World’s biggest birdfair provides record funding for Preventing Extinctions

The 2007 British Birdwatching Fair has provided record funds of £226,000 ($445,000) for BirdLife’s vital conservation work in preventing extinctions.

The record amount raised was announced by the Birdfair organisers Martin Davies and Tim Appleton at an event held at The Lodge, the headquarters of the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK). Dr Mike Rands, BirdLife's Chief Executive, was presented with a cheque by the Birdfair organisers.

"By becoming official sponsors of the BirdLife Preventing Extinction Programme and supporting us so generously, Birdfair are providing vital funds to help save the world's most threatened birds", said Dr Rands.

Martin Davies revealed that the BirdLife Preventing Extinction Programme will be the beneficiary of both the 2008 and 2009 Birdfair. This year’s Birdfair will be supporting a suite of species including Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius, Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus, Dwarf Olive Ibis Bostrychia bocagei, Azores Bullfinch Pyrrhula murina, Tuamotu Kingfisher Todiramphus gambieri and Araripe Manakin Antilophia bokermanni by profiling them in the hope that many new Species Champions will step forward to provide further vital funding.

"BirdLife is looking for Species Champions to commit to three years of support so we thought the Birdfair should also focus on their Preventing Extinctions Programme for the same time frame", said Davies. "We are also looking for other companies and institutions to join the Birdfair in taking a stand against the forces of extinction. I am delighted that Birdwatch magazine will be putting its weight behind this by championing Azores Bullfinch", he added.

Almost 19,000 birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts visited the 2007 Birdfair which is a three-day event held at Rutland Water each August, and which is jointly promoted by the RSPB and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.