World Migratory Bird DayTable of ContentsAbout World Migratory Bird Day Page 2The Staff Page 3Our Sponsors Page 4Accomplishments Pages 5-7Our Ambassadors Page 8SING, FLY, SOAR - LIKE A BIRD!2021YEAR-END REPORT
AboutWorld Migratory Bird Day World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is a celebration of the spectacle of migration and migratory birds that serves as a call to action for their protection. WMBD is implemented on-the-ground using the framework and materials provided by Environment for the Americas (EFTA). Events are hosted at diverse locations, including parks, refuges, zoos, museums, schools, and libraries. Activities involve citizen scientists, educators, and biologists who organize events, activities, and presentations, including bird counts, hands-on science, bird-focused crafts, and bird banding. These events, programs, and festivals are geared toward individuals of all ages and levels of knowledge. WMBD ofcially takes place on the second Saturday in May in the United States and Canada, and the second Saturday in October in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.Despite the ofcial WMBD dates, we recognize the dates don’t always work well for all bird events and bird festival organizers or for the migratory birds themselves. To the south, migratory birds have left, heading for breeding sites to the north. Farther north, the birds haven’t arrived. EFTA remedied this problem by removing the month and day from bird education and festival materials, leaving only the year.Groups are reminded — “Every day is bird day.” Now, WMBD is celebrated almost year-round. Most events in the United States and Canada take place in April and May, while fall events are the norm in the Caribbean and Latin America.Bird events, festivals, and celebrations are among the most successful vehicles for public education about migratory birds, and WMBD encourages people to think about conservation beyond their local area. Across the Americas, Bird Day events provide ways for people to get involved in conservation locally and globally. EFTA develops the foundation and tools that educators, biologists, and organizations use to bring this information to the public. Sara Wolman created the 2021 World Migratory Bird Day art, to illustrate the theme Sing, Fly, Soar – Like a Bird! For the rst time, we worked with our partners at the Convention on Migratory Species and the African- Eurasian Waterbird Agreement to develop a poster for each of the yways where WMBD is celebrated.Alaskan artist, Sara Wolman, created the 2021 WMBD art.2
The StaffThe EFTA Team Come from All Over the WorldOur staff bring the skills we need to work with diverse communities across the Americas.> We speak multiple languages — English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Mandarin Chinese> We have a rst-hand understanding of the communities where we work> We are equipped with a wealth of knowledge about migratory birds and their conservationMiguel Matta coordinates our World Migratory Bird Day team in Latin America and the Caribbean. He also organizes events in South America and offers programs in his home country of Venezuela.Daniela Souza works with the Programa de Aves Urbanas, connecting us to over 80 educators across Mexico from her home in Mexico City. Leticia Andino of El Salvador coordinates activities in Central America and works with countries from Belize to Panama to promote bird conservation. Laura Balboolal connects educators across the Caribbean from her home in Trinidad. She must work with 4 languages — English, Spanish, French, and Dutch. Chu-Yu Lin has developed new connections with her home country of Taiwan. She also designs many of our educational and promotional materials, attends events, helps with trainings, and photographs our activities.Miguel Matta Daniela Souza Leticia Andino Laura Balboolal Chu-Yu Lin3
Our SponsorsEFTA’s SponsorsOur Sponsors provide the critical support we need to organize World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) each year. Every dollar helps to develop the annual conservation theme, createmultilingual education materials,and work with over 800 organizations on the ground. WMBD serves as a call to action toprotect migratory birds and provide the foundation on which our partners can develop conservation actions in their communities.Interested in being a sponsor?Contributions of $5,000 or more are recognized on our education materials, in our social media, in presentations, and more.Please contact us at info@environmentamericas.orgGlobal Organizing PartnersGlobal Flyways SponsorFriendsProgram SponsorsAmericas Flyways SponsorTitle Sponsors4
Across the Americas, our connections have grown. We now work with almost 1,000 organizations:US = 334 Canada = 48 Caribbean = 102 Mexico = 178 Central America = 104 South America = 212 Accomplishments Global Collaborations Our collaboration with the Convention on Migratory Species, the African- Eurasian Waterbird Agreement, and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership amplify our voices for migratory birds across the yways.The Binocular Recipients Included:> 10 urban education groups in Mexico> 6 countries in South America: Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela and Brazil> 4 countries in Central America: El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and Guatemala> 4 islands in the Caribbean: Cuba, Haiti, Grenada and Puerto Rico Hear and watch the virtual choir at www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iJScyiuuAIThe very rst WMBD Virtual Choir celebrated the, “Sing, Fly, Soar - Like a Bird!” theme. There are no lyrics enabling singers from twenty countries to join forces and give their voices to raise awareness for migratory birds. Optics for the Tropics provided binoculars in Latin America and the Caribbean to support bird research and to bring birdwatching to communities in the tropics.120 Vortex Raptor Binoculars were awarded — a value of $14,650 (USD).5
AccomplishmentsEducation and OutreachWe provide organizations, educators, families, citizen scientists, and young conservationists the tools for hosting an event in their communities and the opportunity to learn new leadership skills. Each event theme reects the annual theme of WMBD.Bird Day LIVE is virtual programming that brought together over 100 presenters from more than 23 countries during our spring and fall events. More than 60 hours of on-air time was live-streamed to multiple Facebook channels and YouTube.Trainings provide information about how to organize World Migratory Bird Day events and how to use and distribute the educational and promotional materials.We certied 23 Latin American and Caribbean educators.WMBD materials are offered in digital and print formats in English, Spanish, and French. The materials share the conservation theme and provide information about migratory birds and their conservation. Social media reaches hundreds of thousands of viewers through Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. Our collaboration with partners around the world means that our messages are amplied even further. This year, the hashtags #WMBD2021 and #WorldMigratoryBirdDay reached 304,800 social media accounts. WMBD events include a variety of activities, from birdwatching and hands-on crafts to presentations, both in-person and virtual. Events also serve as a call to action, and we encourage organizers to engage their communities in plastic pollution cleanups, restoration projects, and making windows more visible to birds.Our programs reach diverse participants across the Americas, from indigenous communities and the hearing impaired to racially and ethnically minoritized youth and adults.6
AccomplishmentsCostume and Music CompetitionFor the rst time, we hosted a youth costume competition and a music competition for all ages. Participants selected one of the bird species featured in the WMBD 2021 poster and provided information about why they chose it and how they would help to protect it. The music competition reached singers who shared their original songs about migratory birds. The winning piece focused on the many threats migratory birds face and, rather than featuring the singer, used three stuffed birds to explore the theme. We awarded cash prizes to the winners, distributing $625 to costume winners and $575 to the winning songs.MUSIC 1st Place: Stefany Flores, Honduras 2nd Place: Alberto Lobato, Mexico 3rd Place: Jane Moore, United States Youth 1st Place: Krystal Carrillo, MexicoCOSTUMES Caribbean: 1st: Héctor Fidel Ravelo Romanguera 2nd: Dayami Ravelo Romanguera Mexico: 1st: Ketzaly Aguirre Benítez 2nd: Pablo Caleb Vilchis De la Cruz 3rd: Yves Eduardo Blancas Castro South 1st: Matías Alexander Rodrígo López America: 2nd: Isabella Carolina Falcon Romero 3rd: Mariana Emilia Rey Niño Brazil: Most Authentic: Yago Francscisco Rodriguez de Lima and Rafael Guerreiro Cruz S. De Jesus Best Partner Jimena Pilcue Cuetia and Zihara Isabel Costume: Pilcue, Colombia Most Bryann Sampaio Boscato, Brazil Artistic: Most Salomé Osnas, Colombia Creative:7
Our AmbassadorsWorld Migratory Bird Day AmbassadorsOur Ambassadors help us deliver education materials by carrying them to our partners when they travel. Their help has made it possible for us to safely send binoculars and education packets to Costa Rica, Ecuador, Cuba, and other countries.8Want to be an Ambassador?Please contact us at info@environmentamericas.orgMany thanks to our 2021 Ambassadors!Aisha AlmidfaEsmeralda BeltránMike BuckJessica CanizaresMaydiel CanizaresSteven CampbellJody EnckNoemi GarcíaEnrique Mondaca-FernandezEdwin Alexander GalvezAlma GranadosHermano Diego GrassanoGabriela LavechiaMirlen LezamaGabriela ObandoJuan RuizPeter RuprechtFrancisco SalazarStephen ShunkMikayla SislandsCruz Gonzalez SmithMonica TomosyVictor VasquezPat WalshEdgardo Lopez5171 Eldorado Springs Drive, Suite NBoulder, Colorado 80303 USA970-393-1183environmentamericas.orgAmbassador Peter Ruprecht of Colorado made time to visit with WMBD Coordinator Tatiana Guerrero Vallejos of Costa Rica to deliver a packet of education materials.Tatiana is a biologist with a Master’s degree in conservation and biodiversity. She works with the community Caño Negro in northern Costa Rica near a RAMSAR site. Tatiana’s work helps to share the importance of this site to migratory and resident birds.