Governor Mead Proclaims 2018 as Wyoming Year of the Bird

CHEYENNE — Today, Governor Matt Mead declared 2018 the Year of the Bird in Wyoming. The declaration celebrates native and migratory birds making their way through Wyoming and the Cowboy State’s remarkable landscapes and water resources that support them.

“People from all over the world visit Wyoming, in part, for its wide open space and alluring landscapes,” said Wyoming Governor Matt Mead. “From the Red Desert in the southwest to the Thunder Basin National Grassland in the northeast, more than 430 species of birds call Wyoming home. It is with partners like the National Audubon Society, who believe in collaboration, that we can ensure these special places and the bird species that live in them, are here for future generations to experience.”

Each year, more than 70 percent of the state’s residents participate in outdoor recreation, generating $28 billion in consumer spending, nearly 230,000 jobs, almost $10 billion in wages and salaries and $2 billion in state and local tax revenue. Where birds thrive, people and the economy prosper.

Wyoming is home to more than 50 Important Bird Areas, including three that are globally recognized. Significant species include: Greater Sage-Grouse, Golden Eagle, Burrowing Owl, Brown-capped Rosy Finch and Long-billed Curlew.

“We have millions of birds who live in or visit Wyoming every year. This abundance and wildlife diversity is a point of pride and a factor in the quality of life for our residents,” said Scott Talbott, Director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. “On behalf of Game and Fish, I want to thank the National Audubon Society for working with us to protect bird species and thank all Wyoming people from helping to conserve this state's incredible habitat, which provides food, shelter, and nesting areas for all of these birds." 

In addition to the proclamation in Wyoming, people all over the world are celebrating 2018 as Year of the Bird. This year marks the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), one of the oldest wildlife protection laws in the United States. In honor of this milestone, National Geographic, Audubon, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, BirdLife International, and dozens of other partners around the world joined forces to celebrate 2018 as the Year of the Bird.

“Year of the Bird is an easy way people can take small everyday actions to help birds along their journeys,” said David Yarnold (@david_yarnold), president and CEO for National Audubon Society. “The rivers, sagebrush, wetlands, and magnificent landscapes of Wyoming are critical places for a variety of birds.  Wyoming’s sagebrush landscapes are home to approximately 60 percent of the world’s Greater Sage-Grouse populations and almost 300 other species of birds. We’d like to thank Governor Mead for declaring 2018 the Year of the Bird and recognizing the importance of birds and the places we share.”  

The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Audubon works throughout the Americas using, science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. State programs, nature centers, chapters, and partners give Audubon an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action. A nonprofit conservation organization since 1905, Audubon believes in a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Learn more how to help at www.audubon.org and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @audubonsociety.

Contact: Nicolas Gonzalez, ngonzalez@audubon.org, (212) 979-3100.

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