African birds of prey show signs of population collapse, researchers say

African raptors that hunt during the day face an extinction crisis, with populations decreasing among dozens of species of birds of prey, researchers said in a study published Thursday. 

Researchers used data from the last 40 years to analyze the populations of 42 of the country's 106 raptor species, they wrote in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. Nearly 90% of the studied species experienced population declines. 

"Africa is at a crossroads in terms of saving its magnificent birds of prey," Dr. Darcy Ogada, one of the study's authors, said in a press release. "In many areas we have watched these species nearly disappear."