More than 1,400 bird species may have become extinct! Will human society be bird-free in the future?

Science and Technology Daily, Beijing, December 21 (Reporter Zhang Mengran) A new study found that human activities have "wiped out" more than 1,400 bird species, twice as many as previously thought, which has a significant impact on the ongoing biodiversity crisis. The study, led by the UK Center for Ecology and Hydrology and published in the latest issue of Nature Communications, used statistical models to estimate undetected bird extinctions.

Many islands in the world were once bird paradises, but deforestation, overhunting and the introduction of invasive species have had a profound impact on the environment. Since the 16th century, many bird extinctions have been recorded, but before that, people's understanding of the fate of species was very limited and could not reflect the true extent of the extinction.

New research shows that human activities have had a much greater impact on bird diversity than previously thought. Humans have rapidly devastated bird populations by causing loss of habitat through overdevelopment and introducing rats, pigs and dogs that raid bird nests and compete with them for food. Many bird species became extinct before written records began, leaving no trace behind.

The world could lose not only many fascinating birds, but also their associated ecological roles, including key functions such as seed dispersal and pollination, the researchers said. This has a cascading, detrimental effect on ecosystems. So, in addition to losing birds, people will also lose many plants and animals that depend on birds for survival.

The study shows that 640 bird species have become extinct since the late Pleistocene, 90% of which have become extinct on inhabited islands. They include the iconic dodo of Mauritius, the great auk of the North Atlantic, and the little-known giant hoopoe of St. Helena. The researchers estimate that another 790 unknown bird species have become extinct, meaning a total of 1,430 bird species have disappeared.

The team also discovered a massive vertebrate extinction event that occurred in the 14th century: an estimated 570 bird species disappeared after humans first arrived in the eastern Pacific, including Hawaii and the Cook Islands.

An earlier study showed that humans face the risk of losing up to 700 species of birds in the next few hundred years.