BOULDER, Colo. - May 5, 2020 - (Newswire.com)
"Birds connect our world" is the theme for this year's World Migratory Bird Day, a global campaign dedicated to raising awareness of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them. World Migratory Bird Day celebrates the migration of hundreds of bird species between their nesting habitats in North America and wintering grounds in Latin America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is traditionally held on the second Saturday in May and in October, though events occur throughout the year, whenever it works best for event organizers — and the birds.
This year "Birds connect our world" will be celebrated via hundreds of virtual events on and around May 9 around the globe from schools, parks, zoos, wildlife refuges, forests, museums, libraries, and many other locations, including people's homes. Because of the unprecedented global health crisis the world is facing from COVID-19, public gatherings may be impossible in most areas. Virtual events will provide educational presentations, bird walks, book readings, mini-movies, and creative art activities to help keep people connected via a new online platform Bird Day Live developed by Environment for the Americas.
"In addition to raising awareness about issues important to bird conservation, World Migratory Bird Day is also a celebration. It allows us to share the beauty of birds that cross borders during the spectacular phenomenon of their migrations. We are connected by their journeys and the role we play in their protection. No matter how distant we may be from one another, our combined actions determine the survival of these long-distance travelers," said Susan Bonfield, Executive Director of Environment for the Americas. "Small actions, when taken by so many people, can add up to significant change."
Now in its 27th year, World Migratory Bird Day has grown from a one-day event into a global year-round framework underpinning hundreds of conservation projects and education programs. The program is joined at the global level by the Convention on Migratory Species and the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement, two treaties administered by the United Nations Environment Programme, and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership.
In the Americas, WMBD is coordinated by Environment for the Americas (EFTA) and supported by partners including the USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. EFTA, at www.migratorybirdday.org, provides educational materials and programs in Spanish and English and a global map of events.
Media Contact: Susan Bonfield, Email: sbonfield@environmentamericas.org; Phone: 970-393-1183
Dr. Susan Bonfield is the Executive Director of EFTA. She has a B.S. in Biology, an M.S. in Ecology, Fisheries, and Wildlife, and a Ph.D. in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources.
EFTA is a Colorado-based nonprofit organization that connects diverse people to bird conservation through research and education to promote actions that protect migratory birds across the Americas.
Press Release Service by Newswire.com
Original Source: Environment for the Americas Launches World Migratory Bird Day 2020
