Each year many millions of shorebirds and landbirds migrate from their northern breeding grounds in Eurasia to wintering areas in western and southern Africa. Many of these birds travel thousands of kilometres along a flyway known as the East Atlantic Flyway (EAF). Imagine this flyway as a corridor, in which migratory birds rely on a series of high-quality coastal and inland sites as stop-over sites to feed and rest. The flyway covers a vast area, spanning from the Arctic in the north to Antarctica in the south, and encompassing the coasts of Europe and Africa. As with many habitats throughout the world, it is also a region that faces many threats, including habitat loss, climate change, pollution, and hunting.
To counter these threats, and promote cooperative conservation efforts across regions, both national and international, the East Atlantic Flyway Initiative (EAFI) was launched in 2015. EAFI is a partnership between governments, non-governmental organisations, and other stakeholders aimed at conserving migratory birds along the EAF. Additionally, it’s supported by a range of organisations, including BirdLife International, Wetlands International, and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). The initiative has identified several key priorities for action, including habitat conservation, research and monitoring, and public education and awareness.
One of the goals of the EAFI is to promote the creation of a network of protected areas along the flyway, to provide safe havens for migratory birds and their habitats. Without stopover sites to safely rest and feed, migratory birds might never reach their final destination, nor have the opportunity of making it back home. The EAFI also aims to promote sustainable development practices that are compatible with the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. By working collaboratively and using innovative conservation strategies, the EAFI aims to ensure the long-term survival and well-being of migratory birds along the EAF, benefiting both the birds themselves and the people who depend on them for ecosystem services and cultural heritage.
BirdLife South Africa, with funding from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Ecological Restoration Fund (ERF), has appointed Jessica Wilmot, as the Flyway and Migrants Project Manager. She will assist in the southern African region (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe) with the identification of threats to priority bird species and sites along the flyway, the delineation of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), safeguarding of these important sites and fundraising for priority projects along the Flyway.
