American Bird Conservancy

American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is a United States-based nonprofit membership organization focused on conserving wild birds and the habitats on which they depend throughout the Americas. Its work combines habitat protection, species recovery, scientific assessment, public education, policy engagement, and collaboration with government agencies and other conservation groups. Rather than operating as a consumer product brand, ABC functions as an environmental organization whose public identity is built around bird conservation, research, advocacy, and practical projects in important breeding, wintering, migration, and stopover areas. The organization works in the United States and Latin America through partnerships with local conservation groups, landowners, public agencies, researchers, and international networks. ABC is the second BirdLife International partner in the United States and cooperates with initiatives including the Bird Conservation Alliance, Partners in Flight, and the North American Bird Conservation Initiative. These relationships allow the organization to combine local field projects with broader conservation planning for migratory and resident species. A major component of ABC's Latin American work is the protection of habitat used by migratory birds that breed in the United States and Canada. In Colombia, ABC has partnered with Fundación ProAves on land purchases and protected-area projects, including the Cerulean Warbler Bird Reserve, described as the first preserve dedicated to a single United States migrant. The organization has also supported efforts to protect habitat associated with coffee production. By helping growers market coffee produced in ways intended to preserve cerulean warbler habitat, ABC has linked conservation objectives with agricultural income and market incentives. In another Colombian project, ABC helped fund a 2010 expedition that located two nesting colonies of the endangered Baudó oropendola, a species previously known from fewer than a dozen individuals. In the United States, ABC participates in species and habitat conservation across a range of landscapes. Its activities have included efforts to protect Appalachian breeding habitat from mountaintop-removal mining, support for threatened and declining species, and engagement with federal agencies. In 1996, the organization threatened legal action against the United States Navy over the San Clemente loggerhead shrike, whose habitat had been used for bombardment training. The Navy subsequently agreed to take measures intended to protect the bird and its habitat. ABC also contributes to national-scale assessments of bird populations and threats. It was among the organizations commissioned with the United States Geological Survey to help study the 2009 State of the Birds report. That assessment identified roughly 800 United States bird species as endangered, threatened, or experiencing significant decline. It also reported particularly severe concerns for Hawaiian birds and found that 39 percent of ocean-bird species were declining. At the same time, the assessment highlighted the effectiveness of conservation, noting population improvements among some wetland birds where habitat protection had been implemented. Public education is another part of ABC's work. Its Cats Indoors campaign encourages owners to keep domestic cats indoors or otherwise contain or leash them outdoors, with the goal of reducing predation on wild birds. ABC also addresses energy and climate issues. It regards climate change as a major threat to birds and supports renewable energy and a transition away from fossil fuels, while warning that poorly sited wind projects can create serious risks for birds migrating through or stopping in major flight corridors. Its wind-risk assessment mapping is intended to help planners identify locations where renewable-energy development is less harmful to bird populations. ABC's overall positioning is that of a science-info…

American Bird Conservancy is a United States nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the conservation of wild birds and their habitats across the Americas. Its institutional model combines field conservation, scientific assessment, habitat acquisition, species protection, public education, and cooperation with public and private partners. The organization is a United States partner of BirdLife International and works with conservation networks such as the Bird Conservation Alliance, Partners in Flight, and the North American Bird Conservation Initiative. A central feature of ABC's history and operating approach has been the protection of habitat for birds whose ranges cross national borders. Many species breed in the United States or Canada and spend the nonbreeding season in Latin America, making conservation dependent on coordinated work across the hemisphere. ABC has therefore supported land protection and restoration projects in Latin America through partnerships with local organizations. In Colombia, its collaboration with Fundación ProAves helped secure habitat and establish the Cerulean Warbler Bird Reserve, a protected area associated with a single migratory bird from the United States. ABC has also worked with coffee-growing communities to encourage production and marketing approaches that retain habitat used by cerulean warblers. This approach connects bird protection with incentives for farmers rather than relying only on formal reserves. The Colombian program has also contributed to the discovery and documentation of rare species. In 2010, ABC helped fund an expedition that identified two nesting colonies of the endangered Baudó oropendola. The finding was important because the species had previously been known from fewer than a dozen birds, and the colonies provided critical information for future conservation planning. In the United States, ABC has engaged with national assessments, federal agencies, land-use conflicts, and species-recovery efforts. The organization participated with the United States Geological Survey and other groups in work connected with the 2009 State of the Birds assessment. The report identified approximately 800 United States bird species as endangered, threatened, or in significant decline. It highlighted especially serious conditions among Hawaiian birds and reported declines among 39 percent of ocean-bird species. It also demonstrated that targeted habitat programs can produce measurable benefits, including increases among some wetland-bird populations. ABC has used policy and legal pressure when development or military activity threatened important habitat. In 1996, it threatened to sue the United States Navy over the San Clemente loggerhead shrike, a subspecies whose habitat had been used for bombardment training. The Navy agreed to take protective steps for the species and its habitat. ABC has separately worked to oppose mountaintop mining in the Appalachian region because of its effects on breeding habitat. The organization has developed public-facing campaigns to address threats beyond habitat loss. Cats Indoors encourages people to keep domestic cats indoors or otherwise control them outside, seeking to reduce predation on wild birds. ABC has also addressed climate change and energy development. It supports renewable energy and reduced dependence on fossil fuels but argues that wind facilities should not be placed in major migration corridors or stopover locations where they could kill large numbers of birds. Its wind-risk assessment mapping reflects an effort to make energy planning more compatible with bird conservation. Overall, ABC has evolved as a partnership-based conservation organization rather than a commercial brand. Its activities range from purchasing or helping secure habitat and supporting species research to influencing agencies, educating the public, and promoting conservation-sensitive agriculture and energy siting. The available reference material does not identify a founder, headquarters address, current executives, financial figures, or a complete chronology of organizational changes.

1. 2010Baudó oropendola nesting colonies discovered

   An expedition supported by ABC located two nesting colonies of the endangered Baudó oropendola in Colombia, a significant development for understanding and protecting the species.

   Source
2. 2009Participation in the State of the Birds assessment

   ABC participated with the United States Geological Survey and other organizations in a federal assessment that documented widespread bird declines and also identified recoveries linked to effective conservation.

   Source
3. 1996Protection measures agreed for the San Clemente loggerhead shrike

   After ABC threatened legal action concerning United States Navy bombardment training on habitat used by the San Clemente loggerhead shrike, the Navy agreed to take steps intended to protect the species and its habitat.

   Source

A science-informed nonprofit conservation organization focused on protecting wild birds, restoring and securing habitat, reducing human-caused threats, and coordinating conservation action across the Americas.

• Cats Indoors

  United States

  A public education campaign urging domestic-cat owners to keep cats indoors or otherwise contain or leash them outdoors. The campaign is intended to reduce predation on wild birds.

  Source
• Cerulean warbler-friendly coffee conservation

  Latin America · Colombia

  ABC has worked with partner organizations and coffee growers to reduce conversion of farms that provide habitat for cerulean warblers and to help producers market coffee associated with habitat-friendly practices.

  Source
• Bird-conscious wind-energy siting

  United States

  ABC supports renewable energy while promoting careful placement of wind projects away from major bird migration routes and stopover sites. The organization has provided a wind-risk assessment map to support lower-risk development decisions.

  Source

• 1996Threatened legal action over San Clemente loggerhead shrike habitatOther

  Habitat used by the San Clemente loggerhead shrike had been used by the United States Navy for bombardment training.

  What changed. ABC threatened to sue the Navy, seeking protective measures for the bird and its habitat.

  Aftermath. The Navy agreed to take steps intended to protect the species and its habitat.

  Source
• Adopted a balanced position on renewable-energy developmentStrategy

  ABC identifies climate change as a critical threat to birds but recognizes that wind projects can harm birds when placed in important migration or stopover areas.

  What changed. The organization supports renewable energy and a transition away from fossil fuels while promoting risk mapping and more careful siting of wind facilities.

  Source

• 2010Expedition locates Baudó oropendola nesting colonies in Colombia

  ABC helped fund an expedition in Colombia that discovered two nesting colonies of the endangered Baudó oropendola, improving knowledge of a species previously known from fewer than a dozen birds.

  Other
  Source
• 2009American Bird Conservancy contributes to the 2009 State of the Birds assessment

  ABC and the United States Geological Survey were among the organizations involved in a federal assessment of bird populations and risks in the United States. The study identified hundreds of species facing endangerment, threats, or significant decline, while also documenting recovery associated with effective wetland conservation.

  Other
  Source
• American Bird Conservancy promotes bird-conscious wind-energy siting

  ABC has supported renewable energy while emphasizing that wind facilities should avoid major migration routes and stopover sites. Its wind-risk assessment map is intended to guide development toward locations with lower risks to birds.

  RegulationOther
  Source

1. American Bird Conservancy
2. American Bird Conservancy official website