La Paz Eco Park, an artificial wetland in Baja California Sur, provides habitat for many bird species, including the western sandpiper, which migrates annually from Alaska to Peru.
World Migratory Bird Day was observed Saturday, May 9, to raise awareness about the importance of protecting migratory birds and their habitats.
Víctor Ayala, a research professor at the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur (UABCS), said the event is officially celebrated twice a year, on the second Saturday in May and the second Saturday in October, to coincide with peak spring and fall migration periods.
“Fall migration is when birds travel from north to south after reproducing and head toward their wintering grounds,” Ayala said. “Spring migration, which is currently underway, is from south to north as birds return to their breeding sites.”
Critical Habitats Along the Pacific Flyway
Ayala, a member of the UABCS Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences and collaborator with the university’s Bird Laboratory, said the Baja California Peninsula lies within the Pacific Flyway, one of the most important migratory corridors in the Americas because of the large number of species and birds that pass through it.
He said Baja California Sur has several critical habitats for migratory birds. Coastal wetlands in Guerrero Negro, San Ignacio, Magdalena Bay and La Paz Bay are vital for shorebirds, ducks and herons, while oases, tropical deciduous forests and the Sierra de la Laguna provide refuge for terrestrial species.
“Every year, Baja California Sur receives a large number of migratory birds seeking better feeding conditions,” Ayala said. “In northern regions, freezing temperatures greatly reduce food availability, so birds come to these areas during the winter.”
According to Ayala, the state is home to between 400 and 450 bird species, about half of them migratory. The main threats they face include habitat loss, urbanization, pollution and climate change.
Threats and Conservation Efforts
“Many birds die each year after colliding with buildings, windows, antennas and power lines. Pollution from plastics and trash also causes significant mortality during migration.”
Ayala said that while relatively few migratory bird species have become extinct, many populations, particularly shorebirds and grassland birds, have declined dramatically in recent decades.
He also highlighted the remarkable endurance of migratory birds, citing the bar-tailed godwit, a small shorebird capable of flying nonstop from Alaska to New Zealand in about 10 days. During the journey, the bird can rest half of its brain while staying in flight.
Migratory birds also serve as important environmental indicators, Ayala said, because changes in their populations often reflect the health of ecosystems and broader environmental conditions. He emphasized the importance of La Paz Eco Park as an artificial estuary that functions as a recovery site for species such as the western sandpiper during migration.
This year’s World Migratory Bird Day theme, “Every Bird Counts, and Every Person’s Observation Matters,” highlights the role citizens can play in conservation efforts and bird monitoring initiatives.
