The recently concluded migratory bird protection convention between the United States and Russia¹ is a direct result of the "environmental detente" established during former President Nixon's trip to Moscow in 1972.² The treaty is especially significant, however, because it is the fourth, and most sophisticated, bilateral agreement in 60 years calling for protection of migratory birds. The other conventions are the 1916 agreement with Great Britain (concerning migratory birds in the United States and Canada),³ the 1936 agreement with Mexico,⁴ and the 1972 agreement with Japan.⁵ The Russian treaty is the product of long negotiations and contains little that will be particularly controversial. At the same time, the Senate ratification process can be expected to consider carefully the treaty provisions for ecosystem protection, the exceptions for "indigenous inhabitants" of Alaska, and the legislation needed to implement the treaty.