MEDIA ADVISORY

What:  World Migratory Bird Day (www.worldmigratorybirdday.org)

When: 9 May 2020 (and 10 October 2020)             

Where: World Migratory Bird Day is a global campaign celebrated around the world on two peak days each year (every second Saturday in May and October)

Who:   The campaign is being organized by the  Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), and the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) - the two UN entities that work on the conservation of migratory birds, and Environment for the Americas (EFTA) a bird  conservation group based in the USA, ]working together to highlight the importance of migratory birds.     

On Saturday, 9 May 2020, people around the world will celebrate World Migratory Bird Day – a global campaign dedicated to raising awareness of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them.

This year’s theme “Birds Connect Our World” highlights the importance of conserving and restoring the ecological connectivity and integrity of ecosystems that support the natural cycles that are essential for the survival and well-being of migratory birds. The theme also underlines the fact that migratory birds are part of our shared natural heritage and depend on a network of sites along their migration routes for breeding, feeding, resting and overwintering.

As a result of COVID 19, events marking World Migratory Bird Day are migrating indoors and online, opening a new dimension to mobilize support for migratory bird conservation across the world.

Highlights around the world include:

Across the Americas virtual events (such as live talks by experts, videos, quizzes, book readings and many other creative activities designed for children) planned for World Migratory Bird Day around the world are being brought together on BirdDayLive, a new online platform developed by EFTA: www.birddaylive.com

Along the African-Eurasian Flyway: The organization Med Migration is conducting a bird count and holding a conference about bird migration focussing on the western French Mediterranean coast. http://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/node/505486

Along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway four groups of artists will conduct an online performance involving music, art, story telling and an account by Milly Formby about her flying adventures with migratory birds: https://www.eaaflyway.net/wmbd2020-virtual-fun-day/

Along the Central Asian Flyway Nature Conservation Society-Myanmar (NCS) will organize a nation-wide online media event WMBD 2020
https://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/node/505525
 

Dedicated organizations, groups and individuals around the wordl will be using the day to highlight their commitment to the conservation of migratory birds through engaging their audiences online. For example, the WWF-led #Connect2Earth initiative is offering a collection of photography and facts about migratory birds for people around the world to enjoy at home: https://connect2earth.org/world-migratory-bird-day-spring-2020/partners-23/

Events have also been registered on the WMBD global event map in a number of countries including in Australia, Malaysia, the Philippines and in the USA.

For more information please contact:

Florian Keil, Coordinator of the Joint Communications Team at the UNEP/CMS and UNEP/AEWA Secretariats, [email protected]