(a) Legal authority for this list. The legal authorities for this list are Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA; 16 U.S.C. 703–712), the Fish and Wildlife Improvement Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 742l), and the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742a–742j). The MBTA implements Conventions between the United States and four neighboring countries for the protection of migratory birds, as follows: