Birds like blue-tailed bee-eaters feed on flying insects such as dragonflies commonly found near water. Photo by: Thin Thin Tun
Despite being diminutive in size and often undervalued, insects play an invaluable role in the web of life. They help in plant pollination, dispersal of seeds, animal and plant decomposition, regulation of pest species, and in providing nutrition for other animals including migratory birds. Some insects such as butterflies likewise contribute to cultural and aesthetic values of nature by attracting tourists and enthusiasts from all walks of life.
Recent years however, show a significant decline in insect population. According to studies, about nine per cent of the global population of insects is lost for every decade due to a number of factors such as deforestation, pesticide overuse, light pollution, climate change, and others. These factors also contribute to the decline of the avian population.
This year’s campaign on World Migratory Bird Day shines the spotlight on the importance of insects to biodiversity, particularly to migratory birds that depend on them for breeding and survival in their long flights. It is a timely opportunity to gain knowledge, raise awareness, and educate the public on the need to protect these unsung heroes of nature—both insects and migratory birds, for a healthy and well-balanced natural world.
Protecting birds and insects: what are the means?
Discovering the great benefit of insects to migratory bird species prompts us to find ways on how to save and protect them both. Although at times annoying, insects have equal importance with other species in our planet and thus, proper regard for their existence is a must in all global conservation actions. There are some practical ways by which we could help.
First, we need to educate our family, friends, and colleagues on the beauty and importance of insects to develop an appreciation for them. Second, we can plant native species or create native gardens suitable for wildlife to flourish. This will repel any invasive animal and plant species and encourage insect and bird population growth. Third is by promoting ecosystem restoration and preventing habitat loss. Scientists believe that 40 per cent of insects may go extinct due to habitat loss which could cause the spread of zoonotic diseases, threats to human health, and food and economic insecurity. A science-based ecological restoration, on the other hand, is key to recovering biodiversity while combating climate change, and maximising ecosystem services for humans and the environment. Fourth is through informative activities aimed at conserving insects and migratory birds at all levels as well as lobbying for laws or regulations to protect them must be supported. And lastly, we can promote cross-border conservation activities to maintain natural habitats for insects, birds, and other wildlife must be encouraged, for this will be the cornerstone by which all forms of life, whether big or small, highly valued or underappreciated, will flourish and thrive.
The ASEAN Flyway Network and other current initiatives
Members of the world’s major flyways conduct various initiatives to inspire and sustain conservation actions for migratory bird species. The ASEAN region, which lies at the heart of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) is taking important steps to conserve these winged wonders through cross-border collaborations. The EAAF supports the annual migration of 50 million waterbirds from the northern to the southern non-breeding grounds.
Some birds of Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary, Siem Reap, Cambodia. Photos by: ACB
A regional initiative called ASEAN Flyway Network (AFN) is composed of national focal points, flyway site managers, and relevant partners and stakeholders across Southeast Asia. Led by Singapore and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), the AFN aims at enabling coordinated conservation actions and cross-border knowledge sharing and cooperation for the protection and conservation of the region’s wetlands and migratory bird species. Activities supported by the AFN are targeted to address knowledge gaps including the identification of potential flyway sites and wetlands of international importance or Ramsar sites. The Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) supports this initiative.
Earlier this year, the ASEAN Regional Forum on Waterbird and Wetland Monitoring and the Third AFN Meeting was held in Siem Reap, Cambodia hosted by the General Directorate of Protected Areas, Ministry of Environment of Cambodia, and co-organised by the ACB and the National Parks Board of Singapore (NParks). The said events were participated in by the national focal points and site managers of the AFN and key officials of like-minded organisations such as the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership Secretariat, Birdlife International, Ramsar Regional Centre-East Asia, Wetlands International, University of Queensland. The forum facilitated an exchange of knowledge, experiences, and updates on the sustainable management of migratory bird species and wetlands, and charted the path for the AFN Project Phase II.
On the other hand, the AFN Meeting provided updates and sought feedback from network members, experts, and partners regarding the project implementation. With this ongoing project, concerns on migratory species—their behaviour, migration route, their habitat and what they eat, will be more carefully studied and included in their programmes for conservation.
We also had the two-part ASEAN Regional Training Workshop on Migratory Waterbird and Wetland Management organised in collaboration with NParks in August and October 2024. This was supported by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund as part of the AFN Project Phase II. The sessions prepared future trainers, conservation practitioners, and flyway site managers with an essential theoretical foundation for managing wetlands as well as skills and tools for monitoring and conserving migratory waterbirds. Training participants had the opportunity to apply these concepts through hands-on training, discussions, and site visits during the second session at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore.
The ACB continues to foster international cooperation and cross-border collaboration not just for biodiversity conservation, but also for increasing public understanding of the value of interconnected roles in our ecosystems. This can lead to informed decision-making in safeguarding and ensuring the survival not just of insects and birds, but of all life in the planet we call home.
