Migratory Bird Program
Stored: Migratory Bird Program
| Type | Program |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Organization | Migratory Bird Program |
| Top Organization | Department of the Interior |
| Creation Legislation | Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 |
| Website | Website |
| Purpose | The Migratory Bird Program protects, restores, and conserves migratory bird populations and their habitats across North America. It aims to ensure ecological sustainability while enhancing socioeconomic benefits through hunting, birdwatching, and conservation partnerships. |
| Program Start | 1918 |
| Initial Funding | Congressional appropriations |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Historic | No |
Migratory Bird Program is a Department of the Interior initiative administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that oversees the conservation of over 1,093 migratory bird species across the United States and its territories, managing more than 300 million acres of habitat and issuing over 16,000 permits annually as of 2025 to balance ecological preservation with public engagement.
Established under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, it conducts surveys like the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey—ongoing since 1947—coordinates four flyways (Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, Pacific), and disbursed over $157 million in wetland conservation grants in 2024, supporting species like bald eagles and neotropical migrants through partnerships with over 2,000 entities, including states, tribes, and NGOs, amid challenges like a 3-billion-bird population decline over 50 years.
Goals
- Ensure long-term ecological sustainability of migratory bird populations.[1]
- Enhance socioeconomic benefits through hunting, birdwatching, and conservation efforts.
- Protect and restore habitats via partnerships and science-based management.
Organization
The Migratory Bird Program was sponsored by its own program office within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under the Department of the Interior, headquartered at 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, Virginia.[2]
Funding came from Congressional appropriations, with FY 2023 at $74.6 million, supporting Divisions of Migratory Bird Management and Bird Habitat Conservation, managing surveys, permits, and grants across four flyways with over 2,000 staff and collaborators like the Canadian Wildlife Service and Flyway Councils.
The leader at the Department of the Interior level was the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, currently Martha Williams (as of February 20, 2025), with the Migratory Bird Program led by Assistant Director Jerome Ford.
History
The Migratory Bird Program was established under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, signed into law on July 3, 1918, by President Woodrow Wilson, implementing treaties with Canada to curb bird declines from hunting and habitat loss.[3] It evolved with the 1940 Bald Eagle Protection Act, the 1973 Endangered Species Act, and the 2001 Executive Order 13186, growing to manage 1,093 species by 2025, with milestones like the 2024 $157 million wetland grants and a 2023 Final Rule revising permit regulations, adapting to a 3-billion-bird decline noted in 2019.
Funding
Initial funding in 1918 came from Congressional appropriations, with unspecified early amounts supporting treaty enforcement.[4] Funding began in 1918 and continues, with FY 2023 at $74.6 million, supplemented by Duck Stamp sales ($40 million annually) and grants like $22 million for neotropical birds in 2024, with no end date as appropriations sustain efforts like 2025’s $50 million habitat restoration push.
Implementation
The program was implemented through surveys (e.g., WBPHS since 1947), habitat grants, permit issuance (16,000+ annually), and partnerships across four flyways, managing species like woodcock and waterfowl.[5] It operates continuously with no end date, coordinating with over 2,000 partners, with 2025 efforts enhancing urban bird treaties and post-Helene habitat recovery.
Related
- National Fish Hatchery System
- Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Grants
- Migratory Bird Treaty Act
External links
- https://www.fws.gov/program/migratory-birds
- https://www.fws.gov/program/migratory-birds/what-we-do - Program Activities
- https://www.doi.gov/ - Department of the Interior Overview
- wikipedia:Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918
Social media
References
- ↑ "Migratory Bird Program Overview," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, https://www.fws.gov/program/migratory-birds, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Migratory Bird Program Structure," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, https://www.fws.gov/program/migratory-birds/about-us, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Migratory Bird Program History," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, https://www.fws.gov/program/migratory-birds/about-us, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "USFWS Budget," U.S. Department of the Interior, https://www.doi.gov/budget, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Migratory Bird Program Activities," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, https://www.fws.gov/program/migratory-birds/what-we-do, accessed February 19, 2025.