Pacific Birds spans from the tropical South Pacific to Arctic Alaska so numerous ecosystems and habitats are included within our boundaries. In North America and the Hawaiian Islands, we include 14 terrestrial and marine Bird Conservation Regions – ecologically distinct regions that are commonly used in the bird conservation community as a geospatial reference. (You can learn more about BCRs here, and see the map of terrestrial BCRs here.) The inclusion of some South Pacific islands adds even more biological diversity to our Joint Venture.
Protecting, restoring and managing habitat is the foremost way that our partners help birds. Learn more below about the key ecosystems & habitats that birds utilize within our three conservation priorities.
Habitat loss is the largest contributor to bird losses. Work with us to provide birds the habitats they need.
Rufous Hummingbird William Garrett © Creative Commons
The Ecosystems & Habitats We Work In
Coastal Dunes and Beaches
Coastal dunes and beach communities face a dynamic, harsh environment that requires plants to have unique survival mechanisms.
Conifer Forest
Conifer forests, including our magnificent temperate rainforests, dominate the Pacific Northwest from California to southeast Alaska.
Estuaries
Estuaries occur where freshwater rivers meet the salt waters of the ocean. They are one of most biologically rich habitats on Earth, thanks to the mixing of nutrients from both the land and sea.
Freshwater Wetlands
Freshwater wetlands are the hallmark of the Pacific Americas Flyway. Wetlands are subject to periodic flooding and are further characterized by their soil type, hydrology and vegetation.
Hawaiian Wetlands
Hawaii’s freshwater wetlands support the Ae’o, or Hawaiian Stilt, and five other species of endemic, endangered waterbirds.
Intertidal Rocky Shorelines
Rocky shorelines along the North Pacific coastline occupy the region between high and low tide. They may be rocky cliffs, boulder rubble, wave-pounded shelves, or sheltered rocky shores.
Oak and Prairie
Oak and prairie ecosystems support a unique suite of specialized birds. They are home to a handful of imperiled species such as Streaked Horned Lark and Oregon Vesper Sparrow.
Pacific Atolls
An atoll is a coral reef island, or islets. They are are characteristically ring-shaped with a central lagoon, and sometimes a central island.
Pelagic
Pelagic habitats, one of many habitats in the marine environment, include the open ocean. Birds that spend time in the pelagic zone must be able to withstand the salt water, wind and waves–and some do for years at a time.