The Audubon Society and the American Bird Conservancy announced Wednesday that a quarter of all U.S. bird species are vulnerable to extinction.

The two organizations said that 178 species in the continental U.S. and 39 in Hawaii are listed on “WatchList 2007,” a list that includes the name of the U.S.’ most imperiled birds.

"We call this a 'WatchList,' but it is really a call to action because the alternative is to watch these species slip ever closer to oblivion. Agreeing on which species are at the greatest risk is the first step in building the public policies, funding support, innovative conservation initiatives and public commitment needed to save them," said Audubon Bird Conservation Director Greg Butcher.

Ninety-eight species of this list are on the “red list,” which means they raise the greatest concern among scientists, while the other 119 are in the “yellow’ category, meaning their numbers are significantly declining or the species is rare.

Global warming carries part of the blame. Loss habitat, pollution, invasive species and urban and suburban sprawl number between other causes leading to this situation.

Arctic birds that breed in Canada and Alaska, such as the puff-breasted sandpiper and the snowy owl are losing their tundra habitat due to planet’s warming.

"We're very concerned about those species due to global warming," Butcher said, according to Reuters.

Another reason, which led to this situation, is Bush administration’s policies on endangered species that had not helped at all.

"Unfortunately we've been seven years in an administration that really doesn't believe in the Endangered Species Act, so they've sort of been looking for excuses not to list species that should be added to the act," Butcher said.