World Migratory Bird Day 2009 focuses on obstacles to migration

The Secretariats of the African-Eurasian
Migratory Waterbird Agreement (UNEP/AEWA)
and the Convention on Migratory Species (UNEP/CMS)
are glad to announce the countdown for World Migratory Bird
Day 2009. The two-day awareness raising campaign will take
place globally for the fourth consecutive year from 9-10
May 2009.

This year the central theme
of World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD)
is “BARRIERS TO MIGRATION”,
highlighting the threat posed by man-made obstacles to birds
during their annual migration.

Year by year in autumn and
spring majestic flocks of migratory birds depart for their
long journeys following the call of nature and the paths
of their ancestors. For some, it is a long, exhaustive and
often dangerous journey, stretching thousands of kilometers.
Along their way migratory birds face a number of natural
and man-made obstacles. They have to cope with scarcity
of food, shrinking areas as stopover sites, predators, hostile
weather, huge mountains and the expansion of the seas and
deserts and other natural barriers.

Yet, humans have created additional
obstacles to further complicate their journeys. Each year
the number of man-made structures such as power lines, wind
farms, television and mobile phone transmission masts, glass
windows, tall buildings and other structures continues to
grow irrespective of the migratory routes and the important
sites used by migratory birds.

These man-made structures cause collisions
that can result in fatalities. Many birds, especially those
which migrate during the night, do not recognize these obstacles
and collide with power lines, crash into glass windows or
hit the rotating blades of wind turbines. They stay away
from their regular stopover-sites when they are covered
with wind farms or get off course when attracted by lights
from communication masts and towers. Losses resulting from
such bird-strikes account for huge numbers of dead and injured
birds every year.

Logo: World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD)This year World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD)
aims to raise awareness on some of these man-made barriers
to migration by encouraging national authorities, Non-Governmental
Organisations (NGOs), clubs and societies, universities,
schools and individuals around the world to organize events
and awareness-raising programs which help draw attention
to the many man-made obstacles migratory birds face during
their migration.

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD)
was launched in 2006 by the Secretariats of the African-Eurasian
Waterbird Agreement and the Convention on Migratory Species,
two United Nations Environment Programme-backed environmental
treaties dedicated to the conservation of migratory waterbirds
and the world's other migratory avian, terrestrial and marine
species.

With this year's theme, the organizers
intend to help raise awareness on some of the man-made barriers
migratory birds face during migration and provide a global
platform for people and dedicated organizations to take
action for the conservation of migratory birds.

For more information please visit:
www.worldmigratorybirdday.org

Last updated on 16 June 2014