The first mention of the celebration of the day of birds is associated with a small town in America called Oil City. It was there, in 1984, a schoolteacher called on children to protect the birds and did it in the form of a holiday. This idea was actively supported by the then well-known newspaper, and the celebration became popular throughout the country. But the problem of protecting birds already at that time worried many developed countries. And in 1902 an international convention was signed to protect birds useful for agriculture. By virtue of it, it entered only in December 1905, therefore the first date for the celebration of the International Day of Birds is April 1, 1906.
In Russia, birds feasted always, and with the onset of spring people celebrated the return of migratory birds home. According to popular beliefs, birds were harbingers of spring, and even at that time people could not help noticing the benefits that they brought. Therefore, the ruin of a bird's nest, and even more so the killing of a bird was considered a great sin. But officially on the day when the international bird day in Russia is celebrated, it is considered April 1, 1926. From this day people began to build and hang birdhouses for birds, bake cookies in the form of larks and even compose poems about them. But it did not last long - until 1930. Due to certain events happening in the country, the holiday began to be forgotten. And only in 1999 the tradition of holding an ecological holiday was revived. This was due to the efforts of the Russian Bird Conservation Union.
Today, the celebration of the International Bird Day is as important as ever. The number of extinct species is estimated at hundreds, and the complete destruction of birds can lead to unpredictable consequences for mankind. Therefore, the main goal of the events held in the holiday is to preserve the species diversity and number of birds.
Events on International Bird Day
Today, the celebration of the Day of Birds is very informative. And the activities are aimed not only at school children, but also at preschool children and even adults. Entertainment can be enjoyed on a daily basis by birds. And the most popular are:
- classes for toddlers, where they get acquainted with a variety of bird species in a game form;
- master class on making bird houses. In these classes, experts tell and show not only how to build a birdhouse, a bubblegum, etc., but also give recommendations on its proper placement, fastening, and also on the issue of a more convenient arrangement of a hut for breeding chicks;
- detailed workshops on birds living around us;
- research studies revealing the puzzle of a bird's flight;
- culinary shows on cooking traditional lark;
- lessons of fine arts. In these classes, everyone can try their hand at drawing a bird's eye under the guidance of a specialist.
In addition, in places where mass events are held, dances and chants are traditionally organized, as well as hanging birdhouses and other houses for birds.
Since 1999, every International Bird Day has its own symbol. At the same time, each of the countries celebrating this holiday chooses a bird that is common in its territory and needs attention. The first symbol of the protection of birds in Russia was the village swallow, the next year - a large tit, then there was a starling, kestrel, curlew, white stork, owl, seagull, kingfisher, bullfinch, swan, chibis, white wagtail, Bluethroat and white-tailed eagle. And in 2014, the title of the bird of the year in Russia received a black swift.