World Migratory Bird Day

Migratory Birds in a changing climate. 12-13 May 2007

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is a global initiative devoted to celebrating migratory birds and for promoting their conservation worldwide. This year WMBD will take place on the weekend of 12-13 May and its central theme will be “Migratory birds in a changing climate”.

Climate change has severe consequences for these nomads of the skies; it causes the loss of essential habitats, changes migration patterns and increases competition for food between migrating and resident birds.

The goal of WMBD 2007 is to try to focus world attention on the plight of migratory birds and to highlight that migratory birds are affected by global warming in the same way as all living things.

World Migratory Bird Day is being organised by the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (UNEP/AEWA) together with the Convention on Migratory Species (UNEP/CMS) – two United Nations (UNEP) administered environmental treaties dedicated to the conservation of migratory animals. This year both BirdLife International and Wetlands International - two global NGOs dedicated to the protection of the world’s birds and wetlands have joined as partners of the WMBD campaign.

Note to WMBD Participants:

In order for World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) to become a commemorative event celebrated throughout the world, we are strongly counting on the support and contributions of conservation minded individuals, Government agencies and NGOs around the world. All stakeholders are encouraged to spread the news about WMBD in their own countries and networks and to stimulate awareness through local WMBD activities and to register these on the WMBD website.

To this date we have received registrations from 28 countries and we hope that with your help this number will grow in the coming weeks. (In 2006 WMBD events took place in 46 countries around the world).

The WMBD website is the central information hub for the global campaign and a tool through which we can highlight individual WMBD activities taking place in different countries around the world. (which is why it is important to register your event) We would like to encourage you to take a look at the website and learn more about WMBD 2007, our INTERNATIONAL DRAWING CONTEST for children and the new WMBD Community section which includes a WMBD picture gallery and a designated discussion forum.

Last but not least – the WMBD team would like to thank all participants for their cooperation and support in helping to make World Migratory Bird Day 2007 a celebration with exciting events taking place in many different countries all over the world! Thank you for giving WMBD a presence in your country and for making it a great success!

For more information please visit: www.worldmigratorybirdday.org

Or contact: Ms. Dunia Sforzin | UNEP/AEWA Secretariat | UN Premises, Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 10, 53113 Bonn, Germany | Tel: +49 (0)228 815 2454 | Fax: +49 (0)228 815 2450 |
E-mail: contact@worldmigratorybirdday.org

WMBD 2007 Partners: