World Migratory Bird Day
UNEP / CMS / AEWA partner campaign
UNEP / CMS / AEWA partner campaign
This observance follows a reusable calendar rule rather than one fixed Gregorian date. The actual date can move from year to year. Rule: Second Saturday of May and second Saturday of October Public-holiday or government status is never inferred from the observance name alone.
Overview
World Migratory Bird Day is a global awareness campaign focused on migratory birds, the habitats and flyways they depend on, and international cooperation for their conservation.
The campaign began in 2006 through the AEWA Secretariat in collaboration with the CMS Secretariat. Since 2018, it has operated as a unified global campaign with major celebration days in May and October.
Why it matters
Migratory birds cross political borders and often depend on connected habitats across many countries, making the observance naturally international in scope.
Responsible participation emphasizes habitat conservation, safe birdwatching, science-based information and actions that do not disturb birds, nests or migration sites.
History
AEWA states that World Migratory Bird Day was initiated in 2006 by the AEWA Secretariat in collaboration with the CMS Secretariat. The first World Migratory Bird Day took place on 8–9 April 2006.
In October 2017, Environment for the Americas, CMS and AEWA announced a partnership uniting International Migratory Bird Day with World Migratory Bird Day. From 2018, the unified campaign used the World Migratory Bird Day name and two annual peak celebration days in May and October.
How the observance developed
This timeline is assembled only from verified provenance fields. Missing stages are omitted rather than inferred.
International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD)
The Americas-focused International Migratory Bird Day was unified with the existing World Migratory Bird Day campaign from 2018 under the World Migratory Bird Day name.
AEWA Secretariat, in collaboration with the CMS Secretariat
AEWA states that World Migratory Bird Day was initiated in 2006 by its Secretariat in collaboration with the CMS Secretariat.
AEWA and CMS Secretariats
Official AEWA history identifies the two treaty secretariats as the organizations that initiated and launched the 2006 campaign.
First documented observance
AEWA records that the first World Migratory Bird Day took place on 8–9 April 2006.
United International Migratory Bird Day and World Migratory Bird Day into one global campaign using the World Migratory Bird Day name.
Environment for the Americas (EFTA), CMS and AEWA
Established two annual peak celebration days, on the second Saturday in May and the second Saturday in October, to support global participation across migration seasons.
Environment for the Americas (EFTA), CMS and AEWA
CMS, AEWA, Environment for the Americas, and the East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership
Current CMS/AEWA campaign material identifies these partners in coordination of the global World Migratory Bird Day campaign.
What the evidence establishes
Verified institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Fields that the reviewed sources do not establish remain fail-closed and are available below without competing with the confirmed record.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Predecessor and precursor observances
Earlier or merged observances are kept separate from former names and later institutional actions.
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
Ways to observe
Join a birdwatching event that follows local wildlife and access rules and avoids disturbing nesting or resting birds.
Learn which migratory flyways and habitats are important in your region using conservation-agency or treaty sources.
Reduce hazards where practical, such as unnecessary night lighting during migration or unsafe window conditions, using evidence-based local guidance.
Support habitat restoration or citizen-science projects run by reputable conservation organizations.
Avoid handling wild birds or approaching nests unless you are appropriately trained and authorized.
Useful facts
World Migratory Bird Day was initiated in 2006 by AEWA in collaboration with CMS.
The first campaign took place on 8–9 April 2006.
A 2017 partnership unified World Migratory Bird Day and International Migratory Bird Day from 2018.
The global campaign is now marked on the second Saturday in May and the second Saturday in October.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Repeated links from the authority record, institutional provenance and editorial guide research are consolidated here. Badges show how each source is used; a contextual source is never treated as proof of establishment on its own.
AEWA — World Migratory Bird Day history (opens in a new tab)
Convention on Migratory Species — Campaign history (opens in a new tab)
UN Environment — World Migratory Bird Day (opens in a new tab)
Dedicated Authoritative Page
AEWA — World Migratory Bird Day 2006 (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then use reviewed distinctions and related authority records to understand where this observance fits.
Frequently asked questions
When is World Migratory Bird Day?
Second Saturday of May and second Saturday of October The stored recurrence guidance is: Second Saturday of May and second Saturday of October.
Does World Migratory Bird Day fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is World Migratory Bird Day an official public holiday?
The authority record verifies it within this scope: UNEP-supported global conservation campaign. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes World Migratory Bird Day?
The reviewed provenance layer identifies AEWA and CMS Secretariats as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as AEWA Secretariat, in collaboration with the CMS Secretariat. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as CMS, AEWA, Environment for the Americas, and the East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership.
Is World Migratory Bird Day international or country-specific?
The record has international or global institutional scope: UNEP-supported global conservation campaign. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-05.
When is World Migratory Bird Day?
The global campaign is marked twice a year, on the second Saturday in May and the second Saturday in October.
When did World Migratory Bird Day begin?
AEWA records that the first World Migratory Bird Day took place on 8–9 April 2006.
Why are there two celebration days now?
From 2018, the unified global campaign adopted May and October celebration days so activities can align with peak migration periods in different parts of the world.
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