Migratory Birds in Europe and Central Asia

Migratory birds are some of the most inspiring and impressive groups of birds. This is not only because of the spectacular views they offer as they move across the sky but also because of the incredible distances they cover during their voyages.

Migratory birds mark the seasons leaving their breeding areas before food gets scarce and landing on another continent to build a new life. When we enjoy the presence and behaviour of these migratory birds we hope and even assume that they will return each year. Unfortunately many migratory species, especially the long-distance migrants do not return.

The BirdLife Partnership works to identify, tackle or mitigate the main causes of the decline of migratory birds mainly through international projects and policy work:

Here are some examples of our work:

Stichting BirdLife Europe gratefully acknowledges financial support from the European Commission. All content and opinions expressed on these pages are solely those of Stichting BirdLife Europe.

Projects

Saltpan Recovery Project

BirdLife Partners join forces to save the precious saltpans of Southern Europe and Northern Africa, and the striking birds that rely on them.

Working together to protect migratory birds in...

Every migration is a massacre: illegal trapping and hunting, collision with energy sector infrastructure and loss of key stop-over feeding and resting sites.

Spring Alive

Spring Alive is an international campaign to encourage children’s interest in nature and the conservation of migratory birds. By posting their first sightings of Barn Swallow, White Stork, Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, and European Bee-eater on the www.springalive.net website, children from Europe, Central Asia and Africa create a real-time map of the incredible journeys these birds take every year.

The arid zones of the Sahel Photo: Danae Sheehan

Living on the Edge: improving migratory bird...

Around the world, many migratory bird species are sharply declining in numbers, and these declines are indicative of the threats facing the wider environment.

Northern Bald Ibis rarest bird in Middle East

Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita is classified as Critically Endangered, the highest threat category according to IUCN criteria, with the only remaining wild colonies known in Morocco (100 pairs) and Syria (two pairs).

Wings over Wetlands (WOW)

Bird migration is one of the great wonders of the natural world. Yet each year, fewer birds of many species return to their breeding grounds, because the sites they depend on to rest and refuel while on their long journey from their wintering grounds have been damaged or developed.

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News

The Bird Bulletin - Vol. 7

Fri, 12/05/2017 - 09:18

This week's edition of 'The Bird Bulletin' featuring record-breaking Ruffs, love-struck White storks and a recipe for nature-friendly food and farming for Europe!

Migration: A long-distance love story

Tue, 09/05/2017 - 16:34

For 15 years, a lovestruck stork has faithfully returned from South Africa to his disabled amore in Croatia - but the trip is dangerous and one year he may not return.

Worldwide Croatia Lebanon

Ruffs are known for their impressive displays during spring © Dzmitry Yakubovich

Record-breaking 120,000 Ruffs counted in Belarus

Mon, 08/05/2017 - 15:12

Birdwatchers were delighted by the thousands of Ruffs that gathered at the end of April in Turau Meadow, Belarus.

Europe and Central Asia Belarus

And the winner is...THE BIRDS!

Mon, 03/04/2017 - 09:18

On 28 March race teams from all around the world united in the migration hotspot of Eilat, Israel...

Europe and Central Asia Israel

Help us tackle illegal killing of migratory birds in Turkey!

Wed, 01/03/2017 - 14:13

Large numbers of migratory birds are killed illegally every year and face major threats such as electrocution, poisoning and collision with powerlines.

Europe and Central Asia Turkey

Saving the Egyptian Vulture – Have your say!

Tue, 24/01/2017 - 16:47

As part of the EU LIFE+ project ‘The Return of the Neophron’, a public consultation exercise on its plan to save the Egyptian Vulture has just been launched.

Europe and Central Asia

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Migratory Birds in Europe and Central Asia

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