Take Action to Help Restore the Migratory Bird Treaty Act

Please urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Congress to restore critical protections for birds. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act is the United State’s most important bird protection law—it protects over 1,000 native bird species.

Earlier this year, the Trump Administration worked hand-in-hand with bird killing industries to adopt a federal rule to dramatically weaken the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The new rule eliminated the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s ability to prosecute industries which harm wild birds through their activities. It is this ability that has allowed the USFWS to force utilities to retrofit power lines to prevent the electrocution of eagles and other raptors, to address toxic chemicals that poison birds, and to go after oil companies for oil spills that kill wild birds. Under the new rule, these companies could kill wild birds with indifference and impunity. Decades of effort to reduce industrial threats to birds would be reversed and emerging threats would not be addressed.

Red-tailed Hawk, photo by Ray Walton

The good news is that under the Biden Administration, the USFWS recently proposed a plan to overturn the rule and reinstate the incidental take provisions. To ensure this takes place, we need to demonstrate that people across the country support the decision to restore these important bird protections.

Take Action

Urge your Federal Representatives to reverse the rollback of the MBTA by sending the following form letter. Your voice will help protect more than 1,000 native bird species across the United States.

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