Protecting Birds in China

Birds play a crucial regulatory role in ecosystems. Insectivorous birds effectively suppress insect population density through predation, acting as guardians of the balance in the natural ecological world. Birds are highly sensitive to environmental changes; when the environment is polluted, abnormalities in their behavioral patterns emerge first. Environmental monitoring can assess and provide early warnings about ecosystem conditions by observing changes in bird populations. During foraging, birds carry and disperse plant seeds, helping plants spread and reproduce, which lays the foundation for the subsequent establishment of ecosystems. China is home to 1,505 bird species and serves as the core area of the "East Asian-Australasian" flyway—the most important among the world's nine major migratory bird flyways. Protecting the habitats and migration routes of these birds is not only vital for the survival of species but also a key link in maintaining the Earth's ecological balance.

Starting from 2023, the VOW Center has organized an annual Bird Guardian Carnival. By focusing on volunteer services aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, we call on people to join the Bird Guardian initiative through actions, such as installing anti-collision stickers, setting up bird drinking stations, using bird-watching apps to record species distribution, organizing bird science popularization lectures, and hosting public interactive games. Volunteer positions include:

- Check-in and Assembly: Responsible for on-site check-in, assembly, and grouping of registered volunteers, as well as assisting in recording working hours.
- Promotion and Training: Responsible for explaining the event's schedule and work arrangements.
- Safety Supervision: Responsible for on-site volunteer safety assurance, and serving as the point of contact for emergencies and checking whether volunteers' participation complies with regulations.
- Service Positions: Guide positions for wild bird science exhibitions, service positions for volunteer service blocks and book 漂流 (book sharing), bird science popularization explanation positions, climate action board game guide positions, and Sustainable Development Goals game guide positions.

For more information, visit https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/WLNaF2C9RpIOByCcq7Vpiw