The number of snowy owls has reduced dramatically, the research has found.Imago/ZUMA

This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

Bird populations across North America are falling most quickly in areas where they are most abundant, according to new research, prompting fears of ecological collapse in previously protected areas.

Analysis of nearly 500 bird species across North America has found that three-quarters are declining across their ranges, with two-thirds of the total shrinking significantly.

The study, published in the journal Science, indicates that former strongholds for bird species are no longer safe, particularly in grasslands, drylands, and the Arctic.

Some of the study results suggest that we are “seeing fundamental changes to the environments around........

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