World Migratory Bird Day falls on Saturday, May 9, 2026. To mark it, BirdLife International is asking people to look beyond the wonder of migration and listen to what the birds are saying about the health of our planet.
Migratory birds carry nutrients across oceans, pollinate plants, spread seeds, and help keep crops growing and diseases in check. And yet, worldwide, more than 40% of bird species are now in decline. Martin Harper, BirdLife International CEO, says the signals coming from the great migratory routes are hard to ignore.
“Migratory birds connect us across countries, continents and ocean currents,” Harper says. “Protecting the major migratory highways of the world is how we reverse those declines. And when we do, people gain too: cleaner water, food security, flood protection, and more resilience to a changing climate.”
Observed in May and October each year, World Migratory Bird Day matches the peaks of migration in each hemisphere and invites communities to take part in one of nature’s greatest shared stories. In May, species along routes such as the African–Eurasian Flyway leave the warmth of Africa and travel north to nest.
The highways of the sky
BirdLife International, the only global partnership conserving birds and all life on our planet, says the day is a chance to better understand the broader impact of birds’ natural migration routes, known as global flyways.
Birds use these routes as they travel between breeding grounds, feeding areas and seasonal refuges. Around the world, they follow four major flyways on land: the African–Eurasian, East Asian–Australasian, Americas and Central Asian. They also follow six marine flyways. These pathways stretch across borders and oceans, joining habitats that lie thousands of kilometres apart.
When one link in a flyway is broken, a wetland drained or a coastline degraded, whole species can decline. Some can vanish for good, as the recent extinction of the Slender-billed Curlew reminds us.
“Migration is one of the wonders of the natural world. It also carries a very practical lesson,” Harper adds. “International challenges need international cooperation. Protecting flyways helps bring birds back. It also brings real benefits to people: healthier wetlands, more reliable food, and stronger resilience as the climate keeps shifting.”
Africa at the heart of a global migration story
One of the world’s most important migration systems is the African–Eurasian Flyway, which links Africa, Europe and Asia. Along this route, birds travel from the Arctic to southern Africa and back again.
Dr Paul Matiku, Executive Director of Nature Kenya, the BirdLife Partner in Kenya, says Africa has a central role to play in keeping these shared routes alive.
“Africa is at the heart of some of the world’s great flyways,” Matiku says. “The health of our wetlands, rangelands and coastlines matters far beyond our borders. When we protect these habitats, we protect birds, biodiversity and the communities that live alongside them.”
“It is especially meaningful that the Global Flyways Summit will take place in Nairobi this September – the first time the summit is being held on the African continent.”
Co-hosted by BirdLife International and Nature Kenya, the Global Flyways Summit will bring together leaders from science, policy, finance, business and civil society. Together, they will agree on the action needed to protect migratory birds and the ecosystems they depend on. BirdLife scientists will also launch the new edition of the State of the World’s Birds report, with a focus on flyways. It offers the latest picture of bird populations and what they reveal about the wider health of nature.
How can the public get involved?
To mark World Migratory Bird Day, BirdLife International is inviting people to step into this worldwide celebration of birdwatching and citizen science. Head outdoors, watch the birds and record what you see. Every observation adds to the data that conservation depends on.
“You don’t need to be an expert to care about birds,” Harper concludes. “When we notice the wildlife around us, we start to understand the condition of the places we all rely on. Birds give us both a warning and an opportunity. They show us where nature needs urgent action, and where there is still hope.”