40 Birds in Montana Said 'Imperiled'
Pastor Dale Morgan
Nov 29, 6:20 PM EST
*40 Birds in Montana Said 'Imperiled'*
HELENA, Mont. (AP) -- Forty birds in Montana, including the stately sage
grouse, are among the "most imperiled" birds in the country,
conservationists announced.
The National Audubon Society this week released "WatchList 2007" of 178
species of birds in the continental United States and 39 species in
Hawaii that the group says are in the greatest danger of extinction and
need "immediate conservation help."
The total amounts to one-fourth of the bird species in the country, the
group said.
In Montana, the list includes better-known birds like the sage grouse
and the Calliope hummingbird, the continent's smallest.
But there are less well-known species such as Baird's sparrow, a little
brown bird whose trilling call can be heard on the upland prairies of
northeastern Montana, and the black swift, which hides out behind
waterfalls in the state's northwest corner.
Eight Montana birds are on the groups' "red list," those considered most
at risk of extinction. Some of the biggest problems come from
disappearing wetlands or human pressures on grassland and other habitats.
Audubon and the America Bird Conservancy compiled the list based on an
assessment of the bird's population size, range size, threats, and
population trend.
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On the Net:
National Audubon Society http://stateofthebirds.audubon.org/watchlist