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.