Watersheds of the World - Endemic Bird Areas
| Analytical Overview |
| This digital dataset, provided by BirdLife International, was overlaid with the watershed boundaries in the GIS. A polygon or cluster of polygons represents each of the 218 endemic bird areas worldwide. Some EBAs overlap. The number of endemic bird areas was calculated by counting the number of different bird areas that fall either partially or totally within each watershed. Forest ecosystems in the tropics and subtropics are better represented by the EBAs than other ecosystems such as desert ecosystems and grasslands. |
Map Projection
Robinson
Map Description
In an attempt to prioritize areas of particular conservation importance to birds, BirdLife International has identified 218 endemic bird areas (EBAs) worldwide (Stattersfield et al., 1998:24). Endemic bird areas refer to land areas where landbird species with restricted ranges (i.e., global breeding ranges of less than 50,000 square kilometers) tend to occur together. More than one quarter of all birds of the world have restricted breeding ranges. Restricted-range birds include 816 species currently classified as threatened, which represents more than one half of all restricted-range birds and 74 percent of all threatened bird species. This map shows the number of EBAs by major watershed. Sizes of EBAs vary widely, from tiny islands of a few square kilometers to large mountain ranges, which cover over 600,000 square kilometers. Most EBAs are less than 30,000 square kilometers, however. The majority of EBAs support between two and ten restricted-range species, but a few outstanding EBAs support 50 species or more. Nearly half of all EBAs are estimated to have lost more than 50 percent of their key habitats and more than 10 percent have lost over 90 percent. The relevance of EBAs to conservation goes beyond restricted-range bird species. Analysis by BirdLife International has established that EBAs partially encompass the ranges of many widespread threatened bird species and that they include the key habitats and sites for many more widespread species, including some important migrant species.
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Citation:
Revenga, C., S. Murray, J. Abramovitz, and A. Hammond, 1998. Watersheds of the World: Ecological Value and Vulnerability. Washington, DC: World Resources Institute.
Sources:
- Stattersfield, A.J., M.J. Crosby, A.J. Long, and D.C. Wege. 1998. Endemic Bird Areas of the World: Priorities for Biodiversity Conservation.Birdlife Conservation SeriesNo. 7: