World Migratory Bird Day – May 9/2020

Context:

• World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is observed globally on the second Saturday of May month.

About the day:

• The day aims to bring attention to the threats faced by migratory birds, their ecological importance.
• It also aims to raise awareness about the increasing need for international cooperation to conserve them.
• Migratory birds rely on their natural habitats for food, shelter, and nesting. Various issues including Unsustainable agricultural practices and infrastructural pressures cause the habitats of migratory species to shrink.
•  The use of pesticides also poses great threats to the birds.
  Furthermore, stop-over-sites have seen increased competition, especially where bird densities are high and food supplies have depleted.
• As stopover sites continue to be exposed to degradation and human expansion, this competition is likely to increase, harming migratory birds greatly.
  Also, the collision of birds with artificial man-made structures has posed a threat to over 350 species of migratory birds, especially the birds that fly at night.
• Structures made of glass and other reflective material can cause the death of more birds than almost any other human-related mortality factor.
• The increased building of wind turbines in flight paths, especially near wetlands, and expanded power lines near sites where birds congregate have also resulted in high bird mortality rates.
• Migratory birds need a network of intact habitats along their entire migration routes to survive.
• Many multilateral environment treaties such as the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) are essential to protect migratory birds on their international journeys. 
• Protected trans-boundary habitat corridors can be created to benefit the migratory birds and other migratory wildlife, specifically at the landscape scale. Also, networks of critical sites key to migration need to be safeguarded and managed properly.

Theme:  “Birds Connect Our World.” 

• The theme 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.