World Migratory Bird Day is an annual awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. It has a global outreach and is an effective tool to help raise global awareness of the threats faced by migratory birds, their ecological importance, and the need for international cooperation to conserve them. The campaign "World Migratory Bird Day" is celebrated twice a year, on the second Saturday in May and in October, reflecting the cyclical nature of bird migration with varying migration periods in the northern and southern hemispheres. Background World Migratory Bird Day was initiated in 2006 by the Secretariat of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS). On 26 October 2017 in the margins of the CMS COP12 in Manila, Environment for the Americas (EFTA), the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), announced an innovative partnership to increase awareness of the plight of migratory birds around the world. The new partnership formally unites two of the world's largest bird education campaigns, International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) and World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) in a bid to strengthen global recognition and appreciation of migratory birds and highlight the urgent need for their conservation. Starting in 2018, the new joint campaign adopts the single name of "World Migratory Bird Day" and major events to celebrate the day will be organized twice a year, on the second Saturday in May and in October. Migratory birds Why migratory birds? Avian migration is a natural miracle. Migratory birds fly hundreds and thousands of kilometres to find the best ecological conditions and habitats for feeding, breeding and raising their young. When conditions at breeding sites become unfavourable, it is time to fly to regions where conditions are better. There are many different migration patterns. The majority of birds migrate from northern breeding areas to southern wintering grounds. However, some birds breed in southern parts of Africa and migrate to northern wintering grounds, or horizontally, to enjoy the milder coastal climates in winter. Other birds reside on lowlands during the winter months and move up a mountain for the summer. Migratory birds have the perfect morphology and physiology to fly fast and across long distances. Often, their journey is an exhausting one, during which they go to their limits. The Red Knot has one of the longest total migration routes of any bird, travelling up to 16,000 kilometres twice a year. It breeds in Siberia and overwinters on the west coast of Africa, some even going down to the tip of South Africa. It is truly amazing how migratory birds can navigate with pin-point accuracy. Exactly how migrating birds find their flyways is not fully understood. It has been shown that they are able to orientate by the sun during the day, by the stars at night, and by the geomagnetic field at any time. Some species can even detect polarized light, which many migrating birds may use for navigation at night. Why Migratory Birds Need Protection Migration is a perilous journey and involves a wide range of threats, often caused by human activities. And as diverse as people and their habits in different countries are, so are threats the birds face. As migratory birds depend on a range of sites along their distribution area, the loss of wintering and stopover sites could have a dramatic impact on the birds’ chances of survival. Flying long distances involves crossing many borders between countries with differing environmental politics, legislation and conservation measures. It is evident that international cooperation among governments, NGOs and other stakeholders is required along the entire flyway of a species in order to share knowledge and to coordinate conservation efforts. Theme for 2026 -Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter! In 2026, World Migratory Bird Day will be celebrated on two days, 9 May and 10 October, aligning with the cyclic nature of bird migration in different hemispheres. “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter!” highlights the important role of community science (also referred to as citizen science) for the conservation of migratory birds. Key Messages and Conservation Efforts By focusing on the contribution of individuals, participatory science and public bird monitoring efforts, the campaign will celebrate the millions of bird enthusiasts around the world that are contributing to the data and knowledge that inform policy decisions and are essential for bird conservation - through each recorded observation. The Power of Community Science - From backyard observations to coordinated global surveys, millions of people around the world contribute vital information about migratory birds, their habitats, and the challenges they face each year. Through these recorded observations, people are engaging in community / citizen science that helps track migration patterns, population trends, and changes in habitats across flyways. The campaign will showcase how every observation contributes essential data and supports evidence-based conservation at local, national, and international scales. Connecting with Nature to Support Conservation - When people take part in bird counting activities that help gather this important data, they also strengthen their connection to nature, deepen their understanding of the pressures facing birds, and often become stewards of nature protection, strengthening society’s engagement with nature. A Global Effort Across All Flyways - This year’s theme is particularly meaningful as it recognizes the many community science projects along all of the world’s major flyways. We will be focusing on the monitoring initiatives and platforms that already exist to record bird observations in ways that support both science and policy. World Migratory Bird Day 2026 also coincides with the 60th Anniversary of the International Waterbird Census, an opportunity to celebrate this global effort to monitor and protect migratory waterbirds as well as promote other community and citizen science initiatives across all flyways of the world. By encouraging people to gather observations from across migratory routes, we can build a clearer picture of the “story of the flyways,” emphasizing connectivity, international collaboration, and our collective responsibility. How You Can Contribute You can get involved in conservation-focused projects that contribute to long-term monitoring and research, such as community science programs, coordinated bird counts, or public events that build awareness of how sustained data collection supports migratory birds. Even small, regular observations can add value when they are part of a larger, ongoing effort to track populations over time. However you choose to participate, thoughtful and consistent engagement helps strengthen the science that informs conservation policy across the world’s flyways. Source : WMBD portal