Bonn, 4 May 2018 - Birds are integral parts of earth’s ecosystems. They contribute to our planet in significant ways, such as pollination, pest control and tourism, not to mention their cultural and aesthetic value. We are used to enjoying their presence: their amazing journeys inspire us; their arrival marks the awakening of nature in spring with their cheerful songs accompanying our daily lives.

However, what can remain unnoticed by many, is the dangers that they face during their perilous travels. Avian migration is a natural phenomenon that puzzles the scientists up to this day. These feathered travelers overcome the challenges of migration signifying the victory of wildlife over nature’s obstacles.

Sadly, in the last decades the ever-growing human intervention has brought about new unforeseen hardships for these creatures. Coastal development and intensive agriculture has led to destruction and disappearance of the crucial stopover sights disrupting the natural cycle of migration. These brave travelers are threatened by collisions with human structures such as power lines and wind turbines, unsustainable trapping and hunting. Climate change interferes with the delicate seasonal clock that they rely on during their travels. These strong enduring creatures are vulnerable in the face of human intervention.

World Migratory Bird Day is an education campaign that aims to draw attention to these ever-growing threats faced by migratory birds and raise support for their conservation. Every year hundreds of events are organized around the globe to celebrate the wonder of migration, show appreciation to these feathered migrants, and mark their arrival. Birdwatching hikes, exhibitions, festivals, workshops and educational talks are organized to sensitize the local communities and inspire worldwide action.

2018 is special year in the history of WMBD as it now unites two of the world’s leading bird education campaigns - International Migratory Bird Day and World Migratory Bird Day. The new global platform aims to reach out to even wider audiences around the world with an amplified message for migratory bird conservation. From now on, celebrations will take place every second Saturday in May and October, matching the major migration times.

This year’s theme “Unifying Our Voices for Bird Conservation” is dedicated to flyways, and inter-flyway cooperation. By shaping major migration routes, flyways provide an effective framework for bird conservation and a stable platform for international cooperation in the field.

In his video message for the World Migratory Bird Day 2018, AEWA Executive Secretary Jacques Trouvilliez brings to our attention that even familiar and widespread migratory bird species are facing the danger of extinction. Listing education and global cooperation as key solutions, he highlights the urge for immediate international action to reverse the alarming trends of migratory birds’ decline.