Every year, for two centuries now, many countries around the world, including Kazakhstan, celebrate International Bird Day on April 1.
The goal of this environmental holiday is to help preserve the diversity and population of birds on our planet, raise awareness of the threats birds face, and promote their protection.
Currently, fewer than 11,000 bird species remain on Earth. Experts estimate that about 1,250 species (13% of the world’s avifauna) are currently threatened with extinction.
It is traditionally believed that since modern human history began—during the late Pleistocene, about 130,000 years ago—640 bird species have disappeared. However, that figure might be significantly higher…
Kazakhstan is home to about 500 species of birds (389 of which nest here, with the rest migrating to wintering grounds). Of these, 59 species are included in the Red Book of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and two more species (the black vulture and the Eurasian black vulture) are planned for inclusion in its 5th edition.
Whether other bird species continue to exist on this planet or become extinct depends largely on us!
The decline in bird populations and the extinction of certain species are driven by numerous factors: climate change, ecosystem degradation, environmental pollution, loss of suitable habitats, and various types of human activity, among others.
Birds are part of the wild. Let us work together to preserve nature for future generations.
Happy International Bird Day!
Photo by: Dmitry Kopylov
April 1, 2025