International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) celebrates and brings attention to one of the most important and spectacular events in the Americas—the migration of nearly 350 species of migratory birds from wintering grounds in Latin America, Mexico, and the Caribbean to nesting habitats in North America.
IMBD was created to foster greater understanding and appreciation of bird migration. IMBD is celebrated in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Every IMBD event provides the public an opportunity to learn about birds and their habitat needs, as well as tangible, practical ways to take part in bird conservation. IMBD events vary; there are morning bird walks to classroom programs, public presentations, bird counts, one-day events, and multi-day festivals.
Migratory birds rely on different habitats for wintering and breeding. Some of them migrate thousands of miles to find suitable nesting sites. They face many obstacles on their journey. Predation, bad weather, accidental electrocution, and collisions with tall buildings and other structures are a few of the dangers. However, the continued loss and degradation of stopover habitat is the greatest threat of all.
Birds heading north have a relatively short window of time to get to their breeding grounds, establish a territory, pair with a mate, and raise their young. They need places to rest that offer water, adequate food to quickly replenishment their fat reserves, and shelter from predators. Loss and degradation of stopover habitat along migration routes means some birds will not make it to their breeding grounds. Others may arrive late or in too poor of condition to reproduce.
Saving migratory birds means working internationally to save their habitats—and that benefits other species as well. Citizens who are enthusiastic about birds, informed about threats, and empowered to become involved in addressing those threats can make a tremendous contribution to maintaining healthy bird populations and conserving habitat for all wildlife.
Originally, IMBD was held on the second Saturday in May (May 8th in 2010) in the U.S. and Canada and in October in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean each year. This date didn't work well for all bird events and bird festival organizers, however, or for the migratory birds themselves. To the south, migratory birds have left, heading for breeding sites to the north. Farther north, the birds haven't arrived. To remedy the problem of having an “official” date, IMBD is now celebrated almost year-'round in different communities to commemorate their own bird arrivals. Most U.S. and Canada events take place in April and May, while fall events are the norm in the Caribbean and Latin America.
If you are interested in joining the party for the birds, most North American IMBD events are listed on an interactivemap at IMBD's Web site.