On September 11, 2026, the international community convened in Nairobi, Kenya, for the Global Flyways Summit, a pivotal gathering aimed at addressing the accelerating collapse of migratory bird populations worldwide. Co-hosted by BirdLife International and Nature Kenya, the summit served as the platform for the release of the latest State of the World’s Birds report—the first in the organization’s history to be dedicated entirely to the perilous state of migratory species. As the event concluded, a coalition of governments, financial institutions, and environmental NGOs signed the Nairobi Flyways Declaration, marking a new, integrated approach to global conservation finance and policy.
The report paints a sobering picture of the natural world. According to the findings, 45% of all migratory bird species are currently in decline. Perhaps most alarmingly, one in nine of these species is now threatened with extinction. The data serves as a grim validation of trends that conservationists have tracked for decades, highlighting that migratory birds, which serve as essential indicators of the health of global ecosystems, are struggling to survive the intensifying pressures of the 21st century.
A Chronology of Loss and the Extinction Crisis
The 2026 report provided formal confirmation of the extinction of the Slender-billed Curlew, a species last recorded in a Moroccan lagoon in February 1995. This loss is historic, representing the first confirmed extinction of a bird species on the mainlands of Eurasia and Africa in recent centuries. This event is not an isolated anomaly but the apex of a broader trend; researchers have confirmed or identified as likely the extinction of six other migratory species over the last 150 years.
The timeline of these declines tracks closely with the acceleration of industrial agriculture, global trade in invasive species, and the rapid onset of anthropogenic climate change. Historically, conservation efforts were siloed, focusing on localized protection for specific nesting or wintering grounds. However, the data presented in Nairobi suggests that this site-specific approach is no longer sufficient. Because migratory birds depend on a chain of habitats spanning thousands of miles—from Arctic breeding grounds to tropical stopover sites and coastal wetlands—a single broken link in this chain can cause population collapses thousands of miles away.
The Anatomy of Decline
The State of the World’s Birds report identifies four primary drivers of decline, all of which are rooted in human activity. First, the introduction of invasive alien species has decimated island-nesting birds and ground-nesting migratory populations. Second, the intensification and expansion of industrial agriculture have stripped away the diverse landscapes that provide essential fuel for long-distance migrations. Third, climate change is shifting the phenology of ecosystems, often causing birds to arrive at breeding grounds after the peak availability of the insects or vegetation they require to feed their young. Finally, unsustainable hunting and illegal trapping continue to exert significant pressure on species already struggling with habitat loss.
The report notes that species dependent on marine habitats, forests, and coastal wetlands are faring the worst. Seabirds, which face the combined threats of overfishing and plastic pollution, and shorebirds, which are losing the intertidal mudflats necessary for refueling, are among the most at-risk groups.
The Nairobi Flyways Declaration: A New Financial Paradigm
Perhaps the most significant outcome of the summit was the mobilization of capital. Recognizing that environmental conservation often fails due to a lack of long-term funding, multilateral development banks have stepped into the fold. Since 2021, over $6 billion in conservation finance has been committed to projects aimed at protecting flyways.
This funding is structured to move beyond small-scale grants. The Asian Development Bank has pledged $3 billion over the next decade to safeguard at least 50 priority wetlands within the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. This project is expected to benefit not only the migratory birds but also approximately 200 million people who rely on these wetlands for water security, flood protection, and local livelihoods.
Similarly, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean has committed between $3 and $5 billion through 2050 to preserve more than 30 critical landscapes and seascapes. These massive capital injections, combined with the Global Environment Facility’s recent approval of the Global Flyways Grant Mechanism—which includes $107 million in co-financing—signal a shift in how the global financial sector perceives the value of ecosystem services.
Official Responses and Strategic Shifts
Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado, Honorary President of BirdLife International, underscored the cross-border necessity of the new agreement during her address. "Migratory birds do not recognize borders," she stated. "They connect Asia to Africa, the Arctic to the tropics. The Nairobi Flyways Declaration acknowledges this reality—that it needs international cooperation and coordination to keep migratory birds safe."
Dr. Stuart Butchart, Chief Scientist at BirdLife International and a senior editor of the report, emphasized that while the statistics are alarming, the path to recovery is clear. "Migratory birds are sentinels, and their declines reveal growing pressure on the natural systems that sustain us," Dr. Butchart said. "But the science is equally clear: conservation works, with coordinated action preventing extinctions and helping populations recover. The solutions exist; what is needed now is their implementation at flyway scale."
The sentiment was echoed by Dr. Paul Matiku, Executive Director of Nature Kenya, who emphasized the importance of African leadership in these initiatives. "The birds that breed in Europe, Asia, and the Arctic depend on our wetlands, grasslands, and forests," he remarked. "The Nairobi Declaration and finance commitments recognize that African nations are not just stakeholders: we are stewards of solutions."
Broader Implications: Beyond the Bird Population
The implications of the report extend far beyond ornithology. Migratory birds are critical components of global food webs. They control pest populations, disperse seeds, and pollinate plants across continents. The degradation of their habitats is a direct proxy for the degradation of the services these ecosystems provide to humanity. When a coastal wetland is destroyed, the loss of the migratory birds that visit it is often accompanied by a loss of carbon sequestration capacity, storm surge protection, and water filtration.
The shift toward "flyway-scale" conservation represents a departure from the 20th-century model of isolated national parks. Instead, it promotes a model of landscape connectivity. By working with local communities from the breeding grounds in the high north to the non-breeding areas in the southern hemisphere, the Global Flyways Programme seeks to restore the functionality of entire migration routes.
Martin Harper, Chief Executive of BirdLife International, summarized the urgency of the moment. "The State of the World’s Birds report is unambiguous: we are losing migratory birds at an alarming rate. But today’s Nairobi Declaration signals a turning point. We need everyone to step up and play their part. That means governments, business, and civil society."
A Path Forward
The success of the Nairobi Flyways Declaration will ultimately be measured by its implementation. While $6 billion is a historic commitment, the scope of the crisis—spanning thousands of square miles of habitat across 120 countries—will require sustained vigilance and political will. The integration of conservation goals into the lending frameworks of major development banks suggests that the "business-as-usual" approach to infrastructure and agricultural development is beginning to face the reality of ecological limits.
As the Global Flyways Summit concludes, the conservation community faces a period of intense activity. The focus will now shift from the signing of declarations to the on-the-ground restoration of the wetlands, forests, and stopover sites that define the ancient, arduous, and essential journeys of the world’s migratory birds. If the ambitious funding targets can be met with effective local action, the 2026 summit may indeed be remembered as the moment the international community stopped the decline of these global travelers and began the difficult, necessary work of restoring the world’s flyways.
