Context

• World Migratory Bird Day is officially observed on the second Saturday of May in Canada and the US (May 11 in 2024), and on the second Saturday of October (October 12 in 2024) in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean .

Key Points

• The theme of the year 2024 is: Protect Insects, Protect Birds.
• WMBD is organised under two United Nations treaties – the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) and the non-profit organisation Environment for the Americas (EFTA).

Background

• In the year 1993, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology jointly started celebrating this day to welcome international migratory birds.
• Even after this, many small events continued to be organised at many places.
• But for the first time in 2006, World Migratory Bird Day was organised in Laikipia, Kenya in collaboration with AEWA and another organisation.
• Insects and their importance to migratory birds are the focus of this year's World Migratory Bird Day, a global campaign aimed at raising awareness of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them.
• Insects are essential sources of energy for many migratory bird species, not only during the breeding season but also during their extensive journeys and greatly influence the timing, duration and overall success of bird migration.
• On their migration routes, birds actively seek insects in fields, forests, wetlands and various habitats during stopovers.
• The timing of bird migration often coincides with the peak abundance of insects at stopping places, providing the birds with a supply of nutrition to replenish their energy reserves before continuing on their journey.

Some Threats To Migratory Birds

• Pollution - Pollution is harmful not only for locally affected birds but also for migratory birds. Heavy pollution reduces suitable habitat, making it difficult for birds to complete migration successfully.
• Illegal hunting - Illegal hunting is also a threat to migratory birds.
• Habitat loss -Insufficient food supply causes starvation among migrating birds every year.
• Collisions – Thousands of migratory birds collide with obstacles in mid-flight during both spring and fall and the majority of these collisions result in fatal injuries.

Conservation Efforts

• The World Migratory Bird Day campaign in the year 2024 will emphasise the need for proactive conservation measures.
• This includes reducing the use of pesticides and fertilisers and switching to organic farming where possible.
• Other measures include maintaining and adding areas of natural vegetation that provide food and shelter for birds and other species in agricultural landscapes.
• In the year 2024, World Migratory Bird Day will be celebrated over two days, 11 May and 12 October, in line with the cyclical nature of bird migration in different hemispheres.
• The campaign is a joint effort of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), Environment for the Americas and EAAFP.
• The addition of EAAFP to this partnership will strengthen engagement and awareness of migratory birds in the East Asian-Australian Flyway.

Arrival area of migratory birds in India

• Siberian crane :Bharatpur, Keoladeo National Park
• Amur falcon: Doyang Lake in Nagaland in winter season
• Dinoiselli Crane :desert areas of rajasthan
• Black winged stilt :Gujarat, Basai, Pune
• Rosie starling :Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
• Great white pelican :Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat
• Bluethroat : Keoladeo National Park of Bharatpur in Rajasthan
• Greater Flamingo :Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary

Important Facts for exam

Note: The Convention on Migratory Species or Bonn Convention is an international treaty.