Over the last 100 years, people all over the world have greatly changed the landscape migrating birds need to build nests, hide from predators, and find food and water. Migrating birds need space to rest and feed during their long journeys. The most dangerous human threats to birds are cutting down forests and draining wetlands for agriculture and to build homes, malls, buildings and roads. Wetlands are the link between water and land. A wetland can be wet all year round or just some times.
Wetlands are a combination of water and special soils and are dominated by specially adapted plants.
Wetlands are important and valuable to humans and to birds and wildlife. They provide needed habitat including many threatened and endangered bird and wildlife species. Half of all bird species depend in some way on wetland habitats for survival. Wetlands provide rest stops for migrating birds with water, bountiful food supplies and shelter. About 80 percent of all bird species in the world inhabit wetlands.