating Warbler
Yellow-throated Vireo
Yellow-throated Warbler