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In North Carolina, the wood thrush is one of five species that the state Audubon organization has signaled out for special conservation attention. The others are the piping plover -- which is on the federal endangered species list -- and the seaside sparrow at the coast, the Bachman's sparrow in the sandhills and the golden-winged warbler in the mountains.

Near the coast, the seaside sparrow bathes in shallow salt marshes as sea levels rise and development cuts off its habitat.

Just 61 pairs of piping plovers were counted at the Outer Banks this year, Smalling said.

In the sandhills, the Bachman's sparrow searches for space among the pines as the fires it used to thrive on are increasingly suppressed.

And in the mountains, the golden-winged warbler is, like other birds, seeing its habitat affected by development and air pollution.

Other bird species fell off the group's watch list because they have recovered.

And one endangered species in North Carolina, the red-cockaded woodpecker, isn't among the state's top concerns because its population has stabilized, Smalling said.

Conservationists said they want to get organizations, bird watchers and government agencies focused on the same list of species in need.

"These birds will continue to decline and eventually fade into extinction if we do not act to make the watch list an action agenda," said Greg Butcher, director of bird conservation with Audubon.

The group has pushed for national legislation in Washington. In Congress, for example, the Senate is considering funding a program in the farm bill that helps farmers protect habitats for threatened bird species.

It also encourages conservation partnerships, pointing to success stories in major cities such as Chicago and Toronto.

"Even city dwellers live in nature," Butcher said. "It turns out that what's good for birds ends up being very, very important for humans."

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