World Migratory Bird Day 2024: Protect Insects, Protect Birds

Yellow Warbler with a Caterpillar

Saturday, October 12th is World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD).  It is a global awareness-raising campaign celebrated annually to highlight the importance of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them. In 2024, the theme was "Protect Insects, Protect Birds".   The campaign emphasized insects' critical role in migratory birds' survival.  Insects are a primary food source for many bird species, especially during breeding and migration periods. The decline in insect populations due to factors such as habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change poses a significant threat to migratory birds.  Insects provide essential nutrients for birds, especially during breeding and migration, they play a role in maintaining healthy ecosystems that support bird migration and are vital components of food webs and help regulate plant populations.  By protecting insects, we can help ensure the survival of migratory birds and maintain the balance of our ecosystems.  On World Migratory Bird Day birders from all over the world take part in this campaign that seeks to draw attention to the ply of birds. It is called the October Big Day.

October Big Day

 Last year's October Big Day, a staggering 36,332 people from 191 countries spent part or all of the day seeking out and recording birds in their local areas. The collective effort resulted in an impressive 83,735 checklists submitted to eBird.org, showcasing the incredible diversity of birds across the planet. In Barbados, the Big Day resulted in an underwhelming 38 species recorded.  Local birders are determined to do much better this year! We are preparing to hit the ground running on Saturday morning aiming to significantly increase the number of species recorded and contribute more significantly to the global day of birding. You can help. 

Here is how to participate

• Get an eBird account: eBird is a worldwide bird checklist program used by millions of birders. It’s what allows us to compile everyone’s contributions into a single massive October Big Day list—while at the same time gathering data to help scientists better understand birds. Sign up here. It’s 100% free from start to finish.
• Watch Birds on 12 Oct: It’s that simple. You don’t need to be a bird expert or go out all day long, even 10 minutes of birding from home counts. October Big Day runs from midnight to midnight in your local time zone. You can report what you find from anywhere in the world.
• Enter what you see and hear in eBird: You can enter your observations via our website or download the free eBird Mobile app to make submitting lists even easier. Please enter your checklists no later than 15 Oct to be included in the results announcement.
• Watch the results roll in: During the day, follow along with bird reports from more than 180 countries in real time on our October Big Day page.

So whether you are here on the island or overseas, a veteran birder or a newbie get out birding on Saturday, October 12th, World Migratory Bird Day. Submit your sightings to ebird.org and become part of this global celebration of birds and remember "Protect Insects, Protect Birds". 

Enjoy your birding!!