Wild Migratory Bird Conservation at Flyway Scale

Migratory bird conservation requires international cooperation across entire flyways as populations cross dozens of countries between breeding and wintering grounds.

Key Facts

Nine major flyways cross the globe connecting breeding and non-breeding habitats for migratory birds
The East Asian-Australasian Flyway hosts 50 million migratory waterbirds across 22 countries
Tidal flat loss in the Yellow Sea has reduced long-distance migrant populations by 50-80%
The African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) coordinates conservation across 119 countries
Satellite tracking now reveals complete annual movement cycles enabling identification of critical bottlenecks

Welfare Considerations

Migratory birds traversing degraded flyways face welfare consequences at every stage - inadequate refueling sites leave birds with insufficient energy reserves, forcing riskier weather crossings and longer fasting periods. Population declines of 50-80% in Yellow Sea shorebirds represent the welfare consequences of losing critical stepping-stone habitat. Individual birds that fail to refuel adequately face starvation during crossings - a direct welfare harm multiplied across billions of annual migratory journeys.

What You Can Do

Support BirdLife International flyway conservation programs
Advocate for Yellow Sea tidal flat protection as an international conservation priority
Participate in eBird and other citizen science to document migratory patterns
Donate to Wetlands International programs protecting critical migratory waterbird habitat