Written by Bryan Watts
June 11, 2008
The Important Bird Areas (IBA) program is a science-based initiative to identify, conserve, and monitor sites that provide essential habitat for bird populations.

Tidal brackish marsh along Pamunkey River, Virginia. Photo by Bryan Watts.

Developed in Europe, the program has expanded to become an international network of conservation sites. Under this initiative, sites that are critical for the long-term survival of bird populations have been identified across the globe using internationally agreed-upon criteria.

The quality and effectiveness of this conservation network depends directly on the information resources and expertise used in its development. The Center for Conservation Biology is one of the largest producers of information resources in the mid-Atlantic region that are used for avian conservation.

A king rail stalking its prey in a marsh. Photo by Bryan Watts.