Forty new species of bird have been reclassified in the latest worldwide inventory of being at risk of extinction, including four found in the United Kingdom: the Atlantic Puffin, Slavonian Grebe, Turtle Dove and the Pochard. The plight of Africa’s vultures is arguably the main headline, with four further species being upgraded from endangered to critically endangered. Six of the continents eleven vulture species now possess this bleak status. There are some positive stories to come out of the findings though, which have been published by Birdlife International, on behalf of the IUCN. Twenty-three species have been downgraded to lesser states of threat and highlight some important conservation successes, such as the Seychelles Warbler and Chatham Petrel.
gordoneaglesham 