State of the World’s Birds 2026
Context
BirdLife International released its latest State of the World’s Birds report at the Global Flyways Summit held in Nairobi. The report examines the conservation status of migratory birds and the pressures affecting their populations.
The summit concluded with the Nairobi Flyways Declaration, emphasising that the conservation of migratory birds requires coordinated action across their entire migration routes rather than isolated efforts within individual countries.
Major Findings of the Report
- Around 45% of migratory bird species are experiencing population declines, while approximately one in nine migratory bird species faces a threat of extinction.
- The Slender billed Curlew was declared extinct in 2025. The species was last recorded in a Moroccan lagoon in February 1995.
- In addition to the Slender billed Curlew, six other migratory bird species have been confirmed or are suspected to have disappeared over the past 150 years.
- The decline in migratory bird populations is predominantly linked to human induced pressures, including:
- Spread of invasive alien species
- Agricultural expansion and intensification
- Climate change
- Unsustainable hunting and trapping
Understanding Flyways
What is a Flyway?
A flyway is a large scale geographical migration corridor followed by birds as they move between their breeding and wintering grounds. These routes also contain important stopover sites, where birds rest and feed during migration.
Global Flyways
According to BirdLife International, there are 14 major global flyways:
- 8 terrestrial flyways, associated with landbirds and waterbirds
- 6 marine flyways, primarily used by seabirds
Examples:
Central Asian Flyway, East Asian Australasian Flyway and African Eurasian Flyway, among others.
Why are Flyways Important?
Migratory birds often travel across several countries and even continents during their seasonal movements. Consequently, conserving a species at only its breeding or wintering site cannot ensure its long-term survival.
Effective conservation requires the protection of habitats, feeding grounds, resting areas and stopover sites along the entire migration corridor. This makes international and cross border cooperation an important component of migratory bird conservation.