World Migratory Bird Day / Convention on Migratory Species
World Migratory Bird Day -- 10 October 2020
World Migratory Bird Day is an annual awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. It has a global outreach and is an effective tool to help raise global awareness of the threats faced by migratory birds, their ecological importance, and the need for international cooperation to conserve them.
Every year people around the world take action and organize public events such as bird festivals, education programmes, exhibitions and bird-watching excursions to celebrate.
The theme, “Birds Connect Our World", highlights the importance of conserving and restoring the ecological connectivity and integrity of ecosystems that support the natural movements of migratory birds and that are essential for their survival and well-being.
What can be done to prevent the problem?
Migratory birds need a network of intact habitats along their entire migration routes to survive. Increased global action through multilateral environment treaties, such as the Convention on Migratory Species and the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement, are essential to protect migratory birds on their international journeys. Creating protected trans-boundary habitat corridors would be of great benefit to migratory birds and other migratory wildlife, specifically at the landscape scale.
In addition, networks of critical sites key to migration need to be safeguarded and managed properly. Supporting Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), as described by BirdLife International, provides migratory birds with the necessary feeding, breeding, nesting and sheltering grounds that are needed during their long flights.
Virtual events and a wave of online interactions are expected to take place in countries around the world in celebration of World Migratory Bird Day, with educational programmes being offered online by many organizations including schools, parks, zoos, forests, wildlife refuges, wetlands centres, museums and libraries.
More information: