Springfield, Massachusetts, has adopted an Urban Conservation Treaty for Migratory Birds.
The city's science museum is introducing a new wildlife garden and residents will be encouraged to help create a network of neighborhood habitats.
Roxanne Bogart of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Springfield and the Connecticut River are important stops for birds migrating between South America and the Arctic.
"Every day we're learning more and more about how important urban habitats are to migratory birds, by providing places for these species to stop rest and refuel along their migratory routes," Bogart said Friday.
Springfield is the first city in Massachusetts to adopt the bird treaty. Twenty-seven other cities around the U.S. hold the designation, including Hartford and New Haven.