Conservationists have urged governments, businesses, and individuals to create bird-friendly cities and communities, which will ensure urban planning that minimises the destruction of important bird habitats in urban development.

They also advocated planting of native plants that provide food and shelter for birds and support pollinators like bees and butterflies and some species of birds, as well as use of organic methods to control pests and reduction in plastic waste to prevent birds from ingesting or getting tangled in plastic.

The call was made to mark this year’s World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD), observed twice a year to align with migration patterns in both hemispheres. WMBD promotes the need to conserve migratory birds and the habitats they depend on through education, public events, and international collaboration.

The 2025 theme: “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities,” focuses on sustainable urban planning, bird-friendly actions, and community efforts to create environments that support both birds and people.

The campaign urged collective efforts to secure the future of migratory birds in and around urban environments amid alarming bird population declines. Challenges like habitat loss and threats, including bird collisions, light pollution and bird mortality caused by free-roaming pets should be addressed by decision makers and by involving residents in bird conservation efforts and encouraging a sense of ownership and collaboration in their communities.

According to the UN, 55 per cent of the global human population resides in urban areas, and this share is projected to rise to 68 per cent by 2050. Urban expansion is rapidly reducing natural habitats, leaving migratory birds with fewer places to rest, feed, and breed.

Designing cities and communities to reduce adverse impacts on birds and their habitats and to support bird populations also improves human well-being, including mental health. When birds are thriving, it often signals healthy ecosystems.

Speaking on the event, the Senior Conservation Manager, Species Programmes, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Dr Stella Egbe, said WMBD serves as a vital occasion to celebrate and champion these avian travellers, creatures that effortlessly bridge continents, unburdened by borders or bureaucratic visa hurdles.

Egbe noted that urbanisation has emerged as a significant threat to the habitats that support these migratory species, contributing to their declines. “The relentless pursuit of real estate development is transforming our natural landscapes into concrete jungles, often devoid of the green spaces essential for these birds and the ecological functions they perform.

“The clearing of natural habitats to make way for high-rise buildings, artificial lighting, and associated urban infrastructure leads to the destruction of the ecosystems that migratory birds need to thrive.”

She advocated innovative integration of Nigeria’s international airports like the Hamad International Airport in Qatar, where its expansion included a breathtaking 6,000 sq.m indoor tropical garden, a space that awes and soothes visitors while supporting ecological functionality.

“We stand to gain immeasurably by intentionally incorporating structures that support the natural biological processes that enrich our lives, protect us against the impacts of climate change, provide crucial shade, and sustain the ecosystem that hosts resident and migratory birds,” Egbe added.

Executive Secretary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), Amy Fraenkel, said, “Millions of migratory birds all around the world spend a key part of their life cycles within cities and other built communities – whether for breeding, feeding or as a stop along their migratory pathways.

“Nature does not end at the city limit; we share our urban and community spaces with a hugely diverse range of wild species of birds. Ensuring that our cities and communities are developed and maintained in a manner that supports migratory birds is not only vital for their survival, but also benefits people in countless ways.”

The Executive Secretary of the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), Jacques Trouvilliez, said, “As cities restore their rivers and green spaces, migratory waterbirds are returning, bringing us moments of great pleasure. Whether we are listening to the song of birds at dawn or witnessing the flight of ducks near a pond or the call of a flock of cranes high above our cities, nature is contributing to our well-being.

“We must therefore do all we can to protect these remaining shared spaces and create more of them. Bird-friendly cities have spaces where birds and people can thrive, increasing our contact with nature and giving us these small moments of serenity in our busy urban lives.”