To raise awareness about migratory birds whilst emphasising the importance of international collaboration in conserving these birds and their habitats. World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) aims to promote the understanding of the challenges migratory birds face and inspire actions to protect them as they travel across borders during their seasonal migrations.
Purpose
The World Migratory Bird Day theme for 2025 is “Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities”. This theme highlights the importance of designing and adapting urban and rural environments to support migratory bird populations. It emphasizes the need for harmonious coexistence between humans and migratory birds, especially in the face of threats like habitat loss and collisions with buildings.
In 2025, WMBD will raise awareness about the many challenges migratory birds face due to human activities and expanding urban development. The campaign will advocate for strategic urban planning and conservation efforts that incorporate bird-friendly practices, making sure that our communities become havens for these remarkable travelers. The 2025 theme encourages action from all sectors, including national and local governments, businesses, community groups, and individuals worldwide
Urban expansion and man-made environments, if not managed properly, pose significant threats to these birds, leading to habitat loss and increasing the risks like fatal collisions with buildings and glass. Through good upstream planning for sustainable urban development that avoids sprawl and destruction of habitat as well as collaborative efforts with neighbors, schools, and local organisations, everyone can protect birds and raise awareness about their importance to the health of the planet and its ecosystems. By bringing nature back into our cities and working together, citizens and elected officials alike can help our natural environments and lessen the negative effects of urbanisation on biodiversity.
World Migratory Bird Day serves as an international call to action for the protection of migratory birds, whose ranges often span multiple countries, and are facing many different threats worldwide. The annual campaign is organised by 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).