Ecotourism in Filandia, Quindío, Colombia. Photo: Andres Estefan

Conservation

International Birding Tours

Go birding with Audubon-trained guides to conserve important bird habitat and support local communities.

Audubon has teamed up with partners in Latin America to develop a series of ecotourism trips that are geared towards birders to conserve the habitats that birds need most. Our bird-based tourism work focuses on key areas along the flyways that are important for migratory and resident species alike. Initial sites are located in Belize, Colombia, Guatemala, Paraguay, and the Bahamas, all of which are both bird hotspots and key Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), where Audubon and their partners are carrying out vital conservation work.

These trips are different from other ecotourism efforts because they are based locally. Audubon experts train local guides in bird identification and ecology, and after a few years of assistance, they leave the guides to run the tours themselves. In this way, birders on these tours directly support local people and communities, help preserve IBAs, and nurture an emerging ecotourism industry. Read more about this project, including the results of the pilot phase, in our Birds Mean Business report.

Why Take A Birding Trip?

ITINERARIES FOR CONSERVATION

Audubon's birding itineraries are designed to strengthen and support tourism in bird hotspots and support conservation and local economic development. Participants will see conservation activities first-hand and engage with the local community during their tours.

EXTENSIVE GUIDE TRAINING

Birding guides are provided advanced levels of training from Audubon experts, including bird identification, biology, ecology, and conservation alongside guiding ethics, group management, marketing, and business, plus basic English language where needed.

SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES

The National Audubon Society project provides local guiding businesses with access to equipment, including binoculars, scopes, and guidebooks; improves trails and associated infrastructure; and offers basic business support such as marketing and customer service training.

BIRD CONSERVATION

With greater local awareness and appreciation for ecosystems, the program supports priority endemic bird species including the critically endangered Scarlet Macaw, Resplendent Quetzal and Bahama Oriole, plus migrant species that rely on key migratory flyways.

How Birding Tourism Can Support Communities and Foster Conservation