Although recent surveys have found Belding’s yellowthroat to occur at more sites than previously thought, the total area it occupies is still tiny, with suitable areas of habitat very limited and severely fragmented (2) (3). The oases inhabited by Belding’s yellowthroat are under great threat from human activities, including burning, reed-cutting, drainage for agriculture and cattle ranching, and over-extraction of water for agriculture and tourist developments (2) (6) (8) (9). However, the species has also been found to occur in a newly created marsh in a hotel district and also near active agriculture, suggesting that human activities may sometimes be beneficial (2) (6).
Unfortunately, although Belding’s yellowthroat appears to be locally common, it may number no more than a few thousand birds in total, and its population is divided into small, isolated subpopulations, which are more vulnerable to extreme events such as hurricanes, which regularly destroy reedgrass vegetation during the summer (2) (6) (8). The remaining area of suitable habitat is thought to total less than ten square kilometres (6), and is particularly limited in the southern and central parts of the range, putting subspecies G. b. goldmani at greatest risk (2) (3) (8).