Header Image: 49 species sighted on our bird walk in Washington, DC.

World Migratory Bird Day united thousands of birders worldwide as they took to their backyards, local parks and trails to count and report as many species as they could for Global Big Day. But something new took flight with them: our first-ever Race to Save Birds Challenge.  

This fun and friendly fundraiser invited participants to not only watch birds but help protect them by raising funds vital for global conservation efforts. The results were inspiring with a record-breaking amount of more than 7,900 bird species recorded across continents, and over £12,000 raised.  

This wasn’t the only record broken on the day. Our very own Senior Policy Advisor, Noelle Kumpel, successfully (subject to verification) attempted the Guiness World Records for the fastest half marathon dressed as a Scarlet Macaw in support of our Race to Save Birds Campaign.   

Behind the number of birds seen, were thousands of people – seasoned birdwatchers, casual observers, families and first-timers. They all contributed to something much bigger than a checklist. Each record provides data on species, populations and behaviours that helps us understand and mitigate the myriad threats they face.  

A tremendous thanks to everyone who took part in our Race to Save Birds Challenge, to Global Birding’s Tim Appleton and Penny Robinson, Cornell’s eBird, and Swarovski Optik for making Global Big Day possible, and to the World Migratory Bird Day team for their efforts. 

Want to get involved next year?  

“I’ve seen firsthand how fragile and vital green spaces can be, as even a small loss can affect the future of birds. Yet, I’ve also seen what’s possible when people come together to protect breeding grounds, restore forests, grasslands and wetlands, and change the way we treat nature. Thank you for making this day special. Keep looking up, keep speaking up, and together we’ll help birds, and all life thrive.” Martin Harper, CEO BirdLife International.

Billions of migratory birds use intercontinental routes to take them to and from their breeding grounds. Known as flyways, they’re like superhighways in the sky! 

Header Image: © MstudioG

East Asian-Australasian Flyway 

The East Asian-Australasian flyway supports billions of birds from over 500 species and covers 41 countries from Arctic Russia to southern Australia.  

One species along this flyway is the Peregrine Falcon – the fastest animal on the planet, reaching speeds of over 300 km/h! Spotted as breeding birds in several major cities, some migrate through as part of their massive journey from Siberia.  

If you’re based along this flyway, keep your eyes peeled for this aerodynamic marvel and listen out for their loud, shrill, repeated ‘hek-ek-ek’ alarm call and ‘chi-chi-chi’ contact call between mates.   

Central Asian Flyway 

Despite being the shortest flyway, it hosts more than 300 migratory bird species and spans over 30 countries, from frosty Siberia to the tropical Maldives. A common migrant along the Central Asian flyway is the Greylag Goose. 

This species is considered the ancestor of domestic geese and is highly sociable, congregating in flocks of up to 25,000 individuals. Their grey plumage has darker grey to brown streaks on their back and wings, and a white belly noticeable during flight. They have a pale pink to orange bill and a lighter-coloured nail at the tip.  

Listen for their distinctive, loud, three-syllable ‘aahng-ung-ung’ cackling and honking. While nesting, they also see off any unwanted visitors with a short, sharp ‘hiss’ warning sound. Keep your eyes open for this wanderer of the wetlands!  

Get involved with World Migratory Bird Day

Don’t miss this opportunity to unite with birders and nature lovers worldwide while contributing to conservation science and raising vital funds. Whether you watch birds from your backyard, your local reserve or your office window – every bird counts. 

Share your sightings: 

Download the eBird app to record what you see as a part of Global Big Day – last year, more than 58,000 birders recorded an astonishing 7,600+ species. 

Identify birds using Merlin Bird ID. 

Tag our BirdLife International social accounts. 

Raise funds for conservation: 

Take part in BirdLife’s fundraising challenge, the Race to Save Birds. 

African-Eurasian Flyway

The African-Eurasian flyway links cultures, landscapes and people in over 130 countries across Africa, Europe and Asia. 

With its graceful flight and noble presence, the White Stork features prominently in Indigenous and local narratives, often known as a ‘bringer of life’. However, it’s now breeding again in the British Isles – after more than 600 years!  

They have snow-white plumage, black flight feathers, and their pinkish-red legs help them stand over three feet tall. Unlike songbirds, they do not have vocal cords, but communicate by clapping their pointed, red beak together. Listen out for the joyful bill-clattering of a courting pair. This iconic stork also flocks in the thousands! 

Americas Flyway 

The Americas flyway is the most species-rich of all terrestrial flyways. It hosts over 600 migratory bird species across more than 56 different countries from Tierra del Fuego in Southern Argentina up to the Arctic Circle.  

More than 70 species in this flyway are globally threatened or Near Threatened, including Red Knot. Even though they only have a 50cm wingspan, these plump, leggy waders complete one of the longest migrations of any bird – up to 15,000km in one direction! 

Listen out for a ‘knutt’ call when flocking, or a quick ‘whit-whit’ when alarmed. Males in conflict produce a ‘yeh-yeh-yeh’ yodel, and when courting a female, a high-pitched ‘weeee’.  

The launch of this project marks a milestone for the Regional Flyway Initiative (RFI), an innovation in financing for nature, communities and the climate. In 2022, BirdLife International, along with the Asian Development Bank and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) established the RFI. The stability of migratory bird populations serve as a key indicator of the health of our planet’s ecosystems, which is why birds are at the core of the RFI. Projects under this initiative aim to revive wetlands at nearly 150 sites across Asia with the help of responsible investments. These investments take into account the needs of the communities, bridging the gap between economic growth and environmental stewardship.

The Asian Development Bank has partnered with Yuanjiang Municipal Government, the Hunan Provincial Government and the Agence Francaise de Développement to provide $308 million equivalent to support this project at South Dongting Lake.

South Dongting Lake wraps around the growing community of Yuanjiang in Central China. The lake itself spans 168,000 hectares, making it the lifeblood of this area. Community members rely on this lake for agriculture and fishing. Additionally, residents benefit from the lake’s surrounding wetlands that provide flood protection in the face of our changing climate. Yet, the rapid expansion of industries and other developments, as well as climate change and invasive species, have been degrading this vital ecosystem.

South Dongting Lake is also an important habitat for thousands of migratory birds. During their long migrations from Siberia to Southeast Asia, migratory birds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway need places to rest and refuel before the next legs of their journeys. South Dongting Lake, with its size and abundance of food, provides an ideal stopover site for some of the flyway’s rarest birds, particularly geese. Visitors to this lake can even spot the largest congregations of the Vulnerable Lesser White-fronted Goose in the entire flyway. Protecting this landscape is critical to the stability of these species.

This is why the Yuanjiang Municipal Government, the Hunan Provincial Government and the Agence Francaise de Développement have embarked upon this ambitious project. Together, these groups will grow a greener economy around the lake with incentives for eco-tourism and sustainable agriculture. In addition, local organisations on the ground will develop an improved management structure for the entire lake system. This will include monitoring systems that can detect flooding and provide early warnings for residents. The plan will also establish a monitoring system for migratory birds. In total, the project will restore nearly 12,000 hectares of degraded wetland.

“This project is the first to be linked to ADB’s Regional Flyway Initiative, which connects crucial bird habitats and wetland areas across the northern hemisphere, from northern Siberia to Australia. As part of a broader global effort, this initiative aims to link biodiversity conservation to green development. It will benefit local farmers and fishing communities transitioning to a green economy, while also delivering ecological benefits for globally protected bird species” – Silvia Cardascia, Water Resources Specialist, ADB

The South Dongting Lake project is just one of many projects that aim to improve livelihoods, climate resilience and bird habitats across the flyway. The launch of this project is not only a step forward for the RFI, but also showcases the commitment of the China to wetland protection. Vinayagan Dharmarajah, the Asia Regional Director of BirdLife International shares, “The Dongting Lake project builds on and seeks inspiration from China’s incredible efforts to protect on wetlands and migratory birds, including through the inscription of World Heritage sites in the Yellow Sea, its 2022 Wetlands Protection Law and its 2024 Migratory Species Plan.”

The RFI is one of BirdLife’s Global Flyways Initiatives that aims to improve landscapes for both birds and people worldwide. Our other Global Flyways Initiatives span major flyways in the Americas, Africa-Eurasia and Central Asia. As the first Global Flyways Initiative project, the launch of the Dongting Lake project marks a pivotal moment for the protection of migratory birds around the globe.

“I am thrilled to salute the launch of the first flagship restoration project of Dongting Lake in Hunan Province, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as part of BirdLife’s joint East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) regional initiative with the Asian Development Bank and the EAAFP, first announced at the Convention on Biological Diversity COP in Kunming in 2022. This is the most advanced of BirdLife’s Global Flyways initiatives which include the Americas, Africa-Eurasia and Central Asia. They are all designed to protect the critical feeding and breeding grounds of migratory birds, enhancing local peoples’ lives and providing climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience. Through the proven success of nature restoration, we can provide justified hope to people and the planet that we are stepping up solutions globally to the twin climate and biodiversity crises.” – Martin Harper, CEO, BirdLife International

Every time we turn on our lights, electrical pulses make their way into our homes through barely visible wires that criss-cross our skies, threatening some of our most majestic soaring birds. But this doesn’t have to be the reality for our planet’s migratory birds.

Just five days before the start of Climate Week NYC, BirdLife International, supported by DEG Impulse, a subsidiary of the German Development Finance Institution DEG, has rolled out AVISTEP, an energy planning tool, in four new countries including Egypt, Kenya, Laos and Uzbekistan. This open-access tool, which has been in use in India, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam since 2022, helps developers and regulators identify areas where renewable energy infrastructure could impact birds. Equipped with this information, they can then ensure that facilities are developed in the most appropriate locations.

From floods in Poland, to droughts in the Amazon, the world is now at a tipping point for climate disasters. Simultaneously, the planet is facing an interlinked biodiversity crisis. It’s clear that a swift transition to renewable energy is vital.

However, if renewable energy is sited solely to maximize energy production, then millions of hectares of nature could be lost globally. This could impact the ranges of many hundreds of threatened species. The resulting loss of natural habitat would release almost 415 million tons of stored carbon, massively undermining the climate change benefits associated with a transition to renewable energy.

BirdLife’s Tris Allinson, who has led the development of AVISTEP, notes, “renewable energy is not truly ‘green’ unless efforts have been made to limit negative repercussions for biodiversity”.

Across the major flyways of the world, BirdLife and our partners have witnessed the threats that energy infrastructure poses to these birds. Each of the newly added countries – Egypt, Kenya, Laos and Uzbekistan – are experiencing rapidly expanding energy infrastructure, and have significant populations of potentially sensitive bird species.

Central Asian Flyway species at risk

In Uzbekistan, BirdLife partner Uzbekistan Society for the Protection of Birds (UzSPB) has worked to survey the Central Asian Flyway species that could be impacted by poorly placed renewables. Here, powerlines pose a major threat to bustards, while turbines impact raptors like the Steppe Eagle and Egyptian Vulture.

“Large soaring birds are extremely vulnerable to human-made structures through collision and electrocution. The latter is the major cause of death in Saker Falcon and the other 45 raptor species that migrate across the Himalayas.” – David Callahan, ‘From Mountains to Mangroves’, BirdLife Flyways Magazine

Ensuring the safety of migratory soaring birds in the African Eurasian Flyway

With their proximity to the Red Sea and Great Rift Valley, both Egypt and Kenya are important countries for tens of thousands of migratory soaring birds. Surrounded by bodies of water that are difficult for birds to cross, this area becomes a bottleneck for soaring birds that are avoiding the cold winters of Northern Europe and Asia by traveling to the African continent.

“Soaring birds minimise effort by moving slowly- a behaviour that leaves them vulnerable to hunting and collisions with power lines and wind turbines. As species near the apex of their ecosystems, any declines have a severe knock-on effect on other animals, plants and habitats” – David Callahan, ‘Flight Lines’, BirdLife Flyways Magazine

Vultures and other raptors already face threats of poisoning and hunting along their passage, so being able to minimise the threat of energy infrastructure will improve the outlook of these birds in the long term. Nature Conservation Egypt (BirdLife in Egypt), and NatureKenya (BirdLife in Kenya) have both been instrumental in providing the data necessary to address this issue using the AVISTEP platform.

Protecting storks in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway

As a landlocked country outlined by the mighty Mekong River, the type of renewable energy that is expanding most rapidly in Laos is hydropower. While the migratory birds may not face the threat of collision with these riverine structures, the birds may collide with the many power lines that emanate from them to the neighbouring countries. Many storks, like the Asian Openbill, cross these landscapes during their migrations. AVISTEP is intended to keep their migration routes clear from new power lines and prevent these birds from being electrocuted.

AVISTEP allows anyone interested in planning on and offshore wind energy, solar energy, or powerlines, see the exact impact upon species across the entirety of each country. By zooming into a specific region, the user can see a green/amber/red colour coded map that shows whether an 5×5 km area is protected, contains high-risk species, or has wildlife rich habitat. Through the straightforward tool, the user can then easily share their findings as a pdf.

AVISTEP is now publicly available for use in Egypt, India, Kenya, Laos, Nepal, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, and will be expanding to more countries in the near future. You can check it out now at AviStep- BirdLife International.

To read more passages from the special Flyways edition of the BirdLife Magazine, click here.

Staring out towards the sea, a wall of shorebirds suddenly lifts up from the shallow muddy surface. Together, the birds move gracefully as a flock. There are few places elsewhere in East Asia that you can see this sheer number of migratory shorebirds gathered in one location. These are the newly designated UNESCO World Heritage migratory bird sanctuaries of the Yellow Sea-Gulf of Bohai in China.

Dr. Ding Li Yong, the Regional Flyways Coordinator in Asia recounts a recent trip to these very sites, “I was able to visit Dandong Yalu River Estuary a few years ago, and I was blown away by the huge congregations of migratory shorebirds swirling around the mudflats. I recall seeing around 50,000 Great Knots, easily!”

On 26 July, 2024, five of these extraordinary migratory bird sanctuaries were awarded the designation as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This prestigious recognition showcases the critical importance of these wetland habitats for migratory birds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF).

Every spring and autumn, millions of birds migrate along the EAAF from the northern reaches of Russia, across the continent of Asia, all the way down to Australia and New Zealand. Birds such as the Critically Endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper and Siberian Crane, and Endangered Far Eastern Curlew stop in these Yellow Sea wetlands to rest and fuel up for their long journeys.

Throughout the flyway, large wetland sites like these intertidal flats and salt marshes are quickly disappearing. Development and sea level rise squeeze the wetlands at both ends. This makes it difficult for birds to find food and rest throughout their journeys. These UNESCO designated sites along the Yellow Sea, will help ensure that species can safely make it to their destinations.

BirdLife International warmly welcomes the inscription of these sites for migratory waterbirds. Together with the Asian Development Bank and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership, BirdLife has been working to raise the profile for conservation management of these sites as key locations in the Regional Flyway Initiative (RFI). This Initiative aims to protect ecologically connected wetlands across the continent, that are important for birds and people, using innovative finance and conservation techniques.  

Aside from feeding millions of migratory birds, the diverse wetlands around the Yellow Sea are extremely valuable to people. A 2023 Yellow Sea situation analysis, compiled with support from BirdLife International, highlights this value, ‘Tidal wetlands in the Yellow Sea are of immense value to human communities, providing billions of dollars per year in ecosystem services, including blue carbon sequestration, and buffering one of the most densely populated coastal areas in the world from the impacts of storms and sea-level rise.’

These five newly listed Migratory Bird Sanctuaries are the Phase II extension of the existing Yellow Sea-Gulf of Bohai (Phase I) World Heritage Sites that were listed in 2019. This continued effort showcases the commitment of the Chinese government to protecting important wetlands both for migratory birds, and the communities living around them.

BirdLife recognises this timely contribution to China’s long-term plans to protect its wetland ecosystems,

“The designation of 5 new World Heritage Sites is wonderful news for migratory birds as it will enhance both their profile and protection.  More than that, these sites will help in the fight against climate change as the sites will lock of up more carbon, while also providing essential services for people.  Congratulations to China, and all those that have worked so hard to secure these designations, reinforcing the importance of the Yellow Sea for the whole of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.” – Martin Harper, CEO, BirdLife International

“The coastal wetlands of the Yellow Sea are at the heart of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF). That is why it is such good news that China is continuing to move to protect the most important coastal wetlands for birds and for people.  Although there is still much to do to secure the future of migratory shorebirds in the EAAF, this is a major step forward and will undoubtedly inspire others to follow suit.  After all, the migratory birds using the Yellow Sea represent shared natural heritage and, with that, comes a shared responsibility to protect them and the places they need” – Terry Townshend, Fellow of the Paulson Institute and Member of the BirdLife International Global Advisory Group

By Lewis Kihumba

What is the energy uptake landscape like in Africa?

Africa has the lowest access to electricity per capita; demand outstrips access leading to more than 600 million people without connection to electricity or just over 40% access rate. This significantly impedes to the continent’s socio-economic development.

Access to energy is critical for unlocking economic potential of countries. It is estimated that the energy deficiency costs Africa 2-4% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually. Energy demand has been on the rise, over the last 15 years, the continent has witnessed a 60% increase in uptake of renewable energy.

As demand for energy grows, what are the effects of energy developments?

Energy sector developments can have significant positive & negative impacts on people and biodiversity. Where energy infrastructure is poorly deployed, can attract opposition from the public, leading to delayed implementation. In other instances, the project may be redesigned or stopped altogether, which all have cost implications. Where projects are implemented without biodiversity considerations, wildlife including birds and other vulnerable species are put in danger. It is estimated that, millions of birds die from electrocution or collision with poorly deployed energy infrastructure every year, which in turn leads to power disruptions and thus significant economic losses.

What are some of the biodiversity aspects being impacted by renewable energy development?

A good example is the long distance migratory Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) which is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as globally Endangered. Thousands of these birds have died due to electrocution and collision with poorly designed powerlines. In South Africa, where most studies have been conducted on the subject, 2294 dead birds were counted under a powerline in a span of 5 years up to 2011. Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis), Jackal Buzzard, (Buteo rufofuscus) and Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) have been the most frequently reported raptor fatalities.

Further, there is displacement and disturbance, habitat destruction, barrier effect, and injuries which affect these birds and other biodiversity.

How does this impact energy utilities?

Negative interactions between birds and poorly-deployed energy infrastructure mean unreliable power supply to customers, revenue losses, project delays, expensive retrofitting of grids and loss of customers.

What are some of the solutions developed by BirdLife to address the negative impacts of energy developments on nature?

BirdLife and Partners are collaborating with stakeholders in the energy sector to provide practical and scalable solutions focused on four vital areas of energy production:

Planning: Use of Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) at policy or program level to help in informed decision making for these developments, is critical. BirdLife has developed risk screening tools, such as Avian Sensitivity Tool for Energy Planning (AVISTEP) which is being rolled out in Africa and elsewhere. AVISTEP is an online open-source application to help decision makers identify where renewable energy infrastructure could impact birds and should therefore be avoided, ensuring that facilities are developed in the most appropriate locations.

Generation: Use of mitigation measures such as Shut Down on Demand (SHOD) to prevent bird collisions. SHOD involves stopping turbines from rotating to every collision with oncoming vulnerable bird(s) and restarting when the collision threat is no more.

Power Transmission and Distribution: Use of nature friendly powerline infrastructure. This also entails use of mitigation measures to improve visibility and insulating wires to avoid collisions and electrocutions respectively.

In collaboration with governments and developers, BirdLife has implemented these solutions across the continent. In Egypt, the 240 MW Gabal-el Zayt wind farm located in the western coast of the Gulf of Suez, has some of the best wind regimes for power generation.

A staggering 400,000 birds from 41 migratory species have been recorded within the wind farm during spring migration alone. To reduce the threat of bird collision, BirdLife engaged various stakeholders and developed SHOD protocol for the wind farm, consequently averting massive bird mortalities and power losses.

At Port Sudan, a 31-km long powerline constructed in the 1950s was estimated to have killed thousands of long distance migratory Egyptian Vultures, which also led to severe power outages.

In 2013, BirdLife engaged NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) partners, power utilities, and government agencies in Sudan to replace the powerline with an insulated one. To date, no bird electrocutions from the line have been reported, power outages have disappeared. This intervention was the recipient of the 2015 “Good Practice Award” – Environmental protection Category, awarded by the Renewables-Grid-Initiative (RGI).

What’s your parting shot?

Renewable energy cannot be ‘green’ if the associated infrastructure continues to kill birds and harm other biodiversity. Through coalitions such as the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) Energy Task force (ETF) and CLEANaction we are working with others and calling for the adequate integration of biodiversity protection in the energy sector. BirdLife invites collaborations to ensure a win-win for both energy and nature.

“Renewable energy cannot be ‘green’ if the associated infrastructure continues to kill birds and harm other biodiversity”

Alex Ngari, BirdLife International’s Migratory Birds & Flyways Program Manager for Africa

This article is part of our Spring Alive programme, which aims to inspire and educate children across Africa and Eurasia about the wonders of nature and bird migration. The 2022 Spring Alive season has been made possible with the continuing support of HeidelbergCement. 

As well as our usual programme of lessons, workshops and activities, Spring Alive is kicking off 2022 with a brand new website, which will provide an updated platform for activities, teaching resources and news. The public will also be able to log their sightings of the seven Spring Alive focal species on our interactive map, which will record the birds’ progress in real time as they migrate from country to country. It’s always fun to put yourself on the map, but citizen science initiatives such as these are not just enjoyable – they also play an important role in scientific research and public engagement. Here’s everything you need to know about citizen science and how you can take part.

What is citizen science?

Put simply, citizen science is scientific research conducted by people who are not professional scientists. Some of the biggest discoveries in the world have been made by people without official scientific qualifications or funding. For example, the planet Uranus was discovered in 1781 by amateur astronomist William Herschel, who built his own telescope and earned a living as a musician. Even the famous naturalist Charles Darwin, who came up with the theory of evolution, originally trained as a doctor.

Anyone can be a citizen scientist. Community volunteers are especially useful in big projects where scientists need to gather information from across the whole country, or even the whole world. In these situations, there are not enough qualified scientists to carry out this research all by themselves, so the help of the general public is vital.

Citizen scientists don’t have to be experts. Often, the tasks are quite simple – for example photographing plants or spotting birds in the garden. With more complex tasks, volunteeers will be given training on exactly what to do. Then they will send their observations back to the scientists running the project, who put them all together and study the results.

How does citizen science help birds?

Birds can be found in almost every part of the world and often migrate vast distances. Citizen science can help us keep track of bird numbers and how they are changing around the globe. With this information, we can identify species and habitats that are under threat, and act to help them. For example, the volunteer bird counters of the Pan European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme helped to discover that Europe has lost around 600 million breeding birds in the last 40 years, in large part due to intensive farming. Meanwhile, citizens across the world use the Natura Alert mobile phone app to report any dangers that are threatening their local Important Bird & Biodiversity Areas, prompting conservation groups to take action.

Birds are also found in remote areas that are difficult for scientists to access. Local people can help here, too. In 2021, two friends were out gathering materials in the Borneo rainforest when they came across an unfamiliar bird species. After sending a photograph to their local birdwatching group, they learned that they had rediscovered the Black-browed Babbler – a species lost for 172 years and feared extinct.

Another way that citizen science helps birds is by encouraging people to love and respect nature. Spending time watching and learning about birds makes people more likely to protect them. This idea has been around for centuries: in 1900 ornithologist Framk M. Chapman launched the ongoing Audubon Christmas Bird Count in the USA to replace the traditional Christmas bird hunting contest that killed thousands of birds a year. In Cyprus, where bird hunting is still ingrained in the local culture, our partner BirdLife Cyprus released a children’s bird guide, What’s that bird?, to inspire a new generation of nature lovers.

How can I get involved?

There are lots of different citizen science projects to choose from. One fun way for young people to get involved is to enter sightings of the Spring Alive species on our website. This will help us to keep track of the birds’ migrations as the waves of species move across the map.

Get in touch with your national Spring Alive Partner to learn about citizen science projects in your country, or if you’re looking for something more global, download the eBird mobile app, where you can log your bird sightings wherever you are in the world. If you just want a taster, consider signing up to a one-off bird count event such as Global Big Day, Global Bird Weekend or EuroBirdwatch. Outside of these, if you see any unusual wildlife or spot threats to nature, you can always report them directly to your local conservation group.

When taking part in a citizen science project, follow the guidelines carefully and try not to disturb wildlife. Unless instructed otherwise, try to stay local or use eco-friendly modes of transport to reduce fuel emissions. Always make sure the information you enter is accurate – for example, by consulting a bird guide – and ask the organisers if you’re unsure about anything. This will ensure that your observations are as useful and scientific as possible, and can help us to direct conservation action where it’s most needed.

Lying in the shadow of the Andes to the west, the dry ecosystem of the Gran Chaco stretches from Argentina into south-eastern Bolivia, Paraguay and south-western Brazil. Twice the size of France, it is large enough to influence weather patterns affecting the adjacent Pantanal wetlands and Brazil’s Cerrado grasslands.

The largely dry forest and savannah region, interspersed with fresh and saline lagoons, supports a diversity of species adapted to the rigors and extremes of this complex region. It is not uncommon to come across Jaguars, Giant Armadillos, Giant Anteaters, flocks of Chilean Flamingos and a range of endemic bird species. Just a few examples include Quebracho Crested-tinamou, Chaco Chachalaca, Black-legged Seriema, Spot-winged Falconet, Great Rufous Woodcreeper and Many-colored Chaco-finch.

In addition to the important geographical characteristics of the Gran Chaco, its social and cultural diversity is unique. The region’s human presence dates back approximately 7,000 years. Indigenous peoples, including groups of nomadic hunter-gatherers, fishermen and sedentary farming communities, have developed a culture closely linked to the region’s natural resources. Today, the Chaco is represented by a fusion of cultures and ethnic groups reflecting recent waves of European migrants who arrived in the 18th and 19th centuries, attracted to the region’s fertile lands.

Over the last few decades, the Gran Chaco has undergone a drastic transformation. According to World Wide Fund for Nature in 2020, it had one of the highest deforestation rates globally, driven mainly by genetically modified soy production and large-scale cattle ranching. So far, most efforts to control the rate of loss have been unsuccessful, although deforestation rates are slowing in some areas. The fragmentation of the landscape is placing enormous pressures on communities – local and indigenous – with droughts, fire and flooding increasing across the landscape.

Vital for migrants

Recent studies of migratory species reveal that the Gran Chaco is also an important wintering area for a suite of migratory birds that breed in the Arctic, temperate North America and the Neotropics, including shorebirds and several species of songbirds and raptors whose populations have been declining across their ranges.

While past studies revealed the Gran Chaco’s general importance for some of these migratory species, limited data on their movements and habitat use make it difficult to determine preferred habitats and associated threats. A recent study on Yellow-billed Cuckoo is beginning to change all of this.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo is a migratory species that manages to stay well hidden in deciduous woodlands. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s description, they usually sit stock still, even hunching their shoulders to conceal their crisp white underparts, as they hunt for large caterpillars. Bold white spots on the tail’s underside are often the most visible feature on a shaded perch. This species has one of the shortest nest cycles of any bird – a mere 17 days from incubation to fledgling. In eastern North America, cuckoos are still relatively common, but western populations have plummeted and are candidates for federal Endangered status in the US (fewer than 500 individuals). In the west they are already listed as federally threatened.

By Ian Davidson

Above: the Silk Floss Tree, known as Palo borracho (literally ‘drunken stick’ in Spanish), is an emblematic species of the Chaco. It is resistant to drought and stores water in its bulging, tilted trunk © Cindy Galeano / Guyra Paraguay

The two breeding populations converge in the western Amazon basin during their southward migration, before assembling in the Gran Chaco. It is estimated that they may spend upwards of five or six months there in separate groups, with the eastern population occupying northern areas and the western population the central-western region. While in the Gran Chaco, Yellow-billed Cuckoos mix with native and resident cuckoo species, including Guira Cuckoo (guira meaning ‘bird’ in Guarani; similar to the name of the BirdLife Partner, Guyra Paraguay).

Through the auspices of Georgetown University in the US, researchers are trying to determine geographic linkages of migratory species between different stages of their annual cycles, including between breeding, migration and non-breeding stages. Previously, our inability to make these connections has been a major impediment to understanding population declines in migratory birds.

However, recent tracking data suggest that Yellow-billed Cuckoos make multiple long-distance movements throughout the wintering period and occupy a diversity of habitats. The information gathered from tracking Yellow-billed Cuckoo provides critical information for better understanding of what is driving the species’ decline. With this information, conservation practitioners will be better positioned to take effective conservation action for the species.

Conservation in action

Since its formation in 1997, Guyra Paraguay has been at the forefront of conservation in the Gran Chaco. Dedicated to conserving and promoting the sustainable use of biodiversity in Paraguay, it has worked with a range of important stakeholders, actively promoting the region’s protection.

“The good news is that the protected areas in the Paraguayan Chaco are still fairly well connected, allowing for wildlife to range across this vast landscape from one reserve to another,” said Rodrigo Zarate, Head of Conservation for Guyra Paraguay. “But we must act now to ensure that private landholders and communities are incentivised to leave their forests standing.”

“We must act now to ensure that private landholders and communities are incentivised to leave their forests standing.”

Rodrigo Zarate, Head of Conservation, Guyra Paraguay

As part of its efforts in the landscape, and with the support of the World Land Trust and others, Guyra Paraguay purchased properties in the Gran Chaco to create three private reserves – Reserva Cañada El Carmen, Reserva Campo Iris and Reserva Pantanal Paraguayo. With an extension of almost 21,000 hectares, these reserves provide refuge for a diversity of resident and endemic Chaco species.

Recognising the cuckoo’s eye-catching features and relative abundance in the Gran Chaco at certain times of the year, Guyra Paraguay set out to raise awareness of the forest’s national and international importance for migratory species. With funds from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service through the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, Guyra Paraguay brought the plight of the cuckoo and its need for intact Gran Chaco forest to the attention of local communities working adjacent to their private reserves.

The fate of the Gran Chaco’s birds and wildlife will depend on finding creative approaches to sustainable development in the region, and making sure these models are compatible with the natural environment. In certain areas, climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of drought, putting the agricultural economies of the region at risk. Guyra Paraguay now aims to begin working with local government and private landholders to maintain and restore native vegetation in key watersheds and natural lagoons. This will protect key habitat for wildlife, while ensuring the long-term provisioning of fresh water for people.

While conservation efforts in the Gran Chaco continue, National Audubon and the American Bird Conservancy (BirdLife Partners in the United States) are working to safeguard the breeding habitat of cuckoos, including the threatened western population, whose preferred riverside breeding areas have given way to farms and housing. Together, BirdLife Partners along the flyway are aiming to protect this global heritage for the benefit of birds and people.