Some weeks ago, the media referred to Colombia as one of the best places in the world for birdwatching. There was a reason behind that claim. Colombia garnered the highest number of recorded bird sightings on Global Big Day, a global birding event that takes place simultaneously throughout the planet every year on May 11th. Colombia documented 1,558 species sighted last Global Big Day. The only other country that came close to that figure was Peru with 1,448 species. Beyond making newspaper headlines, this high number of sightings raised a key question in the scientific community. What is being done to protect such precious biodiversity?
Colombia´s ecosystems are as diverse as its bird population. The latest official checklist prepared by the Colombian Committee of Ornithological Records includes 1,969 bird species found in the country. The vast majority (approximately 1,660) reside in Colombia full-time and 84 are endemic, that is, not found elsewhere on the planet. The remaining 225 are migratory birds that come and go depending on the season.
"Since birds are animals, they do not recognize political borders”, explains María Ángela Echeverry-Galvis, a professor for the Department of Ecology and Territory at Colombia´s Pontificia Javeriana University. “Yet, we can identify the regions, cities, and countries birds inhabit, which gives us a certain degree of responsibility in managing the ecosystems that birds need.”
Today, birds face many threats, the most serious being habitat transformation. In Colombia, this has occurred for many reasons, including the expansion of agricultural, livestock, and aquaculture frontiers, all activities that are incompatible with conservation. Added to that are illegal crops and road infrastructure development.
"This situation not only affects forest birds. If we consider all endangered species, the most critical ones live in areas that have been transformed from wetlands, swamps, and freshwater bodies”, adds Echeverry.
There are approximately 246 aquatic bird species in Colombia that include both migratory and resident birds, such as flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber), plovers (Charadriidae), sandpipers (Scolopacidae), oystercatchers (Haematopodidae), and stilts (Recurvirostridae). Birds living in wetlands, savannahs, grasslands forests, high mountain ecosystems, and urban systems, are all priority targets of the National Bird Conservation Strategy (ENCA) 2030, the main policy document that protects Colombia’s bird fauna.
ENCA was launched in June 2023 under the leadership of the National Audubon Society, the Humboldt Institute, the National Bird Observers Network (RNOA), and the Colombian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. The strategy was developed by nearly 2,000 people, who contributed their voices, experience, and knowledge.
"Birds are an umbrella group, meaning that positive actions that are made to bird habitats for their benefit will, ultimately benefit the entire ecosystem. Unlike other umbrella species, such as jaguars or spectacled bears, birds are relatively easier to find. Furthermore, a single bird provides a wealth of information about an ecosystem," explains Noemi Moreno, Technical Manager of Audubon Colombia and ENCA 2023 National Coordinator. An "umbrella group" is a term used in environmental conservation for species selected for conservation and protection since they benefit a broad range of other species and the ecosystem, as a whole. By protecting birds, other animals are also protected.
ENCA aims to provide a framework for all bird conservation efforts in Colombia "so they may be given greater visibility and prevent them from being perceived as scattered efforts", states Pedro Arturo Camargo, a biologist at the Bogotá Ornithology Association (AB).
ENCA is one of the country strategies in place to help Colombia meet its international obligations that are aimed at curbing biodiversity loss, such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets, approved in 2022 by 196 countries, including Colombia. According to Moreno, ecosystem health is linked to bird health and the actual presence of birds in a specific location. The loss of bird species is an indicator of biodiversity loss.
"Having a National Strategy in a country with the most bird species on the planet means that the country has a strategy for conservation and ecosystem recovery. If an area has no birds, then that area is not conducive to human life," concludes Moreno.
The National Strategy addresses five core topics. The first is to adopt the slogan "Colombia, the country of birds", which could be of enormous benefit to conservation. "It is a way for people to take action and raise community awareness about the need to care for birds and the ecosystem," says Moreno. The goal is for 50% of Colombians to be able to recognize and identify with this slogan by 2026. To achieve this goal, strategies have been developed in communities throughout the country to select a species that symbolizes the region since it has been frequently seen in that area, or because it culturally represents its inhabitants.
The second pillar involves creating impact in the productive and strategic services sectors. ENCA establishes guidelines for better production practices. "We have already developed cases for sustainable livestock farming in some parts of the country. The sugarcane, coffee, and cocoa sectors have taken the initiative to improve their production systems and mitigate threats leading to the disappearance or displacement of birds to other places," Moreno explains.
The third pillar is aimed at supporting local community initiatives, strengthening the National Bird Observers Network (RNOA) and other non-governmental and community organizations focused on bird protection in Colombia. According to Moreno, communities have already taken action by organizing groups to stop mining or halt infrastructure development if carried out in areas inhabited by important species.
The fourth pillar provides guidelines for collaborating with Regional Autonomous Corporations and other organizations responsible for land use planning in order to define strategic bird conservation areas. Outlined goals include increasing protected areas and OMEC (Other effective area-based conservation measures) in strategic bird areas by, at least, 10%.
The fifth and last pillar is to generate, manage and disseminate knowledge about bird conservation. This entails increasing the number of scientific publications, records in open databases, and assessments of threatened species, as well as greater participatory/interdisciplinary knowledge generation.
Birdwatching as a Conservation Tool
An essential aspect of ENCA is the crosscutting nature of avitourism, namely, tourism that focuses on birdwatching. “ENCA aims to unveil bird-based conservation opportunities, not from a consumption standpoint (birds are not consumed), but, rather, as a commitment to national and regional development for purposes of fostering appreciation for birds, becoming better informed and enhancing how they are managed," adds Professor Echeverry.
Colombia currently has four birding trails making remote bird regions more accessible to the public. These trails also showcase the country´s natural wealth, its cuisine, culture, and other aspects of local community life. The initiative is not only beneficial for species conservation, but for strengthening local economies and sustainable development, as well.
Birding has become a popular activity on Barú Island (45 minutes from Cartagena) thanks to a project steered by Grupo Argos Negocio de Desarrollo Urbano. Barú Island is renowned for its beautiful beaches. However, since an impressive 192 bird species were identified on the island (10% of the country´s national bird count), beaches are no longer the only tourist attraction.
A total of 16 community members, representing Barú's four local Afro-descendant communities received avitourism training. The objective was to prepare them to better meet the needs of the many birdwatchers that travel to Barú. This endeavor was executed together with the National Aviary of Colombia which has its headquarters on the island.
"In our previous consultations leading up to the project, we attempted to better understand these communities, particularly their unmet needs. We also recognized how important birds are for the area. We began to brainstorm ideas to raise public awareness regarding the value of nature. Afterward, our focus shifted to identifying birds and bird watching," recalls Ilva Gómez Crespo, Legal and Sustainability Manager of the Urban Development Business team.
Although training began in 2020, project leaders were busy at work identifying birds on the island. In 2023 they published "Isla Barú, A Bird Paradise", a scientific compilation identifying each of the island´s bird species Now these 16 birdwatchers who are formally certified as tour guides are learning English to be able to better cater to international tourism.
"We are striving for bird watching to become an excuse for the conservation of our ecosystems," explains Carlos Cuello Mendoza, environmental director of the Urban Development Business team. Within the framework of ENCA, this private sector company signed a memorandum of understanding to address bird conservation issues not only in Barú but also in Barranquilla.
In addition to Grupo Argos, other organizations such as the Asociación Nacional de Industriales (National Association of Industrialists, ANDI) are also using ENCA as a benchmark to guide their environmental projects and formulate objectives for bird conservation. We must remember, as highlighted by the National Coordinator of the Strategy, that caring for birds also means caring for our ecosystem.
This blog was first published by El Espectador newspaper, June 21- 2024.