Basic Information
World Migratory Bird Day is a two-day event observed annually on the second weekend of May to highlight the need to protect migratory birds and their habitats.
Observed on: Second Weekend of May (9 May and 10 May, 2020) in Canada and US, Second Saturday of October in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean (10 October, 2020)
Organized by: UN
Introduced in: 2006 (First Observation)
Observed: Worldwide
About World Migratory Bird Day
World Migratory Bird Day is a two-day event observed annually on the second weekend of May. This day is observed to highlight the need to protect migratory birds and their habitats. The day was first launched on the weekend of April 8 – 9, 2006.
Earlier there was two bird education campaigns was there namely International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) and World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD). From 2018 onwards, a new joint campaign will be there with a new name “World Migratory Bird Day”. The major events of the day will be organized twice a year, on the secon saturday in May and in October.
Activities and Programs on WMBD
Many programs and events are conducted around the world on this day. Bird festivals, bird watching excursions, bird photo exhibitions, educational programs, etc. are some of them.
Theme for World Migratory Bird Day
World Migratory Bird Day 2020 Theme is “Birds Connect Our World“
Bird Day 2019 Theme was “Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution!“
WMBD 2018 Theme was “Unifying our Voices for Bird Conservation“
2017 Theme: Stopover Sites: Helping Birds Along the Way, Artist
2016 Theme: Spread Your Wings for Bird Conservation, Artist Lionel Worrell
2015 Theme: Restore Habitat, Restore Birds, Artist Amelia Hansen
2014 Theme: Why Birds Matter? The Benefits of Birds to Humans and Nature, Artist Elias St. Louis
2013 Theme: Life Cycle of Migratory Birds, Artist Barry Kent MacKay
2012 Theme: Connecting People to Bird Conservation, Artist Rafael Lopez
2011 Theme: Go Wild Go Birding, Artist John Muir Laws
2010 Theme: Power of Partnerships, Artist Bob Petty
2009 Theme: Celebrate Birds In Culture, Artist Andy Everson
2008 Theme: Tundra to Tropics, Artist Eleazar Saenz
2007 Theme: Birds in a Changing Climate, Artist Louise Zemaitis
2006 Theme: The Boreal Forest, Artist Radeaux
2005 Theme: Collisions, Artist David Sibley
2004 Theme: Conserving Colonial Birds, Artist Ram Papish
2003 Theme: Catalysts for Conservation, Artist Gerald Sneed
2002 Theme: Exploring Habitats, Artist Charley Harper
2001 Theme: Taste of the Tropics, Artist Terry Issac
2000 Theme: Focus on the Falcon, Artist Roger Tory Peterson