IUCN Red List protects avian genetic diversity

Despite well-established links between low genetic diversity and extinction processes, intra-specific genetic diversity is rarely considered in global conservation assessments, potentially leading to biased estimates of species’ extinction risk. We show that birds ranked as “threatened” by the IUCN Red List have lower intra-specific genetic diversity than “non-threatened” species, confirming that threat criteria, used by the IUCN, effectively protect genetically depleted species. However, some “non-threatened” species harbour low levels of genetic diversity, indicating an undetected vulnerability to global change. Global conservation assessments will benefit from explicitly integrating relevant genetic and genomic diversity-based measures in estimates of species’ extinction risk.