Impact from the Research Published in Science

As you know, on September 19 the Cornell Lab and partners from six other science institutions released the sobering findings of the biggest study of continental bird populations ever conducted—since 1970, the U.S. and Canada have lost almost 3 billion birds, more than 1 in 4 birds lost in just the past 50 years.

Stories soon followed in all the major national newspapers and news outlets: New York Times (front page), USA Today, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune (front page), Los Angeles Times, The Atlantic, and more. The news was covered in the nightly national news broadcasts by NBC, CBS and CBC, and in 2-minute-plus packages on CNN, NBC’s Today Show, and CBS This Morning. NPR dedicated a segment of its Science Friday program to this research and an extended interview with lead-author Ken Rosenberg from the Cornell Lab. Ken conducted more than 60 media interviews as the research paper’s lead author.

Adding to the news coverage, an op-ed by Cornell Lab director John Fitzpatrick—“The Crisis for Birds Is a Crisis for Us All”—provided immediate analysis and context for what these birds declines mean for the greater planet, and people all over the world, as well as ideas for solutions to turn the declines around. Op-eds supporting the science were also published in the Financial Times by former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and The Toronto Star (Canada’s highest circulation weekday newspaper) by Cornell business professor Glen Dowell.

The media weren’t the only ones who took notice of this research. On the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Morgan Griffith held up this research in his comments supporting passage of the Bird-Safe Buildings Act in Congress.

Within a few weeks, this research was being touted again in Washington, D.C. at a Congressional briefing for the new State of the Birds report, which the Cornell Lab took the lead in publishing. The report uses the evidence of a mass decline of more than 3 billion birds to highlight the need for federal support and funding for habitat conservation programs. Cornell Lab scientist Laura Helft spoke at a Congressional briefing about the State of the Birds report and Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA), which would fund wildlife management and recovery of populations using funds from leasing for energy development on federal lands. RAWA is revenue-neutral and would provide funding support for the 400+ species of birds that are covered by at least one state’s management plan. Dr. Helft also met with several key Congressional offices and committees about the State of the Birds report to provide more in-depth information on the importance and significance of both the findings and the promise of the solutions proposed.