The plight of US bird species is worrisome! According to a new study released on Thursday, about one-third of United States' 800 bird species are endangered, facing the threat of vanishing, witnessing significant decline, with Hawaiian birds facing a "borderline ecological disaster," because of habitat destruction, pollution and other environmental problems.

The State of the Birds report, featuring the most comprehensive study of American bird life, was issued by the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar along with conservation groups and university ornithologists. The report underscores the significant changes in the bird population over the last 40 years.

The report articulates that data and information on US bird species, compiled by government and academic researchers, and contributed by amateur bird-watchers. The report reveals that the population of Wetland birds has surged since 1968; it has surged 60 percent from 40 years ago, but the population of birds in other habitats - forests, grasslands and arid areas - has dwindled as much as 40 percent.

The report notes that the bird species of the Aloha State are most endangered. Hawaii has seen the serious decline in the population of bird species. The report states, "More bird species are vulnerable to extinction in Hawaii than anywhere else in the United States."

According to the report, the Hawaiian Islands had 113 unique bird species that occurred nowhere else on Earth, before the arrival of humans on the islands, about 300 years ago, but after the arrival of humans, 71 species became extinct and 31 are presently listed as threatened or endangered. George Wallace of the American Bird Conservancy, who penned the Hawaii section of the report stated that the new plant and animal species introduced into the Hawaiian ecosystem are responsible for endangering the Hawaiian bird species. "These types of isolated island flora and fauna tend to be very, very sensitive to introductions of foreign organisms," Wallace said.

In an interview, Wallace said, "Most Americans would be surprised that a place that we usually associate with being an idyllic paradise would have so many serious bird conservation problems." John Fitzpatrick of Cornell University called Hawaii a "borderline ecological disaster" and "the epicenter of extinctions and near extinctions."

The report highlights the importance of conserving the nations' wildlife. According to the report, wildlife watching and recreation generate $122 billion annually. Salazar said, "When we talk about birds and we talk about wildlife, we're also talking about the economics of this country…This report should be a call to action."

The report available online at www. stateofthebirds. org states that some bird species, such as the bald eagle, the peregrine falcon, showed significant recovery, after chemical DDT was banned in United States. The report calls for some stern steps from authorities to save the endangered bird species.