Napa Solano Audubon Presents: Birding for Conservation in Colombia with Alvaro Jaramillo.

Many birders have heard that Colombia is the country that has the largest list of birds, the most bird-rich nation on earth! So why is it not full of birders? Well, it is on an incredible upswing, but it is still coming out of a decades long conflict, political as well as involving the drug trade. Well those days are becoming history, the country has done a very sharp turnaround and it is now as safe as traveling in adjacent Panama or Ecuador. The birding is astounding, and there are some wonderfully unique spots to visit. Among these is the Santa Marta mountain range, a mountain separate from the Andes that has an incredible level of endemism - species that cannot be found anywhere else on earth. Santa Marta as well as nearby dry forests, coastal desert and the Perijá Mountains to the east make northern Colombia an amazing way to begin to dip your toes in the unbelievable birding found in Colombia. Then there are the Andes, three different ranges, and endemic rich valleys of this incredible country. Alvaro has been involved in a large project with National Audubon in recent years that aims to promote conservation through economic development. How? Well, by creating the infrastructure and guide training to increase birding tourism in the area. When people earn a living from birding, they will preserve the birds and habitat. Come see about this innovative program (recently featured in Audubon Magazine) while learning about the birds and birding in Colombia.