An Ethiopian lark, a Galapagos finch and a newly discovered Colombian hummingbird have been placed on the world's most endangered species list, an environmental group announced on Thursday.

Populations of common birds are declining worldwide, and the effort to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010 is likely to fail due to reluctance to commit what are often trivial sums in terms of national budgets, according to conservation group BirdLife International on Monday.

HUNDREDS of bird species are facing extinction around the world, conservationists warned yesterday. Once-common UK birds such as the cuckoo, turtle dove and nightingale are among those identified by Birdlife International as suffering dangerously large falls in numbers.

By MICHAEL CASEY BANGKOK, Thailand - An international conservation group launched an ambitious plan Thursday to raise millions of dollars to help save 189 endangered bird species over the next five years.

An international conservation group launched an ambitious plan Thursday to raise tens of millions of dollars to save 189 endangered birds over the next five years by protecting their habitat and raising public awareness about their plight.