Colombia Ranks First in Global Bird Species Count

Colombia has clinched the top spot in the Global Big Day, a birdwatching event that invites people worldwide to observe and record birds over a single day. With a total of 1,558 species recorded, Colombia led the global count organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in the United States.

Among the Colombian departments that excelled in the count were Antioquia, Meta, Valle del Cauca, Putumayo, and Cundinamarca, highlighting the biodiversity conservation within these regions. Among the newly discovered bird species in the country are the Long-tailed Potoo, Rufous Potoo, Silky-tailed Nightjar, Wattled Curassow, and Sabanero Nighthawk.

Colombia leads global bird count for the seventh time

Since the inception of Global Big Day in 2015, Colombia has secured the top ranking since 2017, with the exception of 2021. In 2017, 1,487 species were recorded, in 2018, this increased to 1,565, and in 2019, it reached 1,617. Although there was a slight decline in 2020, with 1,453 species, Colombia bounced back in 2022 with 1,561 and in 2023 with 1,547 species recorded.

“Developing nature tourism with a conservation focus is a priority for the Government of Change. That’s why we have designed four birdwatching routes in various regions of Colombia. The fifth is under development through Fontur, and this week we announced the sixth, which corresponds to the Amazon tourism corridor,” stated Germán Umaña Mendoza, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, in a press release.

For the 2024 event, this Ministry supported several Colombian organizations: Acoaves del Cauca, the Cordoba Ornithological Society, the Pajareritos Foundation in Putumayo, the Group of Operators and Specialists in Birdwatching from the Amazonas Bird Observers Group, and the Ethnocultural Educational Institutions ‘El Mamey’ in Magdalena and ‘Luis Carlos Galan Sarmiento’ in Meta.

Colombian organizations join eBird’s Global Big Day

Collectively, these institutions contributed around 491 species recorded on the eBird platform. They received field workshops with specialized guides, interpretive activities for scientific recognition, binoculars, birdwatching guides, and other logistical elements. These materials and equipment have been made available to each destination to help strengthen capabilities and encourage young people to participate in birdwatching and conservation.

Besides Colombia, other countries ranking in the event—which aims to raise awareness about the value of birds in ecosystems and the threats they face—include Peru with 1,445 birds, Brazil with 1,205 species, Ecuador with 1,187, India with 800, Bolivia with 783, Venezuela with 761, Argentina with 732, Mexico with 729, and the United States with 721.