This year’s campaign
will focus on “Land use changes from a bird’s-eye
view”. By highlighting this theme, we want to raise
awareness on the dramatic effects human land use has on
migratory birds and the ecosystems upon which they depend.

Every year, more and more
of the sites migratory birds need during their journeys
either diminish or disappear completely. The majority of
damage is caused by human use of land and has a direct
impact on migratory bird populations, which are particularly
sensitive to any interference to the sites they use throughout
their migratory cycle. For example, urbanization, intensive
agriculture and deforestation can all damage the complex
networks of habitats migratory birds use along their annual
migration paths. While human survival depends on these
transformations of natural areas, a sustainable use of
land is vital to reduce the impacts on our natural resources,
such as water, soil, nutrients, plants and animals – including
migratory birds.

Please join us and others around the world and participate
in World Migratory Bird Day on May 14-15, 2011 by organizing
bird-watching events, educational programmes, lectures,
art exhibitions and other public events. However you decide
to participate, your contribution will help make this campaign
a success!

We encourage all event organizers to register their events
on the WMBD website: www.worldmigratorybirdday.org

To help support WMBD 2011
events, we have produced posters, stickers and postcards
(English-language versions are available). Free copies
can be ordered from the UNEP/AEWA Secretariat and we are
also happy to provide the original design files on a CD-Rom
for translation or adaptation, as necessary.

World Migratory Bird Day is a global initiative devoted
to celebrating migratory birds and for promoting their
conservation worldwide. It is organized by the Secretariats
of the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA)
and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) – two
international wildlife treaties administered by the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This year’s
campaign is being financially supported by the German Federal
Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear
Safety (BMU), which we acknowledge with gratitude.

To order the WMBD poster, stickers and postcards, or
for more information please contact:

Ms. Dunia Sforzin

Information Assistant

UNEP/AEWA Secretariat

Tel: +49 (0)228 815 2454

Fax: +49 (0)228 815 2450

E-mail: contact@worldmigratorybirdday.org

Further Information:

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD)

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is a global
initiative devoted to celebrating migratory birds and for
promoting their conservation worldwide. It is being organised
by the Secretariats of the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird
Agreement (AEWA) and the Convention on Migratory Species
(CMS) – two international wildlife treaties administered
by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – and
a growing number of partners.

People and dedicated organisations around the
world will be using the event to draw attention to migratory
birds that are threatened by extinction. Activities to mark WMBD
include bird festivals and bird watching trips, public discussions,
exhibitions, presentations, bird rallies and other educational
and public events.

Event organizers are encouraged to register
their events on the WMBD website and can order the WMBD 2011
poster and other information materials to support their events
by writing to: contact@worldmigratorybirdday.org

For more information please visit: www.worldmigratorybirdday.org