At Audubon California, we have a tradition of celebrating a Bird of the Year. For 2018, however, prepare for the Year of the Bird – an all-year celebration of all birds around the world! With National Geographic, the Cornell Lab of Orinthology, and BirdLife International, Audubon is raising awareness about all that birds do for us, and the hurdles they face in the future due to climate change, industrialization, and other obstacles. 2018 is especially significant, as it is the 100th anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which has protected millions of migratory birds, and was a significant step in protecting birds. Now, over 1,300 species of birds are threatened, and 197 are critically endangered. Birds around the world need our help now more than ever.

Throughout the year, Audubon will be publishing Year of the Bird content about everything bird-related. Check out Audubon website for stories and articles throughout the year, and sign the pledge on BirdYourWorld.org for monthly updates on the Year of the Bird! We hope that you will recommit to protecting birds and follow the monthly calls to action for our avian friends.

By Maxwell Ho