Did you know that 1/5 of all bird species migrate? Bird migrations are some of the longest journeys taken by any animal, and migrating birds face many dangers along the way.

In 2020 the World Migratory Bird Day, which we mark on 10th of October, is raising awareness on the importance of conserving and restoring ecological connectivity and integrity of ecosystems that support the natural cycles of migratory birds.

The lifelineMDD project outputs highlight the importance of conserving and restoring ecological connectivity. A first shared database that will be established for river birds as indicators of river dynamics within the (planned) 5-Country Biosphere Reserve Mura-Drava-Danube (TBR MDD) will also be beneficial for long term conservation goals. The River Bird Data Sharing Tool will be based on a joint River Bird Mapping done for the whole TBR MDD area and already existing data and will easily be replicable by other river ecosystems throughout Europe, as it needs to deal with challenges that also other transboundary river regions face.

© Goran Šafarek

The gained scientific know-how about the river corridor will have a positive effect on the biodiversity and protection of bird species in the TBR MDD area, while pilot restoration measures will help to conserve and restore the habitats and ecosystems that migratory birds need to survive.

The Migratory Species Status Report released by the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) in February 2020 indicates that migratory bird populations are in notable decline at a global scale. The threats that migratory birds face are numerous, diverse and widespread, ranging from local threats such as poisoning and pollution to global impacts such as large-scale habitat loss and fragmentation and the compounding effects of climate change.

How can you help? Actions at every level can contribute to the protection of migratory birds. Actions at the local level, clean-up actions, providing nest boxes, helping the local organization for bird protection are some of the great examples of how also you can help. Within the lifelineMDD action “People getting active for their rivers", local people in all five countries will have the opportunity to participate in different conservation volunteering actions and contribute to the protection of their rivers.

Moreover, actions on a higher level implemented in the frame of the lifelineMDD project also have a significant contribution. These include ecological corridor conservation and restoration, piloted through three restoration sites as well as trans-boundary studies and a restoration strategy on five-country level.