Bonn, 7 September 2012 - Accra, capital and largest city of Ghana was the setting for the first workshop on migratory landbirds of Africa and Eurasia organized by the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).

Forty participants from Africa, Asia and Europe gathered for the workshop; mainly global experts on ornithology who during the three days of the meeting discussed the species to be covered, the range of the migration and the action that will need to be taken in order to conserve these small migratory birds. The meeting worked on a draft Action Plan containing measures that will be implemented to protect the habitats and the migration flyways conserving important stopover and breeding sites, key for the survival of the species. The protection of landbird habitats will, in turn, help to conserve many other species of flora and fauna.

These birds spend the greater part of their life in Africa and return north to breed. Some species winter on the Indian subcontinent or in south-east Asia. They connect different continents and peoples and have permeated cultures for centuries. Well known as insect eaters - together with fruit, seed or grain, insects are part of their diet - they are essential in pest control.

Migratory landbirds have suffered severe population declines, such as several species of warblers, Sylviidae, the European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, the Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, the Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe, the Whinchat Saxicola rubetra, the Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos, the European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur turtur and the European Bee-eater Merops apiaster. Many landbirds species are already listed in CMS Appendices I and II.

The proposed Action Plan is the answer to a request made in Resolution 10.27 during the last Conference of the Parties of CMS. A Working Group has been established under the Scientific Council to steer the production and implementation of the Action Plan. During the workshop in Accra Mr. Olivier Biber (Switzerland) and Mr. Alfred Oteng Yeboah (Ghana) were appointed as Chair and Vice-Chair. The Working Group will further develop the Action Plan and submit a final version to COP11 where the Plan will be presented for adoption.