Celebrating World Migratory Bird Day in Masai Mara
World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is an awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. It aims to draw attention to the threats faced by migratory birds, their ecological importance, and the need for international cooperation to conserve them.
The day is celebrated bi-annually on the second Saturday in May and in October. This year the day will be marked with the theme “Birds Connect Our World”. The primary focus of the 17/18 October event is for birders to record the species they see and submit their lists to ebird.org.
The plight of Migrating Birds around the world
For years the ongoing unsustainable agricultural practices and land development pressures have led to the shrinking of habitats of migratory species. Migratory birds rely on their natural habitats for food, shelter and nesting. Unsustainable farming methods become an impactful threat to the survival of migratory birds. Not only does it encroach on their food and shelter, but the use of pesticides has become dangerous, and sometimes fatal, for migratory birds.
What can you do?
Kenya is one of the most visited countries of Africa as it is renowned for its safari adventures. It also has an extensive bird list and an increasing eco-tourism industry geared to birders. For years, Basecamp has been at the forefront in reviving the biodiversity and empower the local Maasai community in the region surrounding the Basecamp Masai Mara to learn about the importance of wildlife and nature conservation.
For this reason, Basecamp Explorer Kenya has partnered with the Talek community and leased land, that is being used to develop a sustainable conservation and reforestation plan. Thanks to the diligent work of the Basecamp Explorer Foundation team, currently residing in Masai Mara, an additional total of 192,000 trees are found in the Basecamp Forest, over two decades of dedicated conservation research and rehabilitation of our pristine environment. BCMM has become a haven for over 300 bird species and 80 extinct – plant species that have been eradicated outside of this area.
We invite all our guests to join our bird walking adventure. You will be able to spot several species that frequent the camp premises, including such family groups as Sunbirds, Flycatchers, Kingfishers and Weavers. Our expertly trained Maasai bird guides are waiting to introduce you to them.