This year marks the 15th anniversary of World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD)! Celebrated on May 8 this year, WMBD is a global celebration of migratory birds as well as a day devoted to spreading awareness of the threats that migratory birds face on a daily basis.

Did you know? 

• Bar-headed geese fly higher than any other migratory bird, reaching altitudes of up to five and a half miles above sea level. They have to, since they're flying over the Himalayas in India.
• The Arctic tern migrates farther than any other bird in the world. The round trip between their breeding grounds in the Arctic and Antarctic makes for an incredible 49,700 miles travelled each year!
• The great snipe is the fastest migrating bird, maxing out at 60mph!
• In preparation for their migration, birds bulk up on food. They will need the energy for their long trip. Some birds double their body weight before their migration begins.
• Birds use the earth magnetism, the sun and stars, and familiar terrestrial landmarks to chart their course.
• Migrating birds face many threats during their journey. Some are natural, such as predators like owls or hawks, dehydration, starvation. But others are man made, such as oil drilling rigs in the ocean, windmills, power stations, drastic climate changes, and windows. In the United States alone, up to one billion birds die each year from window collisions. 

In the past year we’ve fought to protect double-crested cormorants from the USDA and USFWS, rallied our supporters to defend migratory birds in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge against oil drilling, and touted the (relative) benefits of clean energies over fossil fuels in terms of bird safety. 

On May 10th, take some time out of your day to celebrate and educate yourself on the incredible lives of migratory birds!

Learn more here.

#WorldMigratoryBirdDay