World Bird Festival in the Americas 2008

Robert McCaw Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis typify the 2008 World Bird Festival theme of “Migratory Birds and their Flyways” - migrating between the north and south of the Americas annually. Zoom In

Celebrating "Migratory Birds and their Flyways"

The World Bird Festival celebrates the incredible variety and beauty of the birds of our planet, highlighting their importance for people and cultures. BirdLife’s World Bird Festival, held in October every year in the Americas encourages the conservation of birds through a diversity of activities including nature walks, lectures, seminars performances of music, theatre, films and poetry, events for children including face painting, bird-costume making and painting competitions, and exhibitions of paintings, prints and photography.

In October 2008 the 4th World Bird Festival will be held and within the festival calendar will be our 8th WORLD BIRDWATCH to be held over the weekend of October 4-5.

The main World Bird Festival theme is “Connecting people with birds and nature”. Birds are part of our lives and associated in all cultures around the world.

This year’s theme is “Migratory Birds and their Flyways”. Millions of birds are on the move in October, there can be few parts of the world where there are no birds making a journey. The Festival focus will be the beauty and wonder of bird migration, the danger and threat to their future, and their “international identity” with so many species crossing territories and continents.

Migratory Birds and their flyways in the Americas connect the Western Hemisphere from the Artic Tundra all the way down to the Tierra del Fuego in Patagonia. Each year birds like the American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica, the Swainson Hawk Buteo swainson and the Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi make incredible journeys across the Americas following flyways that have been used for centuries. Only now the security of their journeys is threatened as safe resting places suddenly disappear, clear flight paths are plagued with deadly obstructions and summer breeding grounds cleared.

The conservation of Migratory Birds and their Flyways is an international challenge that reaches beyond political frontiers to ensure the protection of key sites and habitats throughout the species range. For example the American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica breeds in the Artic Tundra and migrates to the grasslands of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. Its flyway traverses the western shores of the Atlantic.

The Swainson Hawk's Buteo swainson breeds in the eastern region of North America and migrates south to Argentina and Uruguay for the summer. Although this species is not listed as threatened its population is declining due to hunting, pesticides and the conversion of natural habitats throughout.

The World Bird Festival 2008 celebrates Migratory Birds and their journeys, and promotes the importance of the conservation of their flyways and their habitats. BirdLife invites organisations throughout the Americas to participate in this event. To obtain more information or register your event, please contact Americas Secretariat, BirdLife International at americas@birdlife.org