Recognition that a cooperative, nonadversarial conservation approach was required to address bird and habitat issues at a continental scale led to the formation in 1990 of Partners in Flight/Compañeros en Vuelo/Partenaires d'Envol. This voluntary, nonadvocacy, international coalition was originally dedicated to reversing declines of Neotropical migratory songbirds, but soon expanded its mission to include all landbirds.

The Partners in Flight (PIF) mission is expressed through three related concepts:

• Helping species at risk. Species exhibiting warning signs today must be conserved before they become imperiled. Allowing species to become threatened or endangered results in long-term and costly recovery efforts whose success is often not guaranteed. Species that have attained endangered or threatened status must not only be protected from extinction, but also must be recovered.

• Keeping common birds common. Native birds, both resident and migratory, must be retained in healthy numbers throughout their natural ranges. Humans have a responsibility to be good stewards of species that are fundamental to the integrity of North America's diverse and unique ecosystems.

• Voluntary partnerships for birds, habitat, and people. A central premise of PIF is that the resources of public and private organizations throughout the Americas must be combined, coordinated, and increased in order to acheive success in conserving bird populations in this hemisphere. The power of PIF lies in the synergy that builds when diverse, committed partners who care about birds work together for a common goal.

  For more information on Partners in Flight or to receive copies of the recently published North American Landbird Conservation Plan, visit the PIF website.

  A list of organizations and agencies and individuals active in Partners in Flight nationwide is available from the American Bird Conservacy.