Environmentalists on Wednesday sought Endangered Species Act protections for a Southwestern desert-loving bird called the LeConte’s thrasher.
In a petition filed with the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Center for Biological Diversity contended that suburban sprawl and other regional threats in Southern California, Nevada and Arizona put the species at risk of extinction.
“LeConte’s thrashers are secretive, adaptable birds who’ve been able to thrive in dry deserts with sparse vegetation,” Jeff Miller, a senior conservation advocate at the CBD, said in a statement, adding that “they can’t cope with the pervasive sprawl development and rapid climate change that’s destroying their habitat.”
According to the petition, LeConte’s thrashers have lost nearly 70 percent of their U.S. population over the past 50 years.
