Birds in Tennessee and nationwide are vanishing — fast
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A northern bobwhite quail walks through natural grasslands. Photo: Steve Campbell/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
One of Tennessee's state birds, the northern bobwhite quail, is in serious decline, and a new report suggests many other bird species are facing similar threats.
Why it matters: Birds are indicators of the overall health of their habitats and signal early warnings of broader trouble.
- If habitats can't support birdlife, there could be problems for other wildlife — or even humans.
Zoom in: The northern bobwhite quail, Tennessee's game bird, was once abundant statewide. But a 2020 report found that the in-state population had declined more than 5% per year since 1966.
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency attributes the declines to a loss of farmland and other areas suitable for the ground-dwelling birds.
- The state launched a "quail team" in 2017 to develop a plan to rebuild the bobwhite population. Efforts to restore a robust and self-sustaining quail population are ongoing.
The big picture: It's not just the quail. Researchers tracked species nationwide and found declines almost everywhere — even among birds once thought resilient, like waterfowl.
- Roughly one-third of U.S. bird species — 229 in total — are now classified as high or moderate conservation concerns, per the North American Bird Conservation Initiative's 2025 State of the Birds report.
State of play: Dozens of bird species in Tennessee are vulnerable because of population declines. Forests have become quieter as several populations nosedived.
- For instance, golden-winged warblers have become relatively scarce in Tennessee and are listed as a species "In Need of Management."
- The Bachman's sparrow has all but disappeared from the state.
Between the lines: Urban sprawl is a factor in many cases. As new development encroaches on small family farms and wild areas, many once-common birds have become harder to find.
The intrigue: The State of Birds report notes that most forests in the Southeast are on private land, meaning that "voluntary and incentive-based programs" are essential to conservation.
- Landowners can contact biologists with the TWRA to learn about ways to foster healthy bird habitats. Biologists can help connect owners to programs that offer financial assistance for managing wildlife habitats.
What's next: Scientists are calling for bigger investments in habitat protection — particularly on private lands and in partnership with local communities.