Waterbirds and Wetlands

Many species of migratory waterbird depend on interconnected networks of wetlands. Wetlands which also benefit people by providing clean water and opportunities for fishing, agriculture, recreation and tourism.

Disappearing Waterbirds

Despite their importance, wetlands are amongst the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems – being threatened by conversion for agriculture and development, drought, over fishing and pollution. Consequently, an alarming 42% of the migratory waterbird populations in the flyway are declining.

Critical Sites

Waterbirds need an unbroken chain of wetlands to complete their annual life-cycles. For this reason, migratory waterbirds can only be effectively conserved through international cooperation across the entire flyway.

BirdLife IBA Success

BirdLife’s Important Bird Areas (IBA) programme has lead to greatly improved protection for key sites across the African-Eurasian Flyway. These important sites have now been largely identified and many are regularly monitored, and in Europe a majority are now designated as Natura 2000 sites under the European Union’s Birds and Habitats Directives. Many key sites are also now recognised by Governments as Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. More…

Caring for Wetlands

Across the region, BirdLife IBA Caretakers and Site Support Groups are working on the ground to protect and monitor key sites for migratory birds. A wide range of activities are being implemented by the Partnership to support the development and growth of this local approach to site conservation, through capacity building, networking, sharing experience and provision of seed-financing. More...

Convention Achievements

BirdLife works with other international organisations, particularly Wetlands International, to promote migratory bird conservation with governments along the flyway. BirdLife is actively promoting implementation of the United Nations’ Convention on Migratory Species and its African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), as well as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. More…

Action Plans

Action plans have been prepared for many rare migratory waterbirds – such as Eurasian Spoonbill, Lesser White-fronted Goose - and these are being widely implemented by BirdLife Partners in collaboration with governments and other international organisations. More...

WOW!

BirdLife is a key partner in the Wings over Wetlands (WOW) project which is making an enormous difference to the understanding of migratory waterbirds and their needs, demonstrating best practice in the conservation and wise-use of wetlands, and increasing cooperation along the flyway. More…

WETCAP

Strengthening waterbird and wetland conservation capacities in north africa (WETCAP). Launched in March 2009, the WetCap project is a 3-year project, which was developed under the umbrella of AEWA and in close cooperation with (SEO/BirdLife; BirdLife Partner). While the AEWA Secretariat is responsible for the overall management of the project, a regional coordinator, provided by SEO/BirdLife, facilitates the project implementation and coordinates project activities. Technical support is provided by the project partners BirdLife International and Wetlands International together with local partner organisations. The project is sponsored by the Spanish development cooperation agency Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID). More...

Joined-up conservation

BirdLife Partners are focusing on joining-up site-based action at critical sites for waterbirds. In order to achieve successful conservation BirdLife recognises the importance of building capacity in waterbird conservation, and to ensure that livelihoods benefits are effectively returned to local people around these sites.

Building Capacity

BirdLife Partners are building capacity at training centres in Kazakstan, Jordan, Kenya and Morocco, and at WOW demonstration sites in:

• Hungary (Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Society / BirdLife in Hungary). More…
• Turkey (Doga Dernegi / BirdLife in Turkey) More…
• Yemen (Yemen Society for the Protection of Wildlife / BirdLife in Yemen) More…
• Nigeria (Nigerian Conservation Foundation / BirdLife in Nigeria) More…
• Tanzania (Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania / BirdLife in Tanzania) More…
• South Africa (BirdLife South Africa / BirdLife in South Africa) More…