STATE OF THE WORLD'S BIRDS REPORT: THREATS, FLYWAYS & NAIROBI DECLARATION

Why In News?

The State of the World’s Birds report, launched by BirdLife International, reveals that global migratory bird species are in steep decline. 

Highlights of State of the World’s Birds Report 2026

Species Decline: BirdLife International data reveals that 45% of migratory bird species are currently experiencing systematic population contractions.

Elevated Extinction Danger: Over one in nine migratory birds are globally threatened with extinction under IUCN Red List criteria.

Severe Wetland Losses: Long-distance shorebirds and inland waterbirds display the steepest declines, dropping by over 35% since 1970.

Phenological Asynchrony: Warming temperatures are forcing mismatches between avian arrival timings and the seasonal peaks of insect food availability.

The declaration cites the extinction of the Slender‑billed Curlew (2025) as a warning of accelerating biodiversity loss.

• A migratory shorebird belonging to the family Scolopacidae.

• Historically bred in Central Asia and Eastern Europe (Kazakhstan, Siberia) and wintered in Mediterranean wetlands (North Africa, Middle East, South Europe).

• Officially declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in October 2025 after decades without confirmed sightings.

What are Migratory Birds?

• Purpose of Migration: To find optimal breeding grounds, food sources, and suitable climates.

• Triggers: Changes in photoperiod (day length), temperature, and resource availability.

• Routes: Follow established flyways such as the Central Asian Flyway, East Asian–Australasian Flyway, and African–Eurasian Flyway.

• Adaptations: Physiological endurance, navigation using Earth’s magnetic field, celestial cues, and memory of landmarks.

Migratory Birds in India

India lies at the intersection of major flyways, attracting millions of migratory birds annually.

• Examples: Amur Falcon, Bar‑headed Goose, Siberian Crane, Demoiselle Crane, and Northern Pintail.

• Important Sites: Bharatpur (Keoladeo National Park), Chilika Lake, Pong Dam, and Nal Sarovar.

Conservation Importance

• Ecosystem Balance: Regulate ecological food webs by consuming trillions of defoliating insects and small rodent populations annually.

• Pest Control: Act as non-chemical agricultural pest managers, saving billions of dollars in crop damage worldwide.

• Seed Dispersal: Transport plant seeds across thousands of kilometers, driving forest regeneration and genetic diversity.

• Pollination: Numerous migratory passerine and nectarivore species cross-pollinate specialized alpine and tropical flowering flora.

• Nutrient Cycling: Transfer massive marine nitrogen and phosphorus inputs to terrestrial landscapes via guano deposits.

• Ecosystem Indicators: Serve as high-sensitivity environmental indicators reflecting wetland health, toxicity, and climate shocks.

Protection: India is a signatory to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and runs initiatives like the National Action Plan for Conservation of Migratory Birds

What are Flyways?

Flyways are the major aerial routes that migratory birds follow annually between their breeding and wintering grounds.  

 Major Migration Corridors

What is the Nairobi Flyways Declaration?

It is an international agreement signed in September 2026, to protect intercontinental migratory bird routes (flyways) and their interconnected ecosystems. 

It was adopted at the Global Flyways Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, co-hosted by BirdLife International and Nature Kenya. 

Legal Status: It is a non-binding political commitment, not a legally binding international treaty. 

Signatories: Over 100 entities signed the declaration, including national governments, scientific communities, environmental NGOs, and major financial institutions.  

India participates through the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), which signed the Nairobi Flyways Declaration during the Global Flyways Summit.

Key Commitments

• Cross‑border Cooperation: Recognizes that birds do not respect national boundaries; calls for joint protection of flyways at local, national, and global levels.

• Habitat Protection: Safeguarding forests, grasslands, wetlands, coasts, and oceans that store carbon, provide clean water, and support livelihoods.

• Integrated Financing:

• World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean pledged over $6 billion for flyway conservation.

• The Global Environment Facility (GEF) approved a Global Flyways Grant Mechanism—$8.97 million in direct grants and $107 million in co‑financing—to restore 9 million hectares of wetlands.

• Alignment with Global Frameworks: Links to major conventions—CBD, UNFCCC, UNCCD, CMS, Ramsar, and the Kunming‑Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework—to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.

Source: DOWNTOEARTH