Abstract:
Loss of habitats threatens bird populations worldwide. In the 1980s, Birdlife International began a program to identify and protect important bird areas in Europe. The program reached the United States in 1995, and North Carolina launched its program in 1998. To date nearly 90 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) have been designated across the state. Though no legal protection is granted by IBA recognition, still it is a blueprint for wildlife conservation.