Arvind Panjabi

Canaries in the Mine: 3 Billion Birds Lost. Can we get them back?

Thursday, September 2, 2021 - 6:30pm to 7:45pm
  • Library Hall
A talk by Avian Conservation Scientist Arvind Panjabi for the 10th annual Yampa Valley Crane Festival

Masks are required to attend this live event in Library Hall.

Arvind Panjabi will present the science behind a landmark article published in Science that documented the loss of 3 billion birds from North America over the last 50 years. As one of the peer-reviewed paper's authors, Panjabi will discuss the paper's impacts and key findings regarding which bird species and major ecosystems have suffered the greatest declines, and those that have gained the most. His presentation will also focus on what we can do to try to bring these birds back, both nationally and in our own backyards, and what bird conservationists are doing to attempt to reverse these declines.

About the Speaker

Arvind Panjabi is a Senior Research Scientist at Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, where he works to conserve the birds of western North America through an integrated approach of science, education and stewardship. He has spent much of his 21-year career at Bird Conservancy developing partnerships and local capacity to advance bird conservation in Latin America, especially in the grasslands of northern Mexico, and has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles on the ecology and conservation of North American birds, including the landmark paper "Decline of the North American Avifauna," published in Science in 2019. Panjabi has also worked closely with Partners in Flight for 20 years to identify and coordinate bird conservation priorities among agencies and organizations across North America. When not in the field, office or traveling, Panjabi enjoys watching birds, playing music and spending time at home in the Larimer County foothills with his wife Susan and two teenage boys.

About the Yampa Valley Crane Festival: Sept. 2-5, 2021

The Greater Sandhill Crane is an iconic species of the Yampa Valley. Returning in the spring, cranes nest and raise their young in wetland areas throughout the valley. In late summer and early fall, hundreds of cranes from the Rocky Mountain flock join the local birds to rest and feed before continuing their journey south. The Yampa Valley Crane Festival celebrates these iconic birds with daily crane viewings, expert speakers, films, art exhibits, workshops, family activities and more. Bud Werner Memorial Library is festival headquarters and the venue for many of these talks, films and events. Learn more about the 10th annual Yampa Valley Crane Festival.