Mya-Rose Craig (born 7 May 2002), also known as Birdgirl, is a Britishornithologist, environmentalist, activist, and author. She gained international recognition for her birding achievements, including setting records by observing over 5,000 species worldwide and becoming the youngest female to birdwatch on all continents. Her interest in ornithology began during family trips and led to numerous TV appearances and the founding of her popular blog, Birdgirl.
Craig is an environmental activist and advocate for diversity in conservation. At the age of 14, she founded Black2Nature to engage minority ethnic youth in nature activities. Her activism extends to climate change advocacy, where she has organized and participated in high-profile events, including a solitary climate strike on sea ice in the Arctic. Craig's contributions to conservation and environmentalism have earned her accolades. In February 2020, she received an honorary doctorate in science (DSc hc) from the University of Bristol, and is said to be the youngest British person to receive such an award. She is also a best-selling author, with her memoir Birdgirl published in 2022.
Early life and education
Craig is from Compton Martin.[1] Her mother, Helena, is a retired lawyer of Bangladeshi descent and her father, Chris has an engineering background.[2][3] Her mother's family is from northern Bangladesh, while her father is from Liverpool.[4] She has a sister who is 12 years her senior.[5]
Throughout nearly her entire life, Craig has pursued ornithology. Her birdwatching was cultivated in childhood after her parents took family trips throughout her youth.[7] She went on her first birdwatching trip at just nine days old.[8] In 2012, when Craig was 10, her parents decided to take her out of school for six months and homeschool her themselves, to take her on an extensive trip. The family traveled for six weeks in Colombia, followed by six weeks in Bolivia, and concluded with nine weeks in Peru, returning home for two weeks between each trip to allow her to reconnect with friends.[3] In 2009, at the age of seven, she undertook a "big year," aiming to observe the maximum number of bird species within a specific geographical area over a calendar year. She successfully identified 325 bird species in the UK, making her the youngest individual worldwide to accomplish this challenge.[9]
Craig initially gained recognition as a birder following her appearance on the 2010 BBC Four documentary "Twitchers: A Very British Obsession." Since then, she has made appearances on popular television programs such as Springwatch, Countryfile, and The One Show.[10] Her first newspaper column, “Birding Tales”, was published in the Chew Valley Gazette when she was 12.[11]
In 2015, after reaching Brown Bluff on the Antarctic Peninsula, Craig achieved a Guinness World Record for being the youngest female to birdwatch on all continents. She is dedicated to observing every bird species in their natural habitats and, by age 17, had recorded sightings of 5,000 species, approximately half of all known species,[12] earning recognition as the youngest individual to reach this milestone.[1] She achieved her 5,000th sighting, a rock bunting, at Castle of Loarre in northern Spain. By 2019, her global birding expeditions had taken her to 38 countries across all seven continents, including Australia, Egypt, and multiple trips to the Amazon, in pursuit of expanding her birdwatching achievements. Craig's has said that her favorite sighting was of a Southern cassowary, which she described as resembling more of a dinosaur than a bird.[3]
At age 11, she started her blog, Birdgirl, to share her passion for birds. The following year, she campaigned to raise $35,000 for a Bangladeshi charity to deal with the 2014 Sundarbans oil spill.[13] As her platform grew, she found herself wanting to explore topics beyond birds. By June 2022, the blog had attracted 6 million views.[14]
Craig is an advocate for increased equality in environmentalism and nature-related causes[12] and has campaigned to improve diversity in conservation work.[17] Reflecting on her childhood experiences with birdwatching, Craig recalls the predominantly white and male demographic of the community. Initially feeling comfortable due to her long-standing involvement, around the age of 13 or 14, she began to perceive the lack of diversity within the birdwatching community as unusual. People questioned her interest in the hobby, prompting her to ponder why certain demographics were more prevalent in such pursuits. This realization sparked her curiosity about inclusivity and diversity in nature-related activities prompting her to advocate for inclusivity in outdoor activities.[18]
Craig created her first nature conference, attended by naturalists including Bill Oddie, at the age of 13.[19] Her older sister's reduced birding time after having a baby spurred Craig to seek out other young naturalists. Discovering the American Birding Association's teen summer camps online, her parents proposed organizing similar camps herself. Identifying a lack of diversity in birding communities, particularly among British Bangladeshi backgrounds, she founded Black2Nature in 2015 at 14 to run nature camps for minority ethnic children.[20][21] The initiative addresses the underrepresentation of these communities in environmental fields by offering urban youth opportunities to explore and engage with nature, aiming to prompt change and promote equity within the environmental sector.[12][22][23]
Having traveled during her upbringing, Craig says she has “seen first-hand a lot of the impacts of climate change, deforestation and discrimination,” experiences which sparked her interest in conservation and advocacy for indigenous communities.[17] She campaigns against climate change and biodiversity loss, advocating for the prioritization of human rights for Indigenous peoples in her role as a Survival International Ambassador.[24]
Craig was a "Bristol 2015 Ambassador" during the city's year as European Green Capital.[25] In 2018, she contributed to Chris Packham's A People’s Manifesto for Wildlife and was enlisted as the manifesto’s "minister of diversity".[26] Craig campaigned with Greta Thunberg at the Youth Strike 4 Climate event in Bristol in February 2020.[27] She has organized conferences featuring celebrity nature enthusiasts such as Bill Oddie, Chris Packham, and RSPB chief executive Beccy Speight.[17]
In September 20, 2020, in collaboration with Greenpeace, Craig organized a solitary climate strike on a piece of sea ice in the Arctic, situated at a latitude of 82.4°N, standing on an ice floe with a "Youth Strike for Climate" message. This protest marked the northernmost climate-change demonstration to date.[12] That same month, she joined the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' (RSPB) advisory committee, becoming its youngest member.[21]
In 2021, Craig published We Have a Dream. The book profiles 30 young global environmentalists of color, exploring their backgrounds, aspirations for the future, and the pivotal moments that sparked their commitment to environmental activism.[31][32]
In June 2022, Craig published the UK edition of her autobiography, Birdgirl, which was published in the US in March 2023. It became a bestseller.[33] The book has been described as "covering a lot of ground," ranging from Craig's environmental activism to her mother’s bipolar disorder.[34][35] In its review of Birdgirl, The Guardian notes Craig's decision to publish a memoir at a young age and acknowledges her passion for birdwatching and environmental activism. While recognizing repetitive elements in Craig's bird sightings, it praises the vivid depiction of her connection to birds and familial experiences.[2]The Independent described the book as "part memoir, part travelogue, part homage to the bird kingdom."[36]
In June 2023, Craig published children's book Flight. The book follows seven bird species as they migrate to different countries.[37] A review by The Telegraph praises the book for its engaging blend of captivating bird facts, personal anecdotes, and Craig's skillful portrayal of birds as protagonists, all complemented by Lynn Scurfield's "sumptuous illustrations," and ensures it will succeed in inspiring young readers with "a little of Craig’s zeal."[33]
Awards and recognitions
In 2018, Craig won the National Biodiversity Network's Gilbert White Youth Award for recording terrestrial and freshwater wildlife.[38]
In February 2020, Craig received an honorary doctorate in science (DSc hc) from the University of Bristol, and is said to be the youngest British person to receive such an award. She was nominated for the degree by Dr. Rich Pancost, head of earth sciences at the university, who cited her exceptional leadership in special, transformative projects. He praised Craig for her impactful work in the environmental sector, particularly championing diversity and equity through initiatives like Black2Nature.[39]
Craig has been listed as one of Bristol’s most influential young people.[43] In May 2023, she was named as one of the National Geographic Society’s 2023 Young Explorers.[44] In April 2024, she made TheSunday Times' Young Power list.[45][46]
Bibliography
Craig, Mya-Rose (January 2021). We Have a Dream. Magic Cat Publishing. ISBN9781913520205
The climate movement is a global social movement focused on pressuring governments and industry to take action addressing the causes and impacts of climate change. Environmental non-profit organizations have engaged in significant climate activism since the late 1980s and early 1990s, as they sought to influence the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Climate activism has become increasingly prominent over time, gaining significant momentum during the 2009 Copenhagen Summit and particularly following the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2016.
Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg is a Swedish environmental activist known for challenging world leaders to take immediate action to mitigate the effects of human-caused climate change.
The 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP25, was the 25th United Nations Climate Change conference. It was held in Madrid, Spain, from 2 to 13 December 2019 under the presidency of the Chilean government. The conference incorporated the 25th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the 15th meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP15), and the second meeting of the parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA2).
Svante Fritz Vilhelm Thunberg is a Swedish actor, author, and father of climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Alexandria Villaseñor is an American climate activist living in New York. A follower of the Fridays for Future movement and of fellow climate activist Greta Thunberg, Villaseñor is a co-founder of U.S. Youth Climate Strike and the founder of Earth Uprising.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg made a double crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in 2019 to attend climate conferences in New York City and, until it was moved, Santiago, Chile. She sailed from Plymouth, UK, to New York, United States aboard the racing yacht Malizia II, returning from Hampton, Virginia, to Lisbon on the catamaran La Vagabonde. Thunberg refuses to fly because of the carbon emissions of the airline industry and the trip was announced as carbon neutral. As a racing sailboat, the Malizia II has no toilet, fixed shower, cooking facilities or proper beds.
Xiye Bastida Patrick is a Mexican climate activist and member of the Indigenous Otomi community. She is one of the major organizers of Fridays for Future New York City and has been a leading voice for indigenous and immigrant visibility in climate activism. She is on the administration committee of the People's Climate Movement and a former member of Sunrise Movement and Extinction Rebellion. She cofounded Re-Earth Initiative, an international nonprofit organization that is inclusive and intersectional “just as the climate movement should be.” Xiye is pronounced "she-yeh", [ʃi-jɛ].
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has been noted for her skills as an orator. Her speech at the 2019 United Nations climate summit made her a household name. Prior to her speaking engagements, Thunberg had demonstrated outside the Swedish parliament, the Riksdag, using the signage Skolstrejk för klimatet.
Licypriya Kangujam is a child environmental activist from India. One of the youngest climate activists globally, she addressed world leaders at the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain, asking them to take immediate climate action. Licypriya has been campaigning for climate action in India since 2018, to pass new laws to curb India's high pollution levels, and to make climate-change literacy mandatory in schools. She has been regarded as India's Greta Thunberg, though she does not like the usage of this term.
Birdgirl may refer to:
Vanessa Nakate is an Ugandan climate justice activist. She gained international recognition for her climate activism in Uganda, where she began a solitary climate strike in January 2019.
Hilda Flavia Nakabuye is a Ugandan climate and environmental rights activist who founded Uganda's Fridays for Future movement. She also advocates for greater gender equality and racial diversity in the climate change movement. One of her environmental concerns is saving Lake Victoria, which connects Uganda to neighboring countries. As part of her activism, Nakabuye visits schools and communities to empower more women to join the fight against climate change, stating that "the climate crisis has no borders". She also created Climate Striker Diaries, an online platform to encourage digital awareness about climate change.
Sophia Kianni is an Iranian-American social entrepreneur and climate activist. She is the founder and president of Climate Cardinals, a nonprofit offering climate change information in multiple languages, serves on the EPA's National Youth Advisory Council, and as an advisor to the United Nations. She is the youngest United Nations advisor in US history.
Ou Hongyi, also known by her English name Howey Ou, is a Chinese environmental activist who organises the school strike for climate in Guilin in southern China, calling for more action to limit greenhouse gas emissions by China and thus climate change.
Yola Mgogwana is a South African climate activist from Khayelitsha, Cape Town.
Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World is a three-part documentary series following the climate change activist Greta Thunberg from August 2019 to late 2020, when she was aged 16–17. She travels North America and Europe, hearing experts talk about the complex and diverse effects climate change has had, including damage to forests, the retreat of glaciers, ocean acidification and flash flooding. The series also explores methods to combat climate change such as carbon capture and helping wetlands and mangroves to flourish, but finds that such solutions cannot be rolled out fast enough to be the only part of a climate change mitigation plan. Additionally, Thunberg speaks at conferences, meets the natural historian David Attenborough and attends climate strikes. Plans for filming in other parts of the world were abandoned when the COVID-19 pandemic restricted travel from March 2020 onwards.
Dominique Palmer FRSA is a British climate justice activist and student. She spoke at 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference, and began her activism as one of the U.K's leading U.K environmentalists and youth activists in the School Strike for Climate Movement.
Tori Tsui is a Hong Kong climate justice activist, author, model and spokesperson who currently resides in Bristol, England.
The Climate Book is a collective non-fiction book by the climate activist Greta Thunberg. The original English edition was published in October 2022. Translations are published in languages including German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and Polish.
Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future is a 2022 memoir by British ornithologist, environmentalist, activist, and author Mya-Rose Craig.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
