World Migratory Bird Day is an annual event observed on the second Saturday of May and again on the second Saturday of October. This year, World Migratory Bird Day 2024 will be celebrated on Saturday, May 11 and on October 12. The day aims to highlight the importance of migratory birds and their conservation around the world. Migratory birds face a range of threats throughout their journeys and in their breeding and wintering habitats. Climate change alters the timing of migration, availability of food and nesting sites, impacting migratory bird populations. Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events can affect migratory routes and habitat suitability. Every year, the World Migratory Bird Day is observed with a unique theme. This year, the World Migratory Bird Day 2024 theme is ‘Protect Insects, Protect Birds’.  World Migratory Bird Day: From Little Rann of Kutch to Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary; Best Places To Spot Migratory Birds in India!

World Migratory Bird Day 2024 Date

World Migratory Bird Day 2024 will be observed on Saturday, May 11.

World Migratory Bird Day 2024 Theme

World Migratory Bird Day 2024 theme is ‘Protect Insects, Protect Birds’.

World Migratory Bird Day History

World Migratory Bird Day was started in 2006 by the Secretariat of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA). The day was established in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). According to the official website, the idea of designating a day for migratory birds arose in the United States in 1993, when the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology initiated celebrations of the ‘International Migratory Bird Day' (IMBD). Indian Pitta, Ruddy Shelduck, Northern Pintail – Rare Winter Season Migratory Birds Spotted in Lucknow.

World Migratory Bird Day Significance

Migratory birds travel thousands of miles every year between their breeding and wintering grounds and they play crucial roles in ecosystems, pollination, seed dispersal, and controlling pests. However, they face numerous threats such as habitat loss, climate change, pollution, and illegal hunting. World Migratory Bird Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the threats faced by these migratory birds and calls for actions to protect them and their habitats. On this day, several events, educational programs, birdwatching activities, and conservation initiatives are held worldwide.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 10, 2024 10:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).