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BirdLife International is a global coalition of more than 100 country partner organizations. The IBA Program was initiated by BirdLife International in Europe in the 1980's. Since then, over 8,000 sites in 178 countries have been identified as Important Bird Areas, with many national and regional IBA inventories published in 19 languages. Hundreds of these sites and millions of acres have received better protection as a result of the IBA Program.

(Courtesy: Walker Golder): The IBA Program is: Proactive, not reactive; Voluntary, not regulatory; Participatory, not just for professionals; Science-based and credible.

As the United States Partner of BirdLife International, the National Audubon Society administers the IBA Program in the U.S. Audubon launched its IBA initiative in 1995, establishing programs state by state. State-based IBA programs provide conservation leaders with the flexibility to tailor the program to their individual state needs, and they also give Audubon members and local volunteers the greatest opportunities to protect sites in their communities. Approximately forty-eight states have initiated IBA programs and more than 2,100 state-level IBAs, encompassing over 220 million acres, have been identified. Conservation activities are being conducted at many of these IBAs.

A U.S. IBA Committee has been established to review IBA data and assures the credibility of all IBAs of continental or global significance. Click here to see current list of Global and Continental IBAs.

"IBAs are recognized worldwide and they are rapidly becoming a common
and increasingly valuable currency of site conservation" –
Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, Honorary President of BirdLife International

Last updated March 2008