What is World Migratory Bird Day?

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is an annual global awareness-raising campaign aimed at celebrating the amazing journeys of migratory birds and inspiring worldwide conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. Traditionally observed on the second Saturday of May and October, the two days of World Migratory Bird Day serve as a means to reflect the cyclical nature of bird migration, as well as the varying peak migration periods in the northern and southern hemispheres. In 2024, WMBD will be celebrated on 11th May and 12th October.

Today, the campaign shines as a beacon of cooperation, with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), Environment for the Americas (EFTA), and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) standing shoulder to shoulder. But fun fact, this collaborative tale first began in October 2017 with the trio CMS, AEWA, and EFTA. In a move reminiscent of the Three Musketeers, they combined strengths, integrating International Migratory Bird Day with World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) to champion the cause of our avian companions. Then, just five years later, on March 17th, the ensemble welcomed a new member as the EAAFP officially entered the fold during the 11th Meeting of Partners (MoP11) in Brisbane, Australia. This fresh partnership heralds an exciting phase in the ongoing quest to raise awareness and safeguard the remarkable voyages of migratory birds around the world.

Official website of World Migratory Bird Day: https://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/

The Theme of World Migratory Bird Day 2024

The theme for this year's World Migratory Bird Day, "Protect Insects, Protect Birds" shines a light on the unsung heroes of the natural world: insects. These tiny creatures are the lifeblood of migratory bird populations, providing crucial energy reserves for birds during their incredible journeys. From benthic chironomids to darting dragonflies, birds depend heavily on a variety of insects during stopovers to sustain their biannual migration every year. However, the decline in insect populations spells trouble for our feathered friends. So, WMBD this year urges immediate action, advocating for reduced pesticide use, organic farming practices, and the preservation of natural habitats. By safeguarding insects, we not only ensure the survival of migratory birds but also protect essential ecosystem functions.

For the World Migratory Bird Day 2024 press release by click [here].

 

Discover 2024's EAA Flyway Species on the WMBD Poster

COMMON SNIPE (Gallinago gallinago)

Conservation status: IUCN — Least Concern

With Europe as their stronghold, Common Snipes embark on journeys that lead them across the expanses of southern Asia to central Africa. Their migration is punctuated by harsh calls echoing through the night, signalling their presence in the moonlit skies. Feasting on insects (and other invertebrates), worms, and small crustaceans, these adaptable birds can forage within muddy habitats with finesse, thanks to their sensitive and flexible bills.

 

 
   
   

LITTLE CURLEW (Numenius minutus)

Conservation status: IUCN — Least Concern

Hailing from the vast plains of northern central Siberia, the Little Curlew, the world's smallest among its kind, flocks mostly to northern Australia during the non-breeding season. Standing no taller than your average 30cm school ruler, these birds prefer the hidden depths of dry grasslands, yet sightings on coastal mudflats during migration are not rare. Feeding on a diet ranging from insects to the occasional seed, they employ delicate picking and probing techniques, sometimes even burying their bills in search of sustenance.

PHEASANT-TAILED JACANA (Hydrophasianus chirurgus)

Conservation status: IUCN — Least Concern

Hailing from the tropical landscapes of Asia, stretching from Yemen to the Philippines, the Pheasant-Tailed Jacana traverses, embarking on seasonal journeys across its expansive range. Despite its name, only the breeding-plumaged birds truly sport the majestic "pheasant-tailed" appearance; in winter months, the birds have short tails. Foraging amidst floating vegetation or skimming the water's surface, they feed on a varied diet of insects, molluscs, and other invertebrates. Their unique hunting methods include walking delicately on vegetation and gracefully swimming in the waters below.

 

Be Part of the WMBD Celebration!

01. Join Us Online

Don't forget to register your event on the Global Portal at https://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/register-your-event

02. Other World Migratory Bird Day 2024 Activities

You are invited to join the EAAFP Team on May 11 for the Global Big Day by eBird! Be part of our team and help record migratory waterbirds in the #EAAFlyway!

Here's what you need to do:

  1. Register for an eBird account.
  2. Go out and watch birds, keeping count of the birds you see.
  3. Submit your checklist to eBird and share it with "EAAFPTeam"!

You can find the "EAAFPTeam" profile here: https://ebird.org/profile/MzgyMzk1NA

Resources for World Migratory Bird Day 2024

­01. EAAFP World Migratory Bird Day 2024 Small Grant

The Small Grant Fund for the 2024 World Migratory Bird Day has been established to provide financial support for EAAFP Partners and collaborators from EAAFP Task Forces and Working Groups who plan to organize public events and/or conservation action-oriented workshops at national or local levels for World Migratory Bird Day. We strongly encourage EAAFP Partners and collaborators to apply for any suitable event or development of WMBD materials in local languages that aim to raise awareness of the need to conserve migratory waterbirds and the value of their habitats in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway.

For details, visit [here].

02. World Migratory Bird Day 2024 Trello Board

Everything from the WMBD 2024 Trello Board can be downloaded [here].

03. World Migratory Bird Day 2024 Poster in EAAF Languages

 

 LANGUAGES THEME OF 2024 MAIN TITLE POSTER LINKS
 English Protect Insects, Protect Birds World Migratory Bird Day PNG (ENG)
 Bengali পোকামাকড় রক্ষা করে পাখির জীবন। বিশ্ব পরিযায়ী পাখি দিবস PNG (BEN)
 Burmese ငှက်မျိုးစုံ ကြွယ်ဝဖို့ ပိုးမွှားအင်းဆက်များကို ထိန်းသိမ်းစို့ ကမ္ဘာ့ရွှေ့ပြောင်းငှက်နေ့ PNG (MYA)
 Chinese (Simplified) 保护昆虫,保护鸟类 世界候鸟日 PNG (ZHS)
 Chinese (Traditional) 保護昆蟲,保護鳥類 世界候鳥日 PNG (ZHT)
 Filipino Mga Insekto'y Protektahan, Mga Ibon ay Pangalagaan Pandaigdigang Araw ng mga Ibong Dayo PNG (FIL)
 Cebuano/Bisaya Panalipdan ang mga Kalnsektohan, Panalipdan ang mga Kalanggaman Pandaigdigang Araw ng mga Ibong Dayo PNG (CEB/BIS)
 Indonesian Serangga Terlindungi, Burung Lestari Hari Migrasi Burung Sedunia PNG (IND)
 Japanese 昆虫を守ることは、鳥たちを守ること 世界渡り鳥の日 PNG (JPN)
 Khmer ការពារសត្វល្អិត គឺការពារសត្វស្លាប ទិវាសត្វស្លាបទេសន្តរប្រវេសន៍ពិភពលោក PNG (KHM)
 Korean (DPRK) (not available) 세계철새의 날 (not available)
 Korean (ROK) 곤충을 보호하고 새를 보호합시다 세계 철새의 날 PNG (ROK)
 Malay /
Bahasa Malaysia
Lindungi Serangga, Lindungi Burung Hari Burung Hijrah Sedunia PNG (BM)
 Mongolian Шавжгүй бол шувуугүй Дэлхийн нүүдлийн шувуудын өдөр PNG (MON)
 Russian Сохраним насекомых, чтобы сохранить птиц Всемирный день перелётных птиц PNG (RUS)
 Thai ปกป้องแมลง ปกป้องนก วันนกอพยพโลก PNG (THAI)
 Vietnamese Bảo vệ côn trùng là góp phần bảo vệ các loài chim Ngày chim di cư thế giới PNG (VIET)

 

If you require raw design files for printing or conversion for your local campaign, please contact the EAAFP Secretariat at the following email addresses.

Email: [email protected] / [email protected]