There are approximately 1,800 bird species in Brazil, which represent 20% of the 9,000 species existing in the world. It is the third country in bird diversity (after Colombia and Peru); however, it is number one in globally threatened birds. Brazil accounts for 120 of the 1,212 threatened birds distributed around the world, including two species already extinct in the wild (the Alagoas Curassow Mitu mitu and the Spix's Macaw Cyanopsitta spixii).

Birds are beautiful, inspirational and international. Many societies value birds for economic, cultural, ethical and spiritual reasons. They are also excellent flagships and vital environmental indicators. In general, places that are rich in bird species are also rich for other forms of biodiversity and have air, soils and watersheds in good conditions.

Birds are part of the Earth's rich biodiversity. This biodiversity is responsible for several ecosystem services – processes that occur in nature such as pollination and water catchment – which benefit all of us at no cost. The maintenance of these vital services depends on our actions towards the conservation of animals, plants and the places where they occur. By conserving birds, we are helping to protect ecosystems and contributing to improve conditions of life for other species and, specially, for people.