Event World Day
World Migratory Bird Day 2026
About
World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) 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. WMBD is organized by a collaborative partnership among two UN treaties -the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) -and the non-profit organization, Environment for the Americas (EFTA).
Sanderlings – small long-distance migratory shorebirds – spotted in Geneva. This migratory species, breeding mostly in Siberia, moves south with different breeding populations, a trip of at 18,000 kilometers twice per year. © Etat de Genève/Gottlieb Dandliker
2026 Theme: Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter!
The theme for 2026: “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.
The 2026 campaign shines a spotlight on people-driven efforts that are essential for bird conservation and science, celebrating how individuals, communities, and organizations around the world are helping to build the knowledge base to better conserve migratory birds across borders.
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. World Migratory Bird Day 2026 will take place on 9 May and 10 October, recognizing that migration occurs at different times in the northern and southern hemispheres and is part of a repeating annual cycle. The partners behind World Migratory Bird Day look forward to working closely with all interested stakeholders, external partners, governments, organizations, and communities across all flyways to amplify this message and continue using World Migratory Bird Day as a way to raise awareness and conservation action for migratory birds across borders.
Protecting Migratory Birds from Geneva
Migration is a perilous journey and involves a wide range of threats, often caused by human activities. Climate change, habitat loss, plastic pollution are just a few of the diverse threats that 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. Thus, 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. The legal framework and coordinating instruments necessary for such cooperation is provided by multilateral environmental agreements such as CMS and AEWA.
Switzerland is of particular importance as a wintering and resting place for various migratory waterbird species. The Geneva region contains some important ecosystems for migratory birds, with several protected areas of international and national importance. The region also hosts many international organizations and local associations who are active in protecting bird species. Learn more in our update below.
Events in Geneva
Action « Oiseaux de nos jardins »
7 to 10 May 2026 | Birdlife Switzerland
L’Aire renaturée : royaume des oiseaux
9 May 2026 | Dans ma Nature
Meeting at the crossroad between Chemin du Pont-du-Centenaire and Chemin des Marais
Zoï Environment Network Migratory species survival game
Globally and in Central Asia, migratory species face many risks and barriers to survival. To illustrate their problems and possible solutions, the Zoï Environment Network created a cartoon-style poster and board game based on situations in Central Asia, taking into account some of the guidelines and decisions of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).