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A record 345 events in 86 countries registered events to celebrate WMBD 2013! Each and every one of them represents a unique activity which brought people together around the world to celebrate and help raise awareness about migratory birds and the 2013 theme "Networking for migratory birds". The survival of migratory birds depends on the availability of well-connected networks of habitats along their migration routes. The theme of this year’s World Migratory Bird Day “Networking for migratory birds” aims to emphasize both ecological networks, as well as networks between organizations and individuals and their mutual importance for the long-term conservation of migratory birds. Suitable habitats are vital for migratory birds as they provide the areas necessary for feeding, resting and breeding. They represent key sites along migration routes and allow migratory birds to travel huge distances, sometimes comprising thousands of kilometres. However human activities, directly or indirectly, damage these sites through habitat fragmentation and degradation, thereby posing a grave threat to migratory bird species. These important habitats are disappearing and with them the networks that connect them. With limited access to these important sites, birds may not survive their demanding journeys. Consequently, the management of ecological networks is crucial for the protection of avian migratory species. The theme “Networking for migratory birds” also highlights the need to cooperate and network amongst organizations and people to conserve migratory birds. Since these migratory routes often cross many nations, and even entire continents and oceans, an effective management strategy requires joint action in the form of international cooperation. Collective conservation actions by governments, nature conservation organizations, scientists and the general public are needed to ensure the survival of these migratory birds.
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