Skip to content

Destinations
Birds
Field Guides
Learn
Gear
- Gear guides
- Binocular selectorFive questions, one answer
Journal

Plan a trip

Search the site

Try a bird, a place or a month: "hornbill", "Costa Rica", "shorebirds".

Home
Glossary

Conservation

IUCN Red List

The global assessment of extinction risk, with categories from Least Concern to Extinct.

Threatened categories are Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered.

Conservation

Related terms

Bottleneck A place where migrating birds are funnelled together, such as a strait, isthmus or mountain pass.

Altitudinal migration Seasonal movement up and down mountains rather than north and south.

Stopover site A place where migrating birds rest and refuel on their journey.

Endemic A species found naturally in only one area, such as a single country, island or mountain range.

Important Bird Area A site identified by BirdLife International as globally important for birds, using standard criteria.

Flyway The whole area used by a migratory bird population, from breeding to non-breeding grounds.

The Ornithology

The Ornithology is an independent guide for birders, guides and researchers: where to go, what you will see, and how birds live.

Explore

Destinations
Birds
Field guides
Gear

Learn

Bird Biology course
Glossary
Bird migration
Birding terminology

The Ornithology

Privacy Policy
Disclaimer
Contact

© 2026 The Ornithology. Photos are credited on each page. Taxonomy follows AviList.