BREAKING NEWS
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California Endangered Species Review Recommended for Desert Thrashers
SACRAMENTO, Calif.— In response to Center for Biological Diversity petitions, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife this week recommended that the state’s wildlife commission review whether to protect two declining species of desert songbirds — Bendire’s thrasher and LeConte’s thrasher — under the California Endangered Species Act.
“This is an important step toward much-needed state protection for desert thrashers, who’re edging closer to extinction as their numbers rapidly decline,” said Jeff Miller, a senior conservation advocate at the Center. “These secretive songbirds have been hammered by reckless development and climate change, which have reduced their sparse habitats in Southern California deserts. The state’s recommendation could be a lifeline.”
The department found there was compelling evidence in the 2025 petitions to trigger a review for state protections for the two species of thrashers. If the California Fish and Game Commission accepts the petitions at its April meeting, it would start a review of both species and move them closer to state protection.
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