Colombia —the second most biodiverse country in the world— has 1,966 bird species, 20% of the world’s total, and way more than other countries such as Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, India, and Indonesia. A few days ago, the largest birding event organized by Cornell’s University Ornithology Lab occurred, reuniting scientific and amateur birdwatching communities worldwide. This contest proved, once more, why Colombia is the #1 country in bird diversity on the planet.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), emphasizes that participating in this event contributes to conserving Colombia’s biodiversity and strengthening regenerative nature tourism. Julian Guerrero, Chief of the Party of Destino Naturaleza at USAID, said: "Global Big Day is a powerful citizen science tool that allows us to position Colombia and its territories as a world-class nature destination”.
The regions reporting the most significant number of bird species are Antioquia , Meta , Valle del Cauca , Cundinamarca , and Caldas . So, attention nature fans, as these destinations are perfect for the incoming birdwatchers seeking the ultimate experience.
"Our natural wealth means great opportunities to continue promoting our country as an ideal destination for birdwatching, a product that meets the sustainability parameters to ensure the conservation of the species, as well as the livelihoods of the communities that depend on these meaningful activities," said Carmen Caballero, President of ProColombia. Furthermore, birdwatching promotes environmental justice through the conservation of the ecosystems; thus, this tourism type brings awareness to travelers on the protection of habitats.
Currently, Americans are the largest number of international travelers arriving in Colombia, making this country the ultimate destination of US travelers in South America; as of today, 11 cities in the US are directly connected to 8 cities across the Colombian territory, and there are 301 air frequencies with over 52,000 seats available per week.
“Having earned this recognition seems like the perfect opportunity to invite Americans and travelers from across the globe, to visit Colombia and see by themselves the immense biodiversity and beauty of our territories”, concluded Caballero.