From the Audubon – Wetlands in the Central Valley of California are the backbone of the Pacific Flyway. These wetlands, along with flooded agricultural fields, support 60 percent of California’s migratory birds as they journey to wintering and breeding grounds.
The Central Valley used to be a vast mosaic of seasonal wetlands, permanent wetlands, upland, and riverside forests that supported a diversity of wildlife.
But today, the situation is dire. Over 90 percent of wetlands in the Central Valley have been destroyed. The number of birds in North America have dropped by one-third over the past fifty years, likely due in large part to loss of suitable habitat.