As presented in previous State of the Birds reports, combined population trends for suites of bird species dependent on major habitat types represent important indicators of the overall health of those ecosystems, for birds and people. Dots on this graph indicate start dates for key Farm Bill conservation programs, showing the change in populations of wetland, forest, and grassland birds after these programs were implemented. For more details on this graph, see Methods.
Farm Bill Conservation Programs Reverse Bird Population Declines
After two decades of declines, wetland bird populations grew dramatically—and forest and grassland birds stabilized—following the introduction of key Farm Bill conservation programs.
The graph shows:
- Strong increases for wetland birds: Before wetland easements were added to the Farm Bill in 1990, populations were down 10%. After 1990, wetland bird numbers rose by 51%
- A turnaround for forest birds: Before the forestry title was added to the Farm Bill in 1990, forest birds were on a declining trend and down by 19%. After 1990, the decline leveled off and then rose slightly, by 3%
- Stabilized the sharp decline of grassland birds: Long-term declines had reached 34% by the time the Conservation Reserve Program began in 1985. Declines eventually stabilized, and after grassland easements were added to the Farm Bill in 2003, populations rose by 3%