Nearly half of world’s migratory birds in decline, BirdLife warns

A new report from BirdLife International reveals that nearly half of the world’s migratory bird species are in decline. The State of the World’s Birds 2026 report was presented today at the Global Flyways Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. For the first time, this assessment focuses exclusively on migratory birds and the routes they depend on, BirdLife announced. The findings carry particular significance for Cyprus, whose location in the Eastern Mediterranean makes it a vital stopover for migratory birds traveling between Europe, Asia and Africa each spring and autumn.

According to the report, 45 per cent of migratory bird species are experiencing population declines, while one in nine species faces extinction risk. Species reliant on marine ecosystems, forests and coastal wetlands encounter the greatest dangers, with seabirds and wading birds identified as the most threatened groups. Primary drivers include habitat loss and degradation, agricultural intensification, climate change, invasive species, and unsustainable or illegal hunting of birds. The Egyptian Vulture, which passes through Cyprus during migration, serves as a case study where coordinated action across multiple nations has helped stabilize its breeding population in the Balkans.

Migratory routes function as complex networks encompassing breeding grounds, stopover feeding sites, and wintering locations. Disrupting even a single critical element can impact ecosystems thousands of kilometres away. This reality underscores why protecting habitats used by migratory birds in Cyprus holds national importance. Conservation efforts at sites like Akrotiri wetlands represent more than local biodiversity concerns—they are part of a global initiative to safeguard populations that traverse continents. The Nairobi Flyways Declaration, signed at the summit, emphasizes that cross-border cooperation is essential since birds do not recognize political boundaries. With development banks committing billions to restore key ecosystems, the message is urgent for Cyprus, a nation situated along the world’s largest migratory flyway.