Victoria Times-Colonist - Darron Kloster Oct 23, 2023
Migratory bird sanctuaries were designed as a respite for millions of birds on their long migrations, serving as places to feed, nest and rear their young, but they have become about much more than migrating birds
Back in 1914, when Martha the passenger pigeon drew her last breath in a Cincinnati, Ohio zoo and the once-plentiful species passed into extinction, conservationists were aflutter.
From 3.5 billion individuals to zero in 50 years was quite the wake-up call.
How could we have hunted and eaten so many in such a short period of time? And what other birds were on the precipice of oblivion?
A convention of U.S. and Canadian scientists followed. In 1916, the U.S. and Britain — on behalf of Canada — signed the first Migratory Bird Treaty to share responsibility for the birds. The Migratory Birds Convention Act became law the following year in both countries to provide sanctuaries for migratory birds under threat...[READ MORE]