Three migratory shorebirds of the Americas proposed for listing on CMS Appendix I | CMS

Three long-distance migratory shorebirds of the Americas have been formally proposed for inclusion in Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), which lists migratory species threatened with extinction and requires strict protection and coordinated international conservation action.

Due to severe population declines across their ranges, these proposals concern: the Hudsonian Whimbrel (~70% decline over three generations), the Hudsonian Godwit (>95% decline since 1980), and the Lesser Yellowlegs (~60% decline over three generations). In all three species, declines are driven by habitat loss and degradation along flyways, together with hunting pressure and climate change. All three will be discussed at the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CMS (COP15), to be held in Campo Grande, Brazil, in March 2026.

The full listing proposals are available on the CMS COP15 document portal:
https://www.cms.int/cop15docs#proposals-for-amendment-of-cms-appendices

Inclusion in CMS Appendix I recognises a migratory species as threatened with extinction and requires strict protection by all CMS Parties, including prohibiting deliberate take, conserving and restoring critical habitats, and addressing threats across the entire migratory range. For wide-ranging shorebirds such as these, Appendix I listing primarily aims to strengthen international coordination and align conservation action across flyways. The IWSG supports these proposed listings, recognising them as an important step towards improved international cooperation and more effective conservation of declining migratory shorebirds.

The upcoming discussions at COP15 will therefore be of high relevance to the shorebird research and conservation community, particularly those working along the Americas flyways.

 

Featured image: ©Tom Benson on flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/40928097@N07/.