AMERICAN WARBLER REMOVED FROM ENDANGERED LIST AS NUMBERS RECOVER

Still vulnerable but the Kirtland's warbler has bounced back from near-extinction (photo supplied by ABC)

A BIRD which came close to extinction is now recovering.

According to a statement released today by the American Bird Conservancy, the Kirtland’s Warbler has been removed from its list of  endangered species by the US Federal Government.

Says ABC: "During the 1970s and 1980s, the warbler was on the brink of extinction, numbering fewer than 200 pairs. 

"But with help from the Endangered Species Act, and the efforts of government and non-profit partners, the Kirtland's Warbler fought back, increasing its numbers more than ten-fold.

"As we consider the loss of almost 30 percent of North America’s birds during the last 50 years, this is a remarkable achievement. "

However, this beautiful warbler remains a conservation-dependent species and one of the rarest migratory birds in the Americas. 

Adds the ABC: "If we fail to protect and manage habitat and to combat threats, it is sure to  slide right back toward extinction."