World Migratory Bird Day: A shared journey demanding shared spaces

Each year, the skies remind us of a quiet miracle. Across continents and oceans, millions of migratory birds traverse thousands of kilometers, connecting the Arctic tundra to tropical wetlands, bustling cities to quiet estuaries.

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World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD), celebrated twice annually in May and October, is a global recognition of this astonishing journey-and a reminder of our shared responsibility to protect it.

This year's theme, "Creating Bird-Friendly Cities & Communities," is more than aspirational. It's urgent. As human settlements sprawl and vertical skylines replace green landscapes, we risk turning critical stopovers into silent voids. Expanding cities, glass buildings, artificial lights, pollution, and habitat destruction all pose existential threats to migratory species-many of which are already in decline.

WMBD was observed on Oct. 11 with activities to create more awareness on the migratory birds' importance to the ecosystem. This reminder underscores a deeper truth: awareness days are not endpoints. They are entry points-sparks meant to ignite longer-lasting change.