The 2008 World Bird Festival has a special focus on migratory birds and their flyways. Photo: Roberto Bartoloni
Oct. 3, 2008 - Migratory birds and their flyways bind the continents and countries of the world together. They also link people and cultures: the same bird may provide one of the first signs of spring as it arrives on its breeding grounds, while months later and thousands of miles away its calls will herald the onset of winter.
An estimated 1,855 (19%) of the world's 9,856 bird species are migratory. But many are declining. Birds may benefit from conservation action on their breeding grounds, but if their wintering grounds and the stopover sites where they rest and feed are being lost, fewer will return to breed each year. Without coordinated conservation action across all the countries used by migratory birds, the timeless links between birds and people could be broken.
The 2008 World Bird Festival is a month-long celebration of the cultural importance of birds, with a special focus on migratory birds and their flyways. By the end of October, hundreds of thousands of people will have taken part in events which will have introduced them –perhaps for the first time –to the pleasure and fulfilment which comes from watching birds and helping to conserve them. They will also have a clearer understanding of the international scale of the threats to the birds which brighten their seasons, and the need for globally coordinated action.
Events such as nature walks and bird races, lectures, films, performances, art workshops and exhibitions will be staged by hundreds of organisations, from Birdlife Partners to local natural history societies and community-based local conservation groups. There will be many events for children. International links will be emphasised during World Birdwatch, held over the weekend of October 4-5.
Website: www.birdlife.org
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