Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
Flyway Conservation
GS3
"Protection of the migratory routes and habitats used by birds and other species as they travel between breeding and wintering grounds"
Definition
Flyway conservation refers to the coordinated protection of entire migratory corridors — the routes, stopover sites, breeding grounds, and wintering habitats — used by migratory birds and other species. There are nine major flyways globally, and India lies at the intersection of three: the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF), and the West Asian-East African Flyway.
⭐ Significance for UPSC
Important for GS3 (environment, biodiversity) and Prelims (CMS, flyway names, Ramsar sites). India's wetlands are critical stopover habitats for millions of migratory birds.
Key Points
- 1 Nine global flyways recognised by CMS (Convention on Migratory Species)
- 2 India lies on three flyways — Central Asian, East Asian-Australasian, and West Asian-East African
- 3 CMS (Bonn Convention) — signed 1979, India is a Party
- 4 Central Asian Flyway Action Plan — India is a lead country
- 5 Key Indian stopover sites — Chilika Lake, Keoladeo Ghana, Point Calimere, Sultanpur, Harike
- 6 Hudsonian Godwit — 95% population decline, discussed at CMS Brazil meeting (2026)
- 7 AEWA — African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (under CMS)
- 8 Threats — habitat loss, wetland drainage, pesticides, climate change, hunting
Example / Context
The 95% population crash of the Hudsonian Godwit highlights the failure of flyway-level governance — protecting a bird in one country is futile if its stopover wetlands in another are drained.
Related Terms
Mains GS Relevance
GS Paper 3
Economy, Environment, S&T, Security
Subject