Puffins and turtle doves are now at risk of extinction

Atlantic puffins, European turtle doves, Slavonian grebes and pochards have all been placed on the global Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species for birds.

The most common risk these birds face is habitat loss, with swathes of grasslands, forests and more being destroyed at an alarming rate. Just one species has managed to wriggle out of the endangered category. The inclusion of these birds indicate that they are in danger of facing risk of global extinction.

Another 14 species in Britain are considered as Near Threatened, meaning the next step would be the Red List if numbers decline further.

Curlew Sandpiper

Two other wetland birds, Horned Grebe and Common Pochard have been uplisted from Least Concerned to Vulnerable.

Dr Richard Gregory, the RSPB's head of species monitoring, said that "the red listing is driven by the declines in Europe, where most of the population is, particularly in Iceland and Norway", according to the Guardian. Scientists from the RSPB and different BirdLife Worldwide companions are attempting to determine the explanations for the decline within the United Kingdom and Europe.

However, breeding failures in some important colonies over the past few years have been worryingly high.

As well as Atlantic puffins and European turtle doves, Slavonian grebes and pochards have also been marked as vulnerable to extinction. Recent information collated from across Europe indicates that this duck has declined significantly in recent years and that this decline is ongoing.

Martin Harper, RSPB conservation director, warned that extinctions happening globally are "now lapping" at United Kingdom shores, emphasizing numerous challenges in the country's wildlife. The tropics always had the highest rate of extinction, especially on smaller islands.

At the same time, 23 species were downlisted. The situation of Endangered and the Critically Endangered category birds should be looked at very seriously. This was revealed in the latest "red list" of species nearing extinction prepared by the global Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The warbler has been moved back from the "vulnerable" to "near threatened", due to revitalization of its natural habitat. For instance, Red Knot, which is usually found in coastal areas, mudflats and sandy beaches, is facing several threats like destruction of coastal ecosystems, land reclamation, pollution, over-exploitation of its main prey - shellfish - and illegal hunting. Great knot is threatened by degradation and loss of wetland habitat. Of the new additions, five have been uplisted from the Least Concerned to the Near Threatened category, a sign of increased threat.

"Conservation efforts are also being directed at their wintering grounds in Africa and along their migration route".