BEDROCK PROTECTIONS
1918
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act—among the oldest wildlife conservation laws—prohibits harming or killing protected avian species without prior authorization. Bold women founded the earliest Audubon societies to push for the law, and in the year it passed, Bird-Lore editor Frank Chapman’s joy was palpable: “The National Association is now relieved of the necessity of watching the legislation of every state and of combatting the numberless attempts to legalize the destruction of birds for private gain.” If only it were that simple.
FAST-FORWARD
Our reporting since then has tracked many attacks the MBTA has weathered, including congressional efforts in 2015 to shield offenders and a 2021 rule seen as the Trump oil spill killed an estimated 1 million birds, for example, BP’s $100 million fine helped pay for unprecedented conservation work on the Gulf Coast. And we’ve closely followed the progress of recent complementary legislation that strengthens the act against political assaults and funds bird conservation across the Americas.
