Birds eye view on Flyways is the first publication by CMS to bring together the key facts about migratory birds, their populations, the threats they face along the way, the benefits they bring to people and the environment and the actions we must take to help them survive, which include strengthening the international framework through the UNEP Convention on Migratory Species and related agreements. The unique nature of the life cycle of migratory birds illustrates, like no other phenomenon, the connectivity of ecosystems across the globe. Often in order to get to and from their breeding grounds, these migrants follow distinct paths, known as flyways. Bird migration spans vast areas comprising thousands of kilometers over land and sea and covering many countries. The birds play a crucial economic and ecological role affecting the millions of people who live along the migration routes. These journeys, perilous at the best of times, given that they involve crossing oceans, mountains and deserts, are made even more hazardous by human interventions.