Making an Impact 2020 Annual Review - BirdLife International
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CONTENTS PAGES: 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 Making an Impact 2020 Annual Review
CONTENTS PAGES: 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52
We would like to express our deep
appreciation for the generous support
Major Donors and
of our Honorary President, HIH Princess
Takamado of Japan, whose commitment Supporters 2020
and personal interest in birds and
conservation contributes enormously
A.G. Leventis Foundation | Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation | John
to BirdLife’s progress and achievements. & Andrea Adams | Donors who wish to remain anonymous | Tim
We are extremely grateful for the Appleton | Arcadia Fund | Arte Salon Holdings | Asian Development
Bank | Margaret E. Atwood | Geoffrey and Mary Ball | Baltic Sea
generosity shown by our Founder Patrons, Conservation Foundation | BAND Foundation | BirdLife Supporters
members of BirdLife’s Rare Bird Club and Club in Japan | Bobolink Foundation | Nathalie A Boulle | British
Advisory Group, without whom we could Birdwatching Fair | Cambridge Conservation Initiative Collaborative
Fund | Cambridge Conservation Initiative Endangered Landscape
not continue protecting sites and species Programme | Canadian Wildlife Service | Julia Carpenter | CEMEX |
around the globe. We also thank our Sir Charles and Lady Angela Chadwyck-Healey | Champions of the
corporate supporters and BirdLife Species Flyway | Alfred III and Susan Chandler | Charities Advisory Trust (Good
Gifts) | Chopard | Climate and Land Use Alliance (CLUA) | Rob and
Champions who have helped us with Rita Colwell | Christie Constantine and Scott Dresser | Convention
major initiatives. on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) |
Critical Ecosystem Partnership Funds (CEPF) | Curated Pieces | Darwin
Initiative | David Webster Charitable Trust | Sean Dennis | Deutsche
BirdLife is grateful to the 96 Partners who Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH |
made their annual contributions to the EBM Charitable Trust | Stephen Eccles | Peter Eerdmans | Emirates
Bird Breeding Centre for Conservation | European Commission |
running of the Secretariat. In addition, European Climate Foundation - ECF | Fondation Segré | Food and
the following organisations contributed Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | Friends of BirdLife
to the Partner Emergency Support Fund: International | Fujitsu | German Federal Ministry for the Environment,
Nature Conservation, Buildings and Nuclear Safety (BMU) | Global
American Bird Conservancy, BirdLife Birding | Global Environment Facility through the United Nations
Cyprus, BirdLife Malta, BirdLife Sweden, Development Programme | Global Environment Facility through the
United Nations Environment Programme | Global Ocean Biodiversity
Centre for Protection and Research of Initiative (GOBI) | Global Wildlife Conservation | Google.org Charitable
Birds (CZIP, Montenegro), Czech Society Giving | Ian Gordon | Sarah and David Gordon | David Griffith | Piyush
for Ornithology, DOF/BirdLife Denmark, Gupta | Heidelberg Cement | Hempel Foundation | Horejsi Charitable
Foundation | International Climate Initiative (IKI) | International
NABU (Germany), Natagora (Belgium), Conservation Fund of Canada (ICFC) | Neville and Pamela Isdell, and
RSPB (UK), SOS/BirdLife (Slovakia) and Cara Isdell Lee | Isdell Family Foundation | IUCN | Japan Fund for the
VBN (Netherlands). Lastly, we would Global Environment (JFGE) | John & Beverly Stouffer Foundation |
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation | Keidanren Nature
like to acknowledge the support of the Conservation Fund | Kingfisher Foundation | Luc Hoffmann Institute |
following BirdLife Partners who have Marisla Foundation | March Conservation Fund | Jennifer & Phillip
Maritz | Marshall Reynolds Foundation | Stephen Martin | The
contributed through fundraising and Mavrovouniotis family | MAVA - Fondation Pour la Nature | Ministry of
unrestricted financial contributions to Environment, Japan | Mitsui O.S.K. Lines | Mohamed Bin Zayed Species
the global conservation programmes: Conservation Fund | National Fish and Wildlife Foundation | National
Geographic Society | Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act
The RSPB (UK), VBN (Netherlands), of U.S Fish & Wildlife Service | Oak Foundation | Ben Olewine IV |
Audubon (USA), Natuurpunt & Natagora Pacific Century Premium Developments, Japan | Susan Packard Orr &
(Belgium), NABU (Germany), Birds Canada, Lyn Orr | Peter Smith Charitable Trust | Pew Charitable Trusts | Prince
Albert II of Monaco Foundation | Rainforest Trust | Restore our Planet |
SVS/BirdLife Switzerland, LPO (France), Rewilding Europe | Ricoh | Rio Tinto | Rockjumper Birding Tours | Ivan
LIPU (Italy), DOF/BirdLife Denmark, SOF/ Samuels | Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
(SPREP) | Sekisui | Peter Smith | Southern Seabird Solutions Trust |
BirdLife Sweden, and SEO/BirdLife (Spain). Barry Sullivan & Karen Sprogis Sullivan | Swarovski Optik KG | Tasso
Leventis Foundation | Stephen & Britt Thal | The David and Lucile
Packard Foundation | The Marks Family Charitable Trust | The Waterloo
Foundation | Nikki Thompson and Tom Webster | Tolkien Trust |
Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Programme | Toyota Motor
Cover Photo: Secretary Corporation | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service | U.S. Forest Service | Per
Bird Sagittarius serpentarius Undeland | Vanguard Charitable Endowment Programme | Wildlife
© Johan Swanepoel Conservation Society | Wildlife Reserves Singapore | World Wide Fund
Design and layout: Miller Design for Nature - Fiji | Yahoo Crowdfunding, Japan | Zeiss
2 | BirdLife International Annual Review 2020
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BirdLife International Contents
Officers BirdLife Advisory Group 4 Message from Chair and CEO
6 2020 Highlights
President Emeritus Alfred Chandler, Barbara Young, Barry
Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan Sullivan, Ben Olewine IV, Christie 8 Financial Results
Constantine, Dale Forbes, Deborah Rivel, 10 Species: Saving threatened species
Honorary President Geoff Ball, Gonzalo Saenz de Miera, from extinction
Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado H.E. Majid Al Mansouri, Hector Morales,
of Japan James Kushlan, Jane Alexander, Joe Ellis, 12 The Red List
John Gregory, John S. Adams, Kurt Vogt, 14 Species spotlight
Honorary Vice-Presidents Mahima Sukhdev, Nathalie Boulle, Nick
Baroness Barbara Young of Old Scone Butcher, Pamela Isdell, Piyush Gupta, Sean 16 Combatting the Asia bird trade
(UK), Dr Gerard A Bertrand (USA), Mr A P Dennis, Scott Dresser, Susan Orr, Tasso 18 Restoring island habitats
Leventis (UK), Mr Ben Olewine IV (USA), Leventis, Terry Townshend, Tom Lovejoy,
Mr Peter Johan Schei (Norway) Warren Evans, Wendy Paulson 20 Saving Marion Island's seabirds
22 Vital Sites: Protecting vital sites
Chair Secretariat Executive Team for birds and beyond
Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias
24 Vital sites for birds
Chief Executive Patricia Zurita
Treasurer 26 Myanmar shorebirds
Nick Blackwood Director of Partnership, Communities
28 The Forest Accelerator
and Capacity Development (PCCD)
Global Council Julius Arinaitwe 30 Safeguarding Seabird strongholds
Africa: Achilles Byaruhanga (Uganda), 32 Changing Systems: that govern
Director of Science, Policy & Information
Claudia Feltrup-Azafzaf (Tunisia), Muhtari our planet
Melanie Heath
Aminu-Kano (Nigeria); Americas: Andrew 34 Eu finally ban lead in wetlands
Couturier (Canada), Rosabel Miro Chief Operating Officer Helen Bull
(Panama); Asia: Shawn Lum (Singapore), 36 Building a climate resilient future
Sarath Kotagama (Sri Lanka); Europe: Director of Conservation Richard 38 Preserving the pampas
Gergö Halmos (Hungary), Philippe Funcken Grimmett
(Belgium), Vera Voronova (Kazakhstan); 40 Working with Society: to make
Middle East: Yehya Khaled (Jordan), Assad Global Director of Communications a difference
Serhal (Lebanon); Pacific: Kevin Hague Christopher Sands 42 Introducing Hatch
(New Zealand), Paul Sullivan (Australia);
Co-opted Officials: Beccy Speight, Simon 44 Highlights from Hatch in 2020
Rye, Alfred Chandler, Mike Clarke Regional Directors
46 Facing the challenge
Africa Ademola Ajagbe 48 Tomorrow's leaders
Americas Ian Davidson
Asia Vinayagan Dharmarajah 50 One Planet One Right
Europe and Central Asia Martin Harper
Middle East Ibrahim Al-Khader
Pacific Margaret West
BirdLife International is the world’s
largest nature conservation partnership.
Together we are over 115 BirdLife
Partners worldwide – one per country
– and growing, with almost 11 million
supporters, 7,000 local conservation
groups and 7,400 staff.
Find out more at: www.birdlife.org
BirdLife International Annual Review 2020 | 3
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A message from our Chair
It is my pleasure to bring our 2020 Review to you
which captures the effectiveness of BirdLife’s
diverse global family in delivering conservation
of birds and biodiversity around the planet.
It has, of course, escaped no one’s attention
that 2020 has been an epochal year as the global
community has struggled to face the COVID-19
pandemic and its devastating impact on our lives.
Very quickly, the BirdLife Partnership moved to
remote working, joining much of the planet in
building new online ways of doing business. As
you can well imagine, a laptop on a dining room
table is not conducive to conservation fieldwork.
But BirdLife’s Partners quickly found new ways
to share best practice digitally, facing increasing Over the coming year we are preparing for our
funding and community mobilisation restraints 2022 Global Partnership Congress and our 100th
with innovative and imaginative webinars and Anniversary. With our planet’s existential crises
group chats in lieu of physical gatherings. becoming ever more acute, we are refining and
distilling our strategy for the next decade, further
Humankind’s abusive treatment of nature is integrating our key pillars of Species, Sites,
at the root of the COVID-19 pandemic – and Systems and Society to better bring our unique
BirdLife stepped up to the challenge of telling strengths as the most diverse global family of over
that story and proposing the ideas and strategies 115 national Partners to bear in the battle to save
for recovering from this disaster by putting the planet, her birds and her biodiversity.
nature at the heart of the massive resources
being mobilised around the globe to restore our I hope that in reading through this Annual Review
economies and our lives. Through our leadership you will get a flavour of the dynamic and singular
in the Green Recovery movement – using work the BirdLife International Partnership is doing
innovative financial mechanisms and flows, to secure our future.
multinational, regional and national political
collaboration – we are leading the way. Yours,
Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias
Chair, BirdLife Council
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A message from our CEO
As Braulio has written, 2020 has been an
extraordinary year. COVID-19 has shown us how
essential it is to step up our game and further
mobilise the unique elements of the BirdLife
Partnership. I have been especially proud of our
solidarity in the last year. We all stepped up to
provide emergency financial support to those
Partners who were especially hard hit by the
pandemic (read more on pg. 46).
From our role as the world’s authority on birds for
the IUCN’s Red List (pg. 12) to continuing our critical
work leading on Important Bird & Biodiversity
Areas (IBAs) and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) throughout this Review you’ll find countless
(pg. 24), we are at the forefront of making science examples of our work to save species and
the spark for better policies and public awareness. their habitats.
But we are determined to go further. The stakes
have intensified and the pandemic is profound With our 100th Anniversary fast approaching
proof that our work is more critical than ever. in September 2022, suffice it to say that being
BirdLife’s CEO is the privilege of a lifetime. 2020’s
With our local to global structure in the very work is seminal not only to the Global Biodiversity
strands of our DNA, our innovative ideas have Framework but to the UNFCCC Climate COP and
powered a growing movement to change the the UN Human Rights Commission. 2021 will set the
way we treat our planet. 2020 saw the launch of rules of the game for the next decade, and BirdLife
our #1Planet1Right campaign, calling the UN to is ready to push for more ambitious agreements
recognise the basic human right to a healthy planet that set the true transformation our planet needs.
(pg. 50) and we are leading the way on green I draw strength and insight daily from the amazing
recovery pilot projects. Our network of Partners BirdLife family and the incredible work we do every
in Europe and Central Asia also demonstrated day to secure a healthy and sustainable future for
our incredible collective impact, providing key our planet.
contributions to the EU’s 2030 Biodiversity strategy,
work that has been echoed globally through our Yours,
lobbying on a Post-2020 Nature Agenda.
And of course birds, our beautiful birds. From
combatting the bird trade in Asia (pg. 16) to our
work with local farmers to protect grassland Patricia Zurita
bird species in South America’s Pampas (pg. 38), Chief Executive Officer
BirdLife International Annual Review 2020 | 5
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2020 Highlights
BirdLife brings together over
115 Partners from across Global Bird Weekend
the globe and is the largest
partnership for nature in Knitting together
the world. We are driven the global birding
by our belief that local
people – working for nature
community
in their own places, but On 17 and 18 October 2020, tens of thousands
connected nationally and of people from across the world donned their
internationally through our binoculars and ventured out to their local
global Partnership – are the patch to record as many birds as they could,
contributing to citizen science and raising money
key to sustaining all life on
to help BirdLife stop the illegal bird trade in the
earth. This unique local-to-
first ever Global Bird Weekend. The event was
global approach delivers a huge success, with…
high-impact and long-term
7,166
conservation for the benefit
of nature and people. Here is
a look back at some of our
highlights from 2020…
species recorded
– a new world record!
Over 33,000 people £23,000
participating raised
across to stop
168 illegal
countries bird trade
through
the event
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LANET
It’s time to make ONE P H T
a healthy planet
RI G
a human right ONE
The COVID-19 pandemic
was a stark reminder of the
close relationship between
the health of the planet and
human health.
118,443 signatures
and counting
organisation signatures
So in April, we launched our
#1Planet1Right campaign,
calling for the recognition
+800 on a joint letter to the UN
Human Rights Council
of a healthy environment Endorsements Find out
more about
as a human right. from Patagonia and David Boyd, #1Planet1Right
UN Special Rapporteur on human on page 50
rights and the environment
Keeping connected
to our Partners and
supporters online
8 webinars
held in 2020
With lockdowns and social
distancing leading to the
2,488
cancellation of in-person participants
events, we launched
Awareness raising on
our hugely successful
topics ranging from the
Conservation Webinar
Asian bird trade and the
Series in April 2020, giving African vulture crisis, to the
the public the opportunity perils birds face when migrating
to hear from our experts in between their breeding and
a safe, digital environment. wintering grounds.
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Developing our next
10-year strategy in the face
of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Work to develop our new 10-year
Strategy began in late 2019
meetings
and, despite the constraints of
the COVID-19 pandemic, remote
involving over
consultations with the Partnership
were held throughout 2020.
Extensive discussions took place with
BirdLife's Global Council, potential
1106 partners
across regions
donors, and Regional and Programme
meetings were held for Secretariat and all continents
and Partner staff. The new Strategy
will be adopted in 2022.
Preventing extinctions
645
threatened species
The Tahiti
Monarch
population
helped by BirdLife's exceeded
100
Preventing Extinctions
Programme. Find out
birds more on
for first time in decades page 19
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Financial Results
Grants from institutions
& foundations
INCOME, £’000s 2020
Grants from institutions
Individual donations, & foundations 17,778
memberships & legacies
Individual donations,
memberships & legacies 3,704
BirdLife Partners 2,233
BirdLife Partners
Corporations 2,237
Events & other 162
Corporations
Investments 60
Events & other
Total 26,174
Investments
INCOME 2020
EXPENDITURE 2020
EXPENDITURE, £’000s 2020 Conservation Policy
Fundraising 797 Conservation Science
Charitable Expenditure 22,227 Capacity Development
– Preventing Extinctions 1,882 Local Engagement
– Important Bird and & Empowerment
Biodiversity Areas 4,318
Climate Change
– Migratory Birds
and Flyways 2,519
Forests
– Marine 2,969
– Invasive Alien Species 375 Invasive Alien Species
– Forests 4,211
– Climate Change 480 Marine
– Local Engagement
and Empowerment 585
Migratory Birds
& Flyways
– Capacity Development 2,151
– Conservation Science 987 Important Bird &
– Conservation Policy 1,750 Biodiversity Areas
Total 23,024
Preventing Extinctions
Fundraising
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Species
© Wade Tregaskis. Flickr
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Saving threatened
species from In 2020…
The Bombay Natural
extinction History Society (BirdLife
in India) released eight
captive-reared White-rumped
Vultures to bolster wild
There are over 11,000 species of birds on populations of this
earth. From Emperor Penguins lumbering Critically Endangered
across the frozen Antarctic wastes, raptor.
to hummingbirds flitting between The Junín
Grebe and Seychelles
flowers in the American tropics, they
Paradise-flycatcher
can be found in every country and came off the Critically
habitat. Their visibility, beauty and Endangered list
stunning diversity has been a source thanks to protection
of inspiration to humans for millennia. of vital habitats.
But today, one in eight bird species The Raso Lark
was found to be breeding
is threatened with extinction. successfully on its new
home of Santa Luzia island
By understanding birds, we can understand the
in Cabo Verde, following a
state of the planet as a whole. Birds react quickly
translocation programme
to change, providing a vital “early warning
to expand the range of
system” for ecosystems in trouble – and The Mauritian this Critically Endangered
often leading us to the source of the Wildlife Foundation songbird.
problem. Bringing together research from (BirdLife Partner) helped
scientists across the world, BirdLife tracks to rescue three unique
the changing fortunes of bird species species of lizard from
globally. As the authority for birds on the Mauritian islands following
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, we a devastating oil spill,
can quickly detect declining species and airlifting them to a captive BirdLife’s advocacy
act to protect them before it’s too late. breeding facility. helped to establish a
landmark international
The action we take is as diverse as the birds agreement to protect
themselves. But thanks to nearly a century of African-Eurasian vultures
experience from our network of Partners in from poisoning, adopted
over 115 countries, we have the power to make this February by the
a real difference, reversing the fates of not only Convention on Migratory
threatened bird species, but also the wildlife and Species.
people they live alongside.
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Species
The Red List
“How can we secure a healthy, Every year, BirdLife gathers the latest
information on bird species across the world
sustainable future for nature in order to update their conservation status
and people? What do we need on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
to do, and where? To figure that Collaborating with national Partners,
ornithology experts and local residents in
out, we first need to understand remote locations, our scientists determine
how nature is doing right now.” whether a species’ prospects have improved,
declined or stayed the same. From this, we
Anna Staneva
can pinpoint where to focus our action, and
Senior European Species Conservation Officer
make deductions about the state of nature
as a whole.
“The Andean Condor has
been found in local folklore
since 2,500 BC. To lose it
now would be a tragedy for
South American culture and
ecosystems alike.”
Ian Davidson
Regional Director, BirdLife in the Americas
BirdLife findings inform EU strategy
At the EU Green Week in birds, such initiatives included This report provides valuable
October, BirdLife released a the Pan-European Common insights into the successes
population status assessment Bird Monitoring Scheme, a joint and shortfalls of conservation
of Europe’s birds as part of initiative of the European Bird in the EU, and will inform the
the EU State of Nature report: Census Council and BirdLife, EU Biodiversity Strategy for
a momentous collaborative which gathers information the next decade. BirdLife’s
project that involved over about 170 widespread breeding population status assessment
200,000 people from across the bird species in Europe, and the will also form part of
EU, around 60% of which were International Waterbird Census, the European Red List of
citizen science volunteers. For which monitors the wintering Birds update, initiated in
populations of wetland birds. 2020 for completion in 2021.
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Andean Condor © Don Mammoser. Shutterstock
Alarm raised for
iconic raptors
The Andean Condor Vultur gryphus headed the list
of well-known raptors found to be in steep decline
in this year’s global Red List update, sparking
fears that the crisis that brought many Asian and
African vultures to the edge of extinction has
spread to new continents and species. This majestic
scavenger, which can live for up to 70 years, has
seen rapid population declines in recent years
due to persecution and poisoning, and this year
was moved from Near Threatened to Vulnerable.
This new classification underlines the need to
scale up conservation work and collaborate with
governments to strengthen anti-poisoning laws.
The Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius was
one of three African savannah raptors classed
as Endangered, along with the Martial Eagle
Polemaetus bellicosus and Bateleur Terathopius
ecaudatus. Habitat loss and degradation, poisoning,
poaching and disturbance are all likely factors in
these declines, but more research is needed to
identify the root causes and the most efficient way
to address them.
On a more positive note, the Red Kite Milvus milvus
is no longer considered threatened thanks to decades
of dedicated conservation work. Legal protection
under the EU Birds Directive led to an action plan
across its range, including large-scale reintroduction
projects and community education. While poisoning
and persecution are still an issue in some locations,
its revival provides an inspiring model for large-
scale raptor conservation around the world.
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Species
“While any species being listed
as threatened is obviously
bad news, it doesn’t have to
be a tragedy. For many, the
road to recovery begins here.
The issues flagged by the Red
List should form the focus of
further research and action.”
Dr Ian Burfield, Global Science Coordinator (Species),
BirdLife International
Secretarybird © Enrique Bosquet. Shutterstock
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SPECIES SPOTLIGHT
Secretarybird Sagittarius
serpentarius
RED LIST STATUS: Endangered
THREATS: habitat loss, poisoning,
poaching, disturbance
FAST FACT: This striking African
savannah raptor towers at 1.3 metres
tall, and is famed for its method of
stomping on prey such as mice and
snakes to kill them. It is thought to
have got its common name from
the appearance of having quill pens
tucked behind its ears.
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Species
Combatting the
Asia bird trade
“The COVID-19 pandemic is The trade in wild birds – living or dead – is a
multi-billion dollar industry that constitutes a
like a double-edged sword. major threat to the survival of numerous species.
It led to closures of wildlife And as the devastating impact of the COVID-19
pandemic has shown us, the trafficking of wild
markets in some cities and animals is also a direct threat to humanity.
brought many city-dwellers Despite the challenges of 2020, our Partners
have made great progress on existing projects.
closer to nature as they The Malaysian Nature Society interviewed forest
were unable to travel. Yet, communities to understand local attitudes and
threats to the Helmeted Hornbill Rhinoplax
in other cities, demand vigil (Critically Endangered), and mapped out
for pet birds increased as remaining hornbill strongholds. Burung Indonesia
completed field surveys of the White Cockatoo
city-dwellers craved engaging Cacatua alba (Endangered) in the North Maluku
pastimes. Some rural areas province, and is working with local people to
develop alternative sustainable livelihoods and
saw increased hunting and greater water security.
trade to make up for lost A passage to India
ecotourism incomes. Our bird In 1990, the Indian government completely
trade work had to navigate banned the capture and trade of native birds
– however, a black market in more than 100
these pressures while facing species of exotic birds has sprung up in its place,
movement restrictions that many of them wild individuals smuggled in from
abroad. In 2020, the government announced
made our work a lot harder.” an amnesty whereby owners could voluntarily
Anuj Jain, Preventing Extinctions and Bird Trade declare all exotic pets. But will this amnesty
Coordinator, BirdLife Asia improve the implementation of CITES, or lead
to a surge in illegal trade? BNHS (BirdLife in
India) began a project to evaluate the impact
of this declaration, using the new information
on threatened species, consumers and supply
chains to provide advice for policymakers.
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1/3
of bird
Helmeted Hornbill © Craig Ansibin. Shutterstock
species are
affected by
international
trade
The big picture
While we know of its impact in Asia, the wild bird organisations such as TRAFFIC, the IUCN, UNEP-
trade also appears to be growing rapidly in many WCMC, and the University of Cambridge.
other countries. However, the reasons behind Additionally, the Cambridge Infectious Diseases
this upsurge, and its repercussions, remain poorly interdisciplinary research centre will provide
known in many parts of the world. expertise on the transmission risks of zoonotic
diseases through trade.
In 2020, BirdLife launched a comprehensive global
overview of the wild bird trade. Supported by the We have already started assembling data from
Cambridge Conservation Initiative, this publication published papers, and are exploring new sources
will cover all kinds of bird trade – international or such as databases on illegal activity. We are also
domestic, legal or illegal – and use the results to in contact with the Convention on International
guide conservation policy and practice. We are Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to discuss the
working with major research and conservation participation of national authorities in the study.
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Species
Restoring
island habitats
“2020’s challenges highlighted
the value of BirdLife’s approach of
working alongside national Partners
and local communities, ensuring
Acteon & Gambier. © Island Conservation, Acteon & Gambier. Polynesian Ground-dove © Marie-Helene Burle Island Conservation
knowledge and resources are
available where they can make the
greatest impact. This method of
engagement also creates growing
social acceptance of the rapidly-
advancing technologies and methods
used in invasive species control,
as people witness the benefits to
biodiversity and their livelihoods.”
Steve Cranwell, Programme Manager, Invasive Alien Species
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Operation
restoration: success
in 1998, requiring dedicated
effort from SOP Manu, the
French Polynesian government
100
Over 100 threatened
species benefited directly
Back in 2015, BirdLife launched and several thousand volunteers
from BirdLife’s Invasive
its most ambitious Pacific island to bring it back from the brink.
restoration project to date: Now, the effects of habitat
Species Programme
removing introduced predators restoration and invasive species in 2020
from the remote French control are beginning to show,
Polynesian islands of Acteon and translocation to a rat-free
& Gambier. In November 2020, site is being investigated.
SOP MANU (BirdLife in French “The real shift
Polynesia) and the BirdLife A safe space in this program
Invasive Species team returned
for Cabo Verde
to find threatened birds bouncing
seabirds was taken thanks
back. The Polynesian Ground-
dove Alopecoenas erythropterus Cabo Verde, a volcanic island to the massive
(Critically Endangered) has spread
from a single stronghold to three
chain about 600 kilometres
off the coast of Senegal, is
involvement of
flourishing populations across a breeding hotspot for eight the inhabitants
the islands. Five new seabird seabird species, including
populations have established three found nowhere else on
of Tahiti.”
SOP Manu (BirdLife in French
themselves, and the number earth. Research from BirdLife’s Polynesia)
of nesting Polynesian Storm- Cabo Verde Seabird Project
petrels Nesofregetta fuliginosa found that invasive species are
(Endangered) has doubled. These a significant threat to these
five restored islands give hope colonies. This year, SPEA (BirdLife
for future restorations elsewhere, in Portugal) successfully carried
showing the feasibility and cost- out a project to remove feral
effectiveness of restoring several cats from the island of Santa
islands at once. Lucia. Similarly, the Cabo Verde
Seabird Programme was able
Tahiti Monarch to continue its work controlling
cats and rats on the rugged,
bouncing back mountainous cliffs of Fogo
The population of Tahiti Monarch Island – a key habitat for the
Pomarea nigra has finally passed Cape Verde Petrel Pterodroma
the 100 mark again after more feae. These successes would not
than 20 years of conservation have been possible without the
effort. The Critically Endangered collaboration of local NGOs and
songbird numbered just 12 birds the Cabo Verdean people.
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Species
Saving Marion Island’s Seabirds:
The Mouse-Free Marion Project starts taking shape
In the early 19th century, house mice were is home to almost 50% of the world’s Wandering
accidentally introduced by seal hunters to Albatrosses, with Marion alone supporting a quarter
South Africa’s sub-Antarctic Marion Island. of the global population. BirdLife South Africa are
Over the last 200 years, the mice have damaged hard at work to eradicate the mice to safeguard the
the ecosystems of the island, caused dramatic island’s globally important seabirds and facilitate its
ecological restoration. A rigorous and systematic
declines in the native invertebrate populations,
process has been followed to determine the
and depleted the seed stock of some
feasibility of eradicating mice from Marion Island.
indigenous plant species. More recently, Based on the outcomes of the feasibility study,
the mice have started attacking the island’s draft operational and project plans have been
globally important seabirds. prepared, and planning towards an eradication
operation is underway.
Over the past 30 years there has been a 530%
increase in the densities of mice on Marion Island The Mouse-Free Marion Non-Profit Company has
due to an increasingly warm and dry climate and recently been established to initiate and implement
lack of natural predators. This population boom the project, which is being undertaken as a
has led to the mice exhausting the island’s supply partnership between BirdLife South Africa and
of invertebrates, which they usually prey on in South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries
the winter months, leaving them to search for and the Environment. In February 2021, Dr Anton
alternative food sources. The defenceless seabirds Wolfaardt was appointed as the Mouse-Free Marion
on the island are literally ‘sitting ducks’, and as Project Manager. Anton has worked for over 25
on several other islands, the mice have begun years in the field of seabird conservation, a journey
to prey on them. that started at Marion Island in 1994/95, when he
spent a year monitoring the island’s seabirds.
The scale and frequency of attacks on seabirds
have been increasing since they were first observed The project has gained significant momentum
in the early 2000s, and have escalated dramatically in recent months, but there remains a lot to
in the last five years. On Gough Island, mice are do between now and the target date for the
estimated to eat two-thirds of eggs and chicks - eradication, which is during the austral winter of
some two million each year - and even attack adult 2023. Marion will be the largest island by far on
birds. Left unchecked on Marion Island, the mice which an attempt will be made to eradicate mice
are likely to cause the local extinction of 18 of the in a single exercise. Consequently, the logistical
28 seabird species that breed there, including the and planning demands are substantial, and there
charismatic icon of the open ocean, the Wandering is an urgent need to raise the outstanding funding
Albatross Diomedea exulans. The Prince Edward required for the project. To find out more, visit
Island group, of which Marion Island forms part, www.mousefreemarion.org.
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Wandering Albatross courtship dance © Anton Wolfaardt
“We know from the efforts that have preceded ours to eradicate
rodents from islands that the conservation benefits are massive.
There are many reports showing how these islands are rebounding,
often more rapidly than expected, following the eradication of
the introduced rodents. The Mouse-Free Marion project is an
opportunity to leave a similar conservation legacy, and our planning
has benefited hugely from the lessons learned and experience gained
from these other operations. I am humbled and delighted to be part
of this important endeavour, an endeavour that will involve many
organisations and individuals working in partnership towards the aim
of securing a positive conservation future for Marion Island and its
globally important biodiversity.”
Dr Anton Wolfaardt, Mouse-Free Marion Project Manager
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Vital Sites
© Travel Peter. Shutterstock
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Protecting vital Scientists from the RSPB
(BirdLife in the UK) attached
sites for birds lightweight, paperclip-
sized satellite trackers to
the European Storm-petrel
and beyond – the UK’s smallest seabird –
revealing its movements for the
first time and identifying vital
The sight of an Arctic Tern swooping feeding habitats.
overhead is joyous and awe-inspiring,
bringing to mind visions of wide skies
and open horizons. And there’s a good
reason BirdLife chose the Arctic Tern
for our logo. As the bird with the After a legal battle
longest migration – from the North spanning nearly three
decades, the Spanish supreme
pole to the South pole – the entire court prohibited the construction
earth is its home. of a highly destructive dam
and reservoir on the Gallego
Most birds don’t stay in one place – we share the river, thanks to advocacy from
birds we see in our daily lives with multiple environmental organisations
communities, countries and even continents. including our Spanish
And so it follows that protecting the The Key Biodiversity Partner, SEO/BirdLife.
habitats birds rely on takes global Area Partnership launched
collaboration. To this end, BirdLife its new website
has identified some of the most (keybiodiversityareas.org),
important sites for birds across the containing comprehensive
world – a network of over 13,000 information on all 16,000 sites,
Important Bird & Biodiversity Areas including how they are used
(IBAs). These sites have formed the by governments, businesses
foundation for a wider partnership of and the conservation
Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs): vital community. As part of BirdLife’s
habitats for all life on earth. Cabo Verde Seabird Project,
nationwide surveys of the
As part of this work, we coordinate the actions of our islands found over 30 new
national Partners along the world’s major migration seabird colonies of seven
flight paths, or ‘flyways’, creating linked chains of different species and many
safe habitat for birds to feed, breed, new nests of unique and
rest and refuel on every step of their journey. threatened species.
Throughout, we involve local communities in the
protection of important sites, giving them a sense of
ownership and responsibility for the land they share.
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Vital Sites
Vital sites for birds 11
Training
modules
4
in
In 2020, one of the main Training courses
priorities for BirdLife’s
Another highlight of 2020 was the creation of a languages
Important Bird &
training course on KBAs, funded by the Critical
Biodiversity Area (IBA)
Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF). Eleven
Programme was to ensure Modules and more than 40 practical exercises were
that our database of vital in four languages are now ready to be used created for
bird habitats is up to date. for training interested experts on the KBA the KBA
Standard and the KBA identification process. training
To this end, the BirdLife
Two regional and several national training course
Secretariat provided
workshops have already used these materials
Partners with guidelines
successfully during the last year.
on the latest criteria for
IBAs, when a site no longer “In 2020, important KBA's recognised
qualifies, and how to meetings and fieldwork
identify marine IBAs. We
by international
had to be cancelled or
also organised webinars for rescheduled... on the development bank
Partners on the IBA criteria, other hand, BirdLife A major win last year came
and presented the results when BirdLife, alongside several
Partners had more time other organisations, successfully
of an exercise to check to conduct literature advocated to include KBAs in the
existing IBAs against the reviews and other new environmental safeguard
criteria of Key Biodiversity desk‑based jobs.” policy of the Inter-American
Areas (KBAs) – vital sites Zoltan Waliczky, Development Bank (IDB). KBAs
for all life on earth. Global IBA Policy Coordinator are now specifically referenced
as critical habitats under “legally
protected areas or internationally
recognised areas of high
biodiversity value,” and the Bank
will not finance developments
that would lead to lasting loss
of their conservation values.
© Dr. Ajay Kumar Singh
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Major Milestone
for Guyana
Local NGO, the This year, Guyana established its first
Important Bird & Biodiversity Area: South
South Rupununi Central Rupununi. This rolling savannah is a
Conservation haven for Jaguars, Giant Anteaters and over
Society, worked 250 bird species, including the Red Siskin
with indigenous Spinus cucullatus (Endangered). This small,
communities to brightly-coloured bird was first spotted here
in 2000, having been uprooted from most
establish school of South America by the caged bird trade.
wildlife groups Its protection became the focus of a local
Red Siskin © Meshach Pierre
and monitoring NGO, the South Rupununi Conservation
activities for the Society – an organisation that started out as
Red Siskin. a group of bird-loving friends, but, with the
help of BirdLife’s Conservation Leadership
Programme, grew into a powerhouse for
research, advocacy and public engagement.
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Vital Sites
Myanmar shorebirds get four‑fold
expansion in protected wetland
Around a decade ago, experts The hard work paid off, and in 2017 the Myanmar
from BANCA (BirdLife in Myanmar) Government designated around 42,500 hectares
in the eastern side of the Gulf of Mottama as a
and the Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Wetland of International Importance under the
Task Force discovered 200 Spoon- Ramsar Convention. This success was a catalyst
billed Sandpipers Calidris pygmaea for further action, and the less-surveyed western
overwintering in the Gulf of Mottama site of the Gulf was identified as another area
– 50% of the world’s population. to conserve. In early 2020, after two years of
consultation with local stakeholders, the Myanmar
Fast forward to 2020, and their
Government finalised the extension of the Gulf
advocacy efforts have resulted in of Mottama Ramsar site, quadrupling the area to
this important shorebird sanctuary 161,030 hectares and extending it into the Bago
quadrupling in size. Region, and further south in Mon State.
The Gulf of Mottama is a vast wetland of great Thanks to the efforts of BANCA and its
diversity. Quenched daily by a tidal bore sweeping collaborators, the gulf is now one of the largest
up from the Andaman Sea, the Gulf’s wetlands are Ramsar Sites in Southeast Asia – a region
extremely dynamic, with mud islands rising and where there are still large gaps in wetland
vanishing in as little as a month. At low tide, the conservation. Not only does this protect the
vast mudflats protrude for kilometres out to sea, site from harmful development, but it provides
dotted with thousands of shorebirds including a framework and inspiration for stronger
large flocks of curlews, godwits and more. conservation action and engagement with
Determined to protect this precious habitat local communities, and an opportunity for
and the species that depend on it, BANCA and conservationists to gain a better understanding
their collaborators decided to engage with the of how shorebirds use this vast wetland.
local community who they knew were hunting
shorebirds. The team highlighted alternative Although the Spoon-billed Sandpiper was the
livelihoods and offered seed funding for assets inspiration behind this advocacy, other threatened
such as livestock, building materials and fishing species will also benefit from this triumph, as will
boats to support these new ventures. The local Myanmar’s coastal communities. Work to conserve
government and village leaders were consulted the Gulf of Mottama will secure vital ecosystem
about the site’s protection, resulting in the services, such as clean water, climate regulation,
formation of Local Conservation Groups of and flood prevention, which local communities
enthusiastic members of the community. can rely on for generations to come.
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Spoon-billed Sandpiper © Butterfly Hunter. Shutterstock
50%
of the world’s Spoon-Billed
Sandpipers overwinter at the
ulf of Mottama, making it the
world’s single most important
wintering site for this Critically
Endangered wader.
BirdLife International Annual Review 2020 | 27CONTENTS PAGES: 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52
Vital Sites
Introducing a Gamechanger
for Forest Conservation
The Forest Accelerator
Conserving and restoring tropical In 2020, the team were unable to
travel due to the pandemic, but
forests is essential if we are to protect they adapted to this challenge
people, habitats, and wildlife into the and made the most of being
constrained to desk work by
future. Through the BirdLife Forest investing in learning and strategy.
Landscape Sustainability Accelerator,
The Accelerator worked with a
BirdLife and Partners are investing in consultancy firm with expertise
the future of forest conservation. in conservation enterprise and
business planning. Partners “bid”
for time, explaining how they
Recognising that forest would use the consultants, and
conservation efforts often fail to were matched with appropriate
reach their full potential due to advisors to deliver specific
insecure funding cycles, the outcomes. This covered several
Accelerator is working to secure areas including coaching, strategy
long-lasting, self-sustaining development, and reviewing and
financial security. The Accelerator inputting to business plans.
creates a safe space for landscape
leaders to develop and test This new, highly tailored
sustainable financing models at a approach was very successful
landscape level, provides support and resulted in significant
and mentorship, and acts as a hub progress for the team including
and matchmaker with investors, specific business strategies and
companies, and partners. finance plans now in place.
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Landscapes
don’t just consist
of mountains,
forests, wildlife,
and people. They
are formed by
the decisions
people make.
The future of
these landscapes
is affected by
these decisions,
and one decision
can have many
knock-on effects.
The BirdLife
Accelerator is
investing in
forest landscape
teams, so that
management
decisions result
in a future
where people
and forests
can thrive.
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Vital Sites
Safeguarding
Seabird
Strongholds
Tristan albatross © Andy Scholfield
“In 2020, United Nations negotiations for a new global treaty for
conservation in the high seas were postponed. To keep up momentum,
BirdLife worked with the High Seas Alliance and with Partners
under the STRONG High Seas Project to further distil the draft
treaty text and to reach out to negotiators and other government
officials to support their engagement and to advocate for stronger
commitments to be taken. We saw this time as an opportunity to
enhance the dialogue and expand the time window for advocacy.”
Carolina Hazin, Global Marine Policy Coordinator
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Protected areas for penguins
In a collaborative new study led years, it has not yet been
by BirdLife, scientists used approved, with some countries
satellite imagery, drone having a say in Antarctic issues
technology, and good old- claiming insufficient evidence of
Chinstrap penguins. © Christian Aslund
fashioned counting to pinpoint threats. This new paper added
some of the most important sites considerable weight to ongoing
for penguins in Antarctic waters. negotiations, calculating that
if the protected areas were
Exploration, tourism and designated, high-quality penguin
unsustainable fishing all threaten habitat under permanent
Antarctic wildlife. While a network safeguard would increase by
of large Marine Protected Areas 49%–100%, depending on
has been on the cards for some the species.
Ground-breaking technology
135
Throughout 2020, BirdLife has tagged birds showed that the
been advocating for the North area was an important feeding
Atlantic Current and Evlanov ground for up to 5 million birds
Seamount to be designated as of 23 species, many travelling
a Marine Protected Area by the thousands of kilometres to
SPECIES OSPAR Convention. This remote
area of the high seas would have
winter there. The area is being
considered as an area in need
followed by our gone unnoticed were it not for of protection for its rich and
Seabird Tracking the collaboration of hundreds of abundant biodiversity, which
Database scientists that shared their data would make it the first high seas
in our Seabird Tracking Database. Marine Protected Area identified
The movements of satellite- from tracking data.
History in the making
In November, UK overseas of the world’s largest Stretching across 687,247km2
territory Tristan da Cunha – protected areas. This success of land and sea, 90% of the
a remote island chain in the was made possible thanks to marine area will be a complete
South Atlantic – was declared two decades of international “no-take zone”, where fishing
a Marine Protection Zone, collaboration between and other extractive activities
safeguarding habitat for millions governments, NGOs and are prohibited. This will benefit
of seabirds, fish and mammals. the local islanders, instigated 25 seabird species that breed
Three times the size of the by the Tristan da Cunha on the islands, including four
UK, this species-rich, pristine government and the globally threatened albatross
seascape will be one RSPB (BirdLife in the UK). species.
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Changing Systems
Changing
the systems
that govern
our planet
© Thomas Richter. Unsplash
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In 2020…
50 stakeholders
including BirdLife make up
the the Convention on Migratory Species
(CMS) Energy Task Force. Governments,
BirdLife Europe
lent its support to the
#WithdrawTheCAP campaign
to overturn Europe’s new,
unsustainable Common Agricultural
investors, scientists and the private sector Policy, engaging the public
through social media and
are working to make the renewable energy
presenting an open letter to
industry safe for birds and biodiversity. the European Commission
President.
When we look at some of the biggest threats to
birds – intensive agriculture, logging, climate change
In the
– they all have something in common. They’re not
sub-Antarctic,
the actions of individuals – they are part of vast intrepid expeditions and
global systems. But rather than trying to reverse the satellite tracking revealed
damage retrospectively, what if conservation was new data on important feeding
already integrated into these systems? and breeding zones for seabirds
and seals, helping planners
to minimise the overlap
What if action to safeguard nature was
between fisheries and
incorporated early on in the planning stage? And
wildlife.
what if the needs of human beings could be met
Our new
sustainably, without sacrificing the natural world?
animation, launched
at the Global Landscapes
BirdLife knows that nature conservation doesn’t
Forum, used imaginative
happen in a vacuum, and we are already striving
graphics to explain landscape
to make it an intrinsic part of the way the
conservation and our innovative
world is run. At its core, BirdLife may be a small
work to support communities
organisation, but we can quickly and efficiently
in tropical forests
mobilise the action of over 115 Partners across
(see pg. 29 for
the world, creating a power for social change
more).
far greater than the sum of its parts.
The Ethiopian
Wildlife and Natural
We work with businesses, governments and
History Society (BirdLife
financial institutions to help them understand
Partner) represented
their dependencies on nature and ensure that
BirdLife at the Great Ethiopian
their ecological impact and footprint is as small as
Run sports event, using the
possible. Whether we’re advising renewable energy
opportunity to call for bird-
companies on the safest locations to build wind
safe renewable energy
farms, or helping local people to earn carbon credits
infrastructure.
for sustainable forestry, we are planting seeds of
change wherever they are needed.
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Changing Systems
Greylag geese. ©Bjorn Olesen
running hea
running h
running head
EU finally ban lead in wetlands
On 25th November 2020, the Lead shot consists of tiny round bullets which
hunters spray from their shotguns. Only a small
European Parliament voted to
proportion of the lead hits the target, and the
ban the use of lead ammunition rest is scattered into nature. Within the EU it is
in wetlands across the EU. 362 estimated that 18,000 to 21,000 tonnes of lead end
MEPs voted in favour of the ban, up in the environment every year due to hunting.
292 against, and 39 abstained. Lead has been used in ammunition and fishing
This long-awaited ban will help to tackle for decades despite awareness of the
improve the health of our natural terrible impact it has on humans, wildlife, and the
environment. In the EU, an estimated one million
environment by preventing lead waterbirds are killed each year due to lead shot
from poisoning wetlands and poisoning. Waterbirds including swans, flamingos,
wildlife, and work is underway ducks, and geese tragically confuse lead pellets for
to extend the ban to all lead small particles of stone or sand which they swallow
to act like teeth in the gizzard - a specialised
ammunition in the EU. stomach constructed of thick, muscular walls
34 | BirdLife International Annual Review 2020CONTENTS PAGES: 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52
ader
header
der
used for grinding up food. On top of this alarming lead ammunition in wetlands by the year 2000.
figure, raptors and scavengers, such as owls and However, this was disrupted through tactics
eagles, are also killed or weakened after eating employed by the hunting-weapons industry and
prey contaminated with lead shot. parts of the hunting lobby. So, while we should
celebrate this victory, going forward it is crucial
Although the ban is very welcome news, it could that decision-makers recognise these tactics of
and should have been implemented much sooner. delay and follow science in a timely manner.
The need to ban and remove lead from nature
has been acknowledged by conservationists for The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is
decades. The Agreement on the Conservation of assessing the health and environmental risks
African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) – posed by lead bullets in hunting and outdoor
an intergovernmental treaty administered by the sports shooting, as well as lead used in fishing
UN – has been working towards a ban on the use sinkers and lures, and may conclude that an
of toxic lead ammunition since it was established EU-wide restriction is justified. BirdLife is ready
some 25 years ago. Their Contracting Parties (82 to support the ECHA, and we count on decision-
countries, including the EU and its Member States) makers to act swiftly and definitively to protect
were supposed to have phased out the use of the natural world.
BirdLife International Annual Review 2020 | 35You can also read
