WESTPORT, Mass. — Birds are an essential part of our ecosystem, but their numbers are dwindling at an alarming rate.
A study from Georgetown University found that the bird population has plummeted by about a third in the United States and Canada over the past several decades.
Even more alarming is that the rate of their decline is accelerating.
Here in Massachusetts, environmental scientists are trying to help struggling species survive.
Dr. John Herbert, the director of Bird Conservation at Mass Audubon, was recently at Allens Pond in Westport, where he temporarily captured an Eastern Willet.
After measuring the bird and checking its condition, Herbert banded it and attached a small GPS tracker to its back.
The goal is to gather more information about the migration patterns of Willets because they are wide-ranging travelers, flying across the Atlantic Ocean.
These efforts are part of a larger effort to understand why the number of birds is declining so dramatically.
The 2025 US State of the Birds report indicated that a third of US bird species were of high or moderate conservation concern.
Herbert echoed, “The declines are happening quickly.”
He says birds are threatened on many fronts.
“Loss of habitat, habitat degradation. . . and then human development. We put in structures, power lines, towers, and collision threats that kill a lot of birds.”
Lyra Brennan, director of the Coastal Waterbird program at Mass Audubon, said: “Another way to think about birds is that they are the canary in the coal mine.”
She added, “When we start to see species not showing up in these places, when the salt marsh is empty, this is an indicator that these habitats are no longer healthy. So, they’re no longer good for wildlife, but then they’re not doing their job for us, right? If the barrier beach isn’t here, the marshes aren’t protected, and those houses behind the marsh are flooded out every storm.”
Birds can shed light on whether the environment is healthy for people.
“When we have happy, healthy birds, we have a happy, healthy ecosystem, and that’s also a good ecosystem for us. . . there’s so much to lose. I think that’s highlighted in recent studies that being outside, hearing birds, seeing birds, being in nature is essential to our mental health.”
While local species like the Saltmarsh Sparrow and the American Oystercatcher are struggling, there are reasons for hope.
“Even for our most imperiled species, we have time. The birds are still here, and if we work, and we have to work now, but if we do the work, we can keep these birds around for future generations,” said Herbert.
He points to the success of bringing the Bald Eagle back from the brink of extinction.
Brennan cites the Piping Plover’s return as a win.
“This is a shorebird that was down to 135 pairs in the state... and we’ve seen a really remarkable increase in the species.”
Helping these small creatures survive, and eventually thrive, is satisfying work for these scientists.
“First and foremost, there is that connection to nature. I think birds are the best connection to nature that we have,” said Herbert.
Mass Audubon isn’t just concerned about birds that call Massachusetts home.
They told Boston 25 News that many species are here only for a short time as they migrate up and down the coastline.
In fact, they say some shore birds around here breed as far away as the Arctic
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