Relevance: GS III (Environment & Biodiversity) | Source: State of the World’s Migratory Species Report

1. What is the Crisis?

Migratory birds are incredible global travellers. Every year, they fly thousands of kilometres across oceans and countries to find food and safe places to lay their eggs.

• The Danger: A recent global report warns that nearly 22% of these travelling birds are now in danger of dying out completely.
• Nature’s Alarm Bell: Experts say these birds are like indicators for our planet. If they are dying, it means our forests, rivers, and natural environment are in deep trouble.

2. Why are they Disappearing?

For your UPSC exam, remember these four main reasons:

• No Resting Places (Habitat Loss): This is the biggest threat. We are drying up lakes and cutting down forests to build farms and cities. Because of this, birds lose their “fuel stations” where they normally stop to rest and eat during their long journey.
• Weather Changes (Climate Change): Because the earth is getting hotter, the timing of nature is disturbed. A bird might arrive at its destination only to find that the insects it eats have already hatched and died.
• Hunting and Trapping: In many parts of Asia, these birds are illegally hunted for meat or caught alive to be sold as pets.
• Modern Dangers: Millions of birds die every year by accidentally crashing into tall, clear glass buildings or by eating crops sprayed with poisonous chemicals.

3. Global Rules to Save Them

Because these birds cross many countries, the whole world must work together to save them. Keep these names in mind:

• Bonn Convention (CMS): This is the main United Nations agreement. It brings countries together to protect wild animals that travel across international borders.
• CITES Convention: This is a very strict global rule. It stops the illegal international buying, selling, and trading of endangered wild animals and birds. It ensures that humans do not hunt them to extinction for money.
• Ramsar Convention: This agreement specifically protects Wetlands (lakes, ponds, and swamps), which are the most important resting and feeding spots for waterbirds.

4. India’s Big Role

• The Sky Highway: India sits right in the middle of the Central Asian Flyway. This is a major route in the sky used by millions of birds travelling between the Arctic and the Indian Ocean.
• The Nagaland Success Story: India has done a great job protecting the Amur Falcon in Nagaland. Earlier, local villagers used to hunt these birds. Today, through government and community education, those same villagers are their biggest protectors.

UPSC Value Box

With reference to the conservation of biodiversity and migratory species, consider the following statements:

1. The Central Asian Flyway is a major flight path used by migratory birds, which includes India as a critical stopover destination.
2. The CITES convention primarily aims to protect wetlands of international importance.
3. The Bonn Convention (CMS) is a global treaty specifically designed to conserve migratory species of wild animals.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)