The Red List Index for internationally traded bird species 1988–2004

Red List Index (RLI) for internationally traded species, showing trends driven by international trade (or its control and management) compared to trends driven by other factors combined (e.g. habitat loss), for the proportion of species expected to remain extant in the near future without additional conservation action; n=3,736 non-Data Deficient species. Butchart (2008).

One third (3,337) of living bird species have been recorded as traded internationally, all for the pet trade, although some are internationally traded for additional purposes (Butchart 2008). Of these species, 266 are considered globally threatened (8% of those internationally traded), with unsustainable exploitation implicated as a threat for over half of these (152; BirdLife International 2008). Taking all internationally traded species, factors related to international trade (unsustainable levels or successful control or management of such trade) have caused an overall deterioration in their extinction risk. Although some species have improved in status through successful control of unsustainable trapping and trade and/or improved harvest and trade management (e.g. Lear’s Macaw Anodorhynchus leari, Imperial Amazon Amazona imperialis), these improvements have been outweighed by the number of species that have deteriorated in status owing to inadequate trade management or implementation of trade controls (e.g. Saker Falcon Falco cherrug, Yellow-crested Cockatoo Cacatua sulphurea). Hence the Red List Index showing trends driven by international trade or its management and control also shows a negative slope (see figure). However, this is outweighed by trends driven by factors other than international trade (Butchart 2008).