Be inspired to learn about, help conserve North America’s feathered travelers through family-friendly activities, education biofacts and more.

Saturday, May 8 is World Migratory Bird Day, and the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden invites you to fly out to the Zoo learn more about North America’s migratory bird species and what you can do to help conserve these winged wonders. “Sing, Fly, Soar — Like a Bird!” is the theme of this year’s World Migratory Bird Day, the only international education program that celebrates the migration of hundreds of bird species between their nesting habitats in North America and wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Presented locally by Bob Moore Subaru, event activities will take place in the Zoo’s Children’s Zoo from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and include an “I Spy” activity card and game, “Sing, Fly, Soar – Like a Bird,” for kids 11 and under, educational biofacts, a photo booth hosted by Bob Moore Subaru and more. Guests will also have an opportunity to participate in a bird tour on Zoo grounds led by Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Senior Biologist, Mark Howery. The tour will start at 10:30 a.m. and is limited to the first 20 people that sign-up at the information station in the Children’s Zoo. Bird fans will also want to tune in for a conservation chat hosted by the Zoo and featuring Mark Howery via Facebook live at 9:45 a.m.

With approximately 10,400 bird species globally and approximately 900 bird species in the United States, birds are ambassadors of the natural world. As an indicator species, birds help signify the health of an ecosystem. They also provide pest control, pollination and seed-dispersal in their habitats. Sadly, North American birds are facing increasing challenges as they make their migratory journeys and their populations have plummeted by 29% or three billion birds, since 1970. Oklahoma’s prairie birds, such as lesser prairie chickens and grasshopper sparrows, have been especially affected by this mass population decline. The main reasons for population decline include habitat loss, building collisions and predation from domesticated cats. Another global threat to birds is the exotic pet trade. Every year, millions of live birds are traded illegally and sold into the live pet trade.

The OKC Zoo is dedicated to bird conservation in Oklahoma and is providing funding from its Round Up for Conservation Fund to the George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma to support a five-year long bird survey project statewide to produce the Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlas II. Bird surveys provide vital information about bird population trends and the last Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlas was published 20 years ago. The Zoo is also part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) North American Songbird (NAS) initiative. Zoo guests are able to observe an example of the Zoo’s commitment to the SAFE NAS initiative in-person at the Zoo’s Oklahoma Trails habitat, which features specially-designed glass to prevent bird strikes. Much more than an aesthetic choice, these designs provide a visual for birds to recognize animal habitat glass as a physical barrier.

During World Migratory Bird Day, discover the birds that call the Zoo home by visiting the Dan Moran Aviary, Sam Moore bird habitats, Children’s Zoo plus, Oklahoma Trails and its aviary where you will find Turkey vultures and Sandhill cranes both featured species for World Migratory Bird Day.