Conservation Status of Species
Critically Endangered, Endangered, Threatened, Vulnerable - Conservation Designations
Sep 21, 2006
We often see terms such as endangered or threatened when reading about birds and other living things. These terms are used for species whose numbers are declining or very small, and therefore in danger of disappearing completely from Earth. Unfortunately, formal designations vary from one organization to another and from one country to another, which can make it difficult to determine the bird's status unless you are familiar with the designations the author is using: here are some general explanations to help you understand what the terms mean.
Extinct: the species has not been seen for more than 50 years and it is assumed that no members remain alive.
Critically endangered: a species in imminent danger of becoming extinct in most of its range. In some designation systems, endangered is the most critical category, synonymous with critically endangered.
Endangered: see critically endangered, above, and threatened, below.
Threatened: a species on the verge of being in imminent danger of extinction in most of its range. When the critically endangered designation is being used, endangered is synonymous with threatened.
Vulnerable: - a species that is rare throughout its range.
At risk: see vulnerable, above.
Bird Species of Special Concern (BSSC): in general, a species that will, or soon will, qualify for threatened or endangered status but has not been formally designated as such.
Read about the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Birds Glossary
Articles about designated birds:
The Mysterious Extinct Dodo Bird
Hurricanes and Bermuda Petrels
