Seavy, N. E. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2026

Operationalizing site-level conservation for migratory birds across the Americas flyways

Conserving migratory birds effectively requires full annual cycle strategies that identify where on-the-ground efforts can have the greatest impact. Here, we present a hemispheric spatial framework to identify priority areas for 112 migratory bird species across the Americas. Building on full annual cycle prioritizations, we defined finer-scale spatial planning units that reflect differences in migratory and congregational behaviors between shorebirds and landbirds. We compiled population data for each planning unit and focal species and applied conservation planning tools to design area-efficient portfolios of sites and landscapes that secure 10% of each species population within the Americas flyways. The resulting minimum area portfolios include 175 shorebird sites and 80 landbird landscapes optimized to meet the species-specific 10% representation targets across breeding, non-breeding, and passage seasons. We also identified a broader set of complementary solutions, ranked by an importance score, to provide decision-makers with flexible options for strategic resource allocation. This framework provides the scientific foundation for the Americas Flyways Initiative (AFI), which aims to catalyze investment in nature-based solutions and bird-friendly infrastructure to enhance the conservation of migratory birds and strengthen the resilience of the Americas flyways by 2050.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2023

A framework for linking hemispheric, full annual cycle prioritizations to local conservation actions for migratory birds

The conservation of migratory birds poses a fundamental challenge: their conservation requires coordinated action across the hemisphere, but those actions must be designed and implemented locally. To address this challenge, we describe a multi-level framework for linking broad-scale, full annual cycle prioritizations to local conservation actions for migratory birds. We developed hemisphere-scale spatial prioritizations for the full annual cycle of migratory birds that breed in six different ecosystems in North America. The full annual cycle prioritizations provide a hemispheric context within which regional priorities can be identifieed. Finer resolution, regional prioritizations can then inform local conservation actions more effectively. We describe the importance of local conservation practitioner contributions at each level of the process and provide two examples of regional spatial prioritizations that were developed to guide local action. The fierst example focused on coastal North and South Carolina, USA, and used information on marsh birds, shorebirds, ecological integrity, and co-benefiets for people to identify Cape Romain, South Carolina as a high-priority site for conservation action. The second example in Colombia used information on migrant and resident birds to identify the Cauca Valley as a high priority site. The multi-level conceptual framework we describe is one pathway for identifying sites for implementation of local conservation actions that are guided by conservation priorities for migratory birds across their full annual cycle.

ecology↗