A new Audubon report offers one of the clearest pictures yet of how birds are changing across Latin America and the Caribbean — and highlights the growing power of community science across the hemisphere.
Drawing on ten years of Christmas Bird Count data, the publication presents trends for 44 species and marks an important milestone for bird monitoring in the region. For many species whose ranges are centered in Latin America and the Caribbean, this report provides a first long-term regional snapshot of whether populations are increasing, declining, or holding steady.
The results reveal a complex picture. Some species show encouraging increases: Black-crowned Night Herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) and Neotropic Cormorants (Nannopterum brasilianum) are thriving in many parts of the region. Others, including Blue-black Grassquits (Volatinia jacarina) and American Kestrels (Falco sparverius), show patterns that raise urgent conservation questions. And some familiar species, such as Great Kiskadees (Pitangus sulphuratus) and Squirrel Cuckoos (Piaya cayana), appear stable across diverse landscapes.
Together, these trends show why long-term monitoring matters. Bird populations are responding to environmental change across agricultural lands, wetlands, freshwater systems, cities, and forests. The report helps identify where conservation attention may be needed most — and where birds may be showing resilience.
Just as importantly, the report celebrates the people behind the data. These findings were only possible because thousands of Christmas Bird Count participants, local organizers, and partners throughout the Americas have contributed observations year after year. Over half of newly established Christmas Bird Count circles in recent years have been outside the United States and Canada, reflecting the extraordinary growth of participation across the hemisphere.
Expanding participation in the Christmas Bird Count across Latin America and the Caribbean could help unlock trend data for many more species and places in the years ahead.
