I recently got the news that I would be part of a four member team representing the Cape May Bird Observatory , the LEICA Cape May Bird Observatory American Dippers (and, along with several other teams, the U.S.A.) in an amazing and important event, Champions of the Flyway, which takes place each year in Israel.
Champions of the Flyway is dedicated to preventing the illegal killing of migratory birds in the Mediterranean. In August 2015, the shocking extent of this slaughter was revealed by a study published by BirdLife International. Some 12-36 million birds, mainly songbirds, may be killed illegally by shooters and trappers every year.
This event addresses an incredibly important conservation need, that of stopping uncontrolled killing of songbirds in Greece. When I was teaching at Rutgers University, I had a colleague who worked in Cyprus, where the director of that country’s wildlife service had recently been MURDERED for attempting to stop the uncontrolled slaughter of wildlife. I am of course also thrilled to visit Israel, long on my short list of places to go next. This event should also be on everyone’s short list to donate to, again, incredibly important to migratory birds.
You can learn more about our team and donate to the cause here.
For updates on our efforts, check the View From the Cape blog and The Freiday Bird Blog .
For updates on Twitter, follow @FreidayBird .
