Colombia – The Birdwatcher’s Paradise
Photographs by Juan Jose Arango \ VW Pics. To view more of the birdwatching in Colombia collection from VW Pics, please visit http://vwpics.com/. To license this story or individual images, please contact us at info@universalimagesgrtoup.com
The South American nation of Colombia, with its long coastline, tropical rainforests, arid interior and Amazon and mountainous regions is a treasure for naturalists interested in observing and photographing all sorts of flora and fauna. Colombia has evolved to become the epicenter for international birdwatching enthusiasts, and now features more than 1,900 species of birds, more than any other country, and a total that represents 20% of the world’s bird species total. Colombia’s total area is approximately one-twentieth the size of the continental North American countries of the USA and Canada, yet Colombia boasts twice as many bird species!
Seventy-three of these species are endemic to Colombia, and many of those are endangered, including the critically endangered Blue billed currasow and Sapphire-bellied hummingbird. The tropical climate, coastline, Amazon and jungle areas combine to make Colombia an ideal resting spot for migratory birds as well as a perfect home for many on the species list.
There are numerous bird-watching groups and tours operating in Colombia. They offer travelers assistance is reaching and taking advantage of the many key areas for bird watching, including the Amazon, Choco, Valle del Cauca and the Eastern Plains. These birdwatching tours are an efficient and effective way to see many species and regions during your visit to Colombia, and they also offer opportunities to see endemic and previously unseen species! In fact, the 1900th species of bird (a vagrant Kelp Gull in 2013) discovered in Colombia was first seen during one of these tours. According to the Colombia.travel web site, published by the Colombian government’s travel bureau, the best times to visit the country for bird watching activities are during the dry seasons (January through March and June through September).
Many migrating birds will visit Colombia during the northern hemisphere’s winter months of December, January and February. The Mourning Warbler, American Redstart, and Swanson’s Thrush are examples of the hundreds of bird species that migrate to Colombia. Some of these species will travel 10,000 kilometers to reach the coffee plantations, tropical forests and balmy coast of Colombia. For many, the Sierra Nevada mountains serve as the launch-pad for the long trip home.
Fundacion ProAves (www.proaves.org), a Colombia conservation organization that maintains a checklist of all bird species found in Colombia, offers a wonderful resource of information about birdwatching in Colombia. The organization has seen many improvements in Colombia, from both a security and habitat-protection perspective, and tourism has and can continue to help. According to Alonso Quevedo, “Significant improvements in the security situation in large parts of Colombia in recent years have led to a wave of tours by birdwatchers experiencing Colombia’s stunning bird diversity”. These ecotourism tours have helped improve awareness and conservation efforts within Colombia. Still, work needs to be done. Birdwatchers and other nature lovers planning their next big trip are encouraged to visit Colombia and its stunning diversity of bird species. For more information about birdwatching in Colombia and other travel info, please visit http://www.proaves.org, http://www.colombiabirdwatch.com, and http://www.colombia.travel.
Photographs by Juan Jose Arango \ VW Pics. To view more of the birdwatching in Colombia collection from VW Pics, please visit http://vwpics.com/. To license this story or individual images, please contact us at info@universalimagesgrtoup.com