Conserva Aves

Conserva Aves is a hemispheric initiative designed to accelerate the protection of critical habitats for birds across Latin America and the Caribbean—one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, home to more than 3,400 bird species and over 340 migratory species that depend on habitats across the Americas.

Despite this richness, significant conservation gaps remain. Only about 40 percent of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) currently have some level of protection, and existing protected areas adequately cover the ranges of just 9 percent of migratory bird species.

To help close these gaps, Conserva Aves brings together leading conservation organizations—including American Bird Conservancy, Audubon, BirdLife International, Birds Canada, and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC)—to scale effective, locally driven conservation where it is needed most.

Conserva Aves is working to catalyze the establishment of more than 100 new subnational protected areas, contributing to the conservation of over 2 million hectares (4.9 million acres) of critical habitat, while advancing the effective management of millions of hectares already under protection across the region.

A core component of this initiative is investment in community-led conservation. Through open calls for proposals and targeted funding mechanisms, the initiative supports local organizations, Indigenous communities, and civil society groups through a combination of matching grants, dedicated equity funding, technical assistance, and long-term mentorship to establish and manage protected areas.

Initial support from the Bezos Earth Fund—including a $12 million grant—helped launch Conserva Aves and catalyze early conservation efforts in priority regions such as the Tropical Andes. This investment has been complemented by additional funding from multiple partners and donors, enabling the initiative to expand its reach and scale its impact across the region.

Complementary efforts, including a project supported by Global Affairs Canada (approximately US$11 million), are expanding the initiative’s reach across multiple countries, supporting community-led conservation actions, strengthening governance, and improving collaboration along migratory bird flyways.

Today, Conserva Aves is being implemented across multiple countries in Latin America—including Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, and Bolivia—with continued expansion into countries such as Brazil. By combining science-based prioritization with local leadership, the initiative is building a connected network of protected areas that helps link critical habitats along migratory flyways and strengthens conservation efforts at a continental scale—benefiting birds, biodiversity, and the communities who depend on these landscapes.

To date, Conserva Aves has supported 179 natural areas where birds and their ecosystems are protected, with 3 million hectares in effective subnational conservation processes—surpassing its initial 2-million-hectare goal. The initiative has also supported 33 legally recognized protected areas, representing more than 750,000 hectares with legal backing and clear management pathways. Across the region, Conserva Aves is helping protect more than 1,600 bird species, including 92 species at risk, while supporting 97 projects, 99 partner organizations, more than 500 communities, and over 51,000 people through training, sustainable livelihoods, and strengthened territorial governance. Additional results, project stories, and multimedia content can be explored through the Conserva Aves web site, dashboard  and digital platforms like youtube and instagram .

High Priority Sites in the Americas

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