It was against this backdrop that two path-breaking intergovernmental wildlife treaties called the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals and the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement were signed. The migratory bird day is celebrated under these treaties, administered by the UN Environment Programme. But the conservation efforts constitute merely a baby step against the threats these birds face. While some species can fly thousands of miles at a stretch, they too need periodic stops for recharging themselves.

The birds need food, water and breeding facilities and when these are denied, they look for the same elsewhere. Constructions for human settlement in their habitat are not the only things they fear. The case of the Siberian Cranes, a yearly sight in some areas in North India, epitomises the dangers migratory birds face. These birds, which used to be hunted in Afghanistan and Central Asia, are believed to have totally stopped visiting the country. If the same fate is not to befall other regions, conservation of the habitat of migratory birds should become an integral part of all development programmes in the world.