Data on historical extinction and current endangerment in non-passerine birds were used to assess associations between vulnerability to human impacts and genus size, range size, and insular endemism. Consistent with the results of previous studies, historical extinction was more frequent in species from monotypic genera, even when other factors were controlled for statistically. By contrast, current endangerment showed no such pattern when other factors were controlled for. Both historical extinction and current endangerment were more frequent in species with restricted ranges and for insular species. Moreover, insular species with restricted ranges were especially vulnerable to current endangerment. Changes between the patterns of historical extinction and current endangerment are likely due to changes in the nature of human impacts over the past 500 years, especially the recent trend toward wholesale habitat destruction.