For decades, birders had sensed trouble. Neotropical migratory birds, which breed in the United States and Canada and winters in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America, were becoming scarce. In 1989, the concern that had been simmering for decades became real. Analyzed results from several years of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s breeding bird surveys indicated that Neotropical migratory birds were declining. Neotropical migratory birds are among our favorites — swifts, swallows, sparrows, flycatchers, orioles, tanagers, vireos, and of course, the wood warblers. As a group, more than 50 percent of the species breeding in the United States are classified as Neotropical migrants. Their alarming decline meant that it was time to take action.
In 1990, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation created Partners in Flight, a coalition of federal and state agencies, nongovernmental organizations, industries, universities, and other concerned groups, to take up the difficult task of conserving these migratory species before they became threatened or endangered. The Partners in Flight coalition faced a huge challenge — migratory birds know no political boundaries and they must be protected on both their breeding and wintering grounds. Thus there would need to be unprecedented cooperation and coordination from all groups involved to create momentum and secure funding over such a large expanse of habitats and countries.
Almost a decade later, Partners in Flight remains the most powerful partnership for the conservation of Neotropical migratory birds. Using a "challenge grant" program, the foundation alone has invested more than $14 million of its federal funds, matched by over $26 million of private funds, for 470 projects that support the goals and objectives of Partners in Flight. By working together now and conserving these birds and their habitats before they become endangered, Partners in Flight is actually creating a bird-filled future for our generation and those to come. With the millennium right around the corner, it is time to celebrate the success and challenges in the last century of bird conservation — and look forward to the future! The new millennium brings with it what we consider to be the most promising decade for bird conservation in history. Why not start early by celebrating International Migratory Bird Day 1999?
On Saturday, May 8, and throughout the spring, hundreds of thousands of birders across the continent will flock to wildlife refuges, sanctuaries, national forests, and local parks to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD). As the focal event for Partners in Flight, IMBD creates an awareness for migratory birds through national activities and events that celebrate the return of migrants to their nesting grounds after wintering in the tropics. Organized by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of Partners in Flight, IMBD is now in its seventh year, and has become an "Earth Day" for birders. Birding is the fastest growing outdoor recreation in the U.S., with a 155 percent increase in participation over the past decade: over 57 million Americans participate in birding activities!
If you haven’t yet jumped on the bandwagon of bird enthusiasts, now is your chance. Even people who are not "birders" come out to celebrate IMBD because they have realized that the habitats that are most needed by birds are often those that are most critical for many other species. So thank a bird and join in the celebration! Participate in an IMBD event that is already scheduled in your community, or organize your own. The foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Colorado Bird Observatory, the American Birding Association, and other conservation groups have created an organizer’s packet that includes everything you need to know about hosting your own event to rally local support for birds and bird conservation. An educator’s packet includes ten self-contained lessons on bird conservation, complete with overheads and lesson plans. This year’s celebration highlights the critical importance of wetlands to Neotropical migratory birds and all of biological diversity in the Western Hemisphere. Artist Carol Decker’s beautiful painting of Neotropical migratory birds in wetland habitats across the United States is featured on posters and t-shirts. Hats, stickers, patches, pins, banners, and other souvenirs allow organizers to raise funds for their own conservation projects and to build community spirit.
So start the new millennium off by celebrating IMBD and realizing that you can make a difference for birds and bird conservation. Join now so you don’t miss the fun!
Katie Distler is the Coordinator of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Initiative.
Resources
To receive a free IMBD order form, contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Migratory Bird Management: 703-358-2318.
To receive a packet of information on Partners in Flight, please write to:
Katie Distler, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, 1120 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036