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The Important Bird Areas Program aims to protect all bird species and all habitats, and to keep common birds common.

Through working with Audubon chapters, landowners, public agencies, community groups, and other partners, Audubon strives to interest and engage a broader network of supporters in working towards the conservation and proper management of these Important Bird Areas.

Looking ahead, Audubon will continue to work towards completing the inventory of all the Important Bird Areas in the U.S. and focusing conservation activities at these sites, through the efforts of state programs and national coordination.

Information about U.S. Important Bird Areas can now be queried through an interactive IBA Search Tool. In addition, a summary of IBA efforts at the state level and sites for each state can be accessed through the map on our homepage. Many states have published their IBA inventories and made information available through books, technical reports, maps, and other forms as well.

We are striving to develop more tools to facilitate promotion of efforts and data sharing, for more effective conservation planning at regional, national, and international scales.

Goals of the IBA Program:

• complete the inventory of IBAs across the U.S.
• integrate IBA data into the global dataset
• maximize the use and dissemination of IBA data
• promote sensible management of IBAs
• increase the protected status of IBAs
• involve local communities, conservation groups, landowners, and the general public
• monitor IBAs to understand changes and provide feedback for conservation initiatives

Updated September 2008