The National Audubon Society has released the first national “The State of the Birds” report documenting the health and abundance of North America’s birds.

The report paints a disturbing picture. Almost 30 percent of North America’s birds are in “significant decline.” The overall state of the birds shows:

• 70 percent of grassland species are in statistically significant declines

• 36 percent of shrub-land birds are declining significantly

• 25 percent of forest bird species are declining significantly

• 13 percent of wetland bird species are declining significantly

• 23 percent of bird species in urban areas are declining significantly

According to the “State of the Birds,” these declines are abnormal. Not part of the natural cyclical rise and fall in bird populations, “statistically significant declines” are due to outside factors such as loss of native grasslands, overgrazing, development of wetlands, bad forest management, invasive species, pollution and poor land use decisions.

“Like the canary in the coal mine warning the miner of danger ahead, birds are an indicator of environmental and human health,” said Audubon President John Flicker. “Birds signal that we are at risk next.” Flicker went on to say, “People created these problems and people can solve them if we act now.”