Birds of prey migratory routes protected
New international measures will protect over 70 of the world’s migratory birds of prey and owls. The joint initiative by Britain and the United Arab Emirate aims to provide protection along migratory routes.
Countries that have signed up the agreement have committed to:
- Identify and protect important habitats, routes and congregatory sites for birds of prey, and restore them if necessary.
- Work with neighbouring countries to ensure that habitats are maintained or established where they cross borders.
- Investigate and solve problems caused or likely to be caused by human activities.
- Assist the recovery and re-introduction of bird populations where they have declined.
Under threat
Human activity has led to the decline in migratory bird of prey and owl species, with 50% of the world’s species under threat from habitat loss and degradation, persecution, accidental killing, and climate change. Many of these birds have an important cultural role for communities across the world, they are an important part of the world’s biodiversity, and can provide economic benefits for example through tourism.
In 2005 an independent study by Defra found that more than fifty percent of migratory birds of prey and owls in the African-Eurasian area were under threat either at the global or regional level, and that a global or regional agreement would help their conservation.
Pledge: conserving England’s birds of prey
Minister for Wildlife, Huw Irranca-Davies, will today attend an event at the National Trust’s Gibside Estate in Newcastle to see a celebration of the return of red kites to the Derwent Valley. He will put his name to a pledge recognising the importance of migratory birds to our natural heritage, stating there should be no place in England's future for the illegal killing of birds of prey.
He said:
“Our countryside would be a poorer place without birds of prey, and their numbers have recovered to their highest since the Second World War thanks to the efforts of many people, so it is great to see so many people signing the pledge to protect birds of prey.
“I want to help these magnificent birds thrive, and the international agreement the UK signed this week with countries from Europe, Asia and Africa to protect them when they migrate shows that the government is committed to their survival.”
The bird of prey pledge reads:
Birds of prey are valued as being of great importance to England's natural heritage. They have the power to inspire us, and England's birds of prey populations are recognised as being of international conservation importance. Many of England's birds of prey are doing better now than for the last 50 years, but there are still areas where populations are capable of further recovery. We wish to see all of England's birds of prey recovering so that everyone can experience these magnificent creatures. There should be no place in England's future for the illegal killing of birds of prey.
Further information
- Find out more about birds of prey on the Birdlife International website.
Page published: 23 October 2008