Annually vast numbers of birds migrate many thousands of kilometers across countries, continents and oceans for their own lives. Countries in Northeast asia such as Russia, China, Mongolia and Korea are playing important roles in those migratory birds sustainability. Birds are one of the best indicators of environmental change.

This sectoral report on migratory birds and their habitat is prepared as TDA TumenNET project. It consists of 7 chapters that describe current status and threats to migratory birds in TumenNET region, and recommendations for conservation. It also considers national and international instruments for conservation.

Chapter 1 and 2 describes the definition and outline of sector. Geographical range of East Asian Flyway of migratory birds and recent results of migration routes are introduced. The relationship between birds and diverse ecosystem; coastal/marine ecosystem, wetland, steppe, mountain-forest and migration. In chapter 3, the current status of migratory birds in Russia, Mongolia, China, Republic of Korea and North Korea are described. The total number of birds registered in Primorsky krai(Russia), North-East China and the Korean peninsula is 538 species, of which 471 species are characteristic Primorsky krai, 457 of the North-East China and 423 species of both Korean countries. In eastern Mongolia, a total of 327 bird species have been recorded so far and 61 of these species are year-around residents. A total of 266 passage migrants and 212 of them are breeding species. 407 species and 55 subspecies have been recorded in North-East three provinces, China by investigation and documents, which occupy 34.3 percent of birds within China. The wetlands of Tumen river lower reaches in China are over 8,000ha. In the Tumen river lower reaches, a total of 126 bird species have been recorded so far. Among 126 species 103 species are migratory birds, 23 of them are year-around residents, 90 of migratory birds are beeding species.

Chapter 4 describes the importance of migratory birds for the economy, culture and recreation. Specifically details on hunting and birdwatching are delineated. Chapter 5 deals with the current status of migratory birds conservation in national level, global and multilateral levels, and the threats to migratory birds also described. National Laws, acts, regulations, nature conservation systems, nature reserves of each countries are listed. And also the status and scope of bilateral and multilateral treaties, international cooperations such as migratory conservation networks and initiatives are listed and evaluated. Chapters 6 describes recommendations and proposals.

In supporting annexes, Bird species list in The Changbai Mountains, Xiao Xing-an Mountains, Da Xing-an Mountains, China, rare birds in eastern Mongolia, Check-list of birds in Primorye, Korea and Northeast China, The Bird species list of the Tumen River lower reaches, Additonal Ramsar site information sheet and proposal which titled "PREPARATION OF A MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF MIGRATING WATERBIRDS AND WETLANDS OF INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL IMPORTANCE FOR THE ASIA-PACIFIC FLYWAY" are attached.

The most important problem (for international association and experts) is to create the working system of the management and conservation of international biological resource which is called "migratory birds in the Asiatic-Pacific Flyway". One can say that it is the most important task. Within its framework, many tasks (problems) of particular nature should be solved. In its solution, many states, many structures and many people should take part. Its solution can prove to be a remote perspective. At the same time it should be borne in mind a great population of the region (with tendency to the growth), long-standing traditions of using migratory birds as a food (animal protein), progressing development of territory and transformation of natural landscapes.

The following questions arise: Have the migratory birds of the East Asia a future? Can anything do to strengthen their future? The maintenance of the international system of management (and conservation) is a possible way to solve the problem. It is evident that this problem can not be solved within the framework of TREDA. But the work within the framework of the project allows to understand a necessity of the creation of the international management system of migratory birds in the region. All of the states of the East Asia as well as Australia and New Zealand (true, every state to a variable degree) are objectively interested in this.

The well-being of birds migrating through the TumenNET area depends on the situations which are formed far beyond the area. It would be erroneously not to use an opportunity and not to try to initiate a discussion of the problem as a whole.

Some necessary lines of activities are :

Countries in TumenNET region should be encouraged to seek the most effective legal mechanism to achieve the conservation of migratory birds of Tumen river area.

- Signing of model bilateral conventions "For the Protection of Migratory birds and birds in Danger of Extinction, and their Environment".

- Ratification of already existing multilateral conventions concerning the migratory birds and their habitats such as Ramsar Convention and CMS.

By now, a great volume of works providing the favorable conditions to solve the problem has been already carried out. A number of conventions (bilateral and multilateral) concerning migratory birds acts. Over a period of years, the counts of wintering water birds in the South-East and East Asia have been carried out. The Red Data Book of Asia etc. were established. There is Conservation Strategy of Migratory Birds in the Asia-Pacific Region(2001-2005).

The economically important as well as rare and endangered species are priority objects requiring the paramount attention.

Some organizational steps: