The accumulation of plastic and plastic pollution have become a worldwide epidemic and a primary threat to birds across the globe. An estimated 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic has been produced since its introduction in the 1950s. 91% of plastic is not recycled, but rather discarded as waste, accumulating in landfills and the natural environment. That is why the 2019 conservation theme is, “Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution.”
Art has been central to International Migratory Bird Day and will continue to be a key element in 2019. The 12 focal bird species selected for World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) 2019 represent diverse groups of birds, the habitats they use, and their foraging behaviors. Despite their differences, each of these birds and their habitats have been impacted by plastic pollution. View the WMBD 2019 Art.
Each year, the WMBD advisory committee selects an artist to illustrate the annual conservation theme. This year Arnaldo Toledo Sotolongo, from Santa Clara, Cuba created the World Migratory Bird Day 2019 Art. Arnaldo has had a passion for wildlife art the majority of his life and is excited to create the WMBD art this year! Read about the WMBD 2019 Artist.
Promoting your World Migratory Bird Day event can be a daunting task, so we created a Social Media Packet that provides easy copy-and-paste posts that you can use on your social media accounts.
World Migratory Bird Day is made possible by its sponsors. Their contributions enable the development and distribution of education materials, regular outreach to host organizations, and collaboration with new partners. Their support has resulted in year-round programming, ensuring that Every Day is Bird Day!
Many thanks to the following sponsors.
In addition to working with EFTA, Miguel is a Biology student at the Universidad Central de Venezuela studying the birds of Portachuelo. His interest in ornithology started when he was 15 and led him to become part of the Venezuela’s Phelps Ornithological Collection. Through his coordination of WMBD, he hopes to motivate, connect and promote bird conservation across Latin America.
As a Boulder native, Molly spent much of her childhood outdoors and developed a passion for wildlife at an early age. After graduating from the University of Colorado, she worked more than five years at a local wildlife rehabilitation center. Molly believes that through education, awareness and connection, progress will be made in the protection of the natural world.
Sheylda has worked with International Migratory Bird Day and will now serve as the Caribbean Coordinator of World Migratory Bird Day. She isn’t new to coordination and was the Caribbean Coordinator in 2014. She also coordinated the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival for BirdsCaribbean.
Guido Berguido, the founder of Adopta Panama Rainforest, has had a passion for conservation for many years. In an effort to conserve natural forests he purchased land, Cerro Chucanti, back in 2003. Since then over 20 new species have been discovered there. World Migratory Bird Day is happy to be partnering with Association Adopta el Bosque Panama!
Since she was young, Daniela has embraced her love for birds, animals and nature. She dreamed of becoming a veterinarian when she grew up, hoping to contribute to the wellbeing of the local birds and animals. Daniela’s passion for birds eventually led her to collaborate with the PAU: Programa de Aves Urbanas directed by the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) in Mexico.
Barbara is a native Brazilian who moved to the U.S. when she was 15 years old. She has always been passionate about the natural world and its conservation. She has a Bachelor’s and Master's degrees in Environmental Studies from Florida International University, and has also served in the Peace Corps as a Community Environmental Conservation Agent in Panama. Barbara strongly believes that education, community participation, and sustainable relationships are key components to conservation efforts.
