Citizen mobilization for birds
Where birds thrive, people thrive. Birds also provide us with richer, healthier, and more beautiful places to live. The success of our work on behalf of birds and their habitats depends on our ability to mobilize communities to value birds and the places where they live.
One way to do this is through community science. In Colombia, Audubon supports initiatives and activities that engage people in birding while contributing to ornithological science. These include the eBird platform, which allows bird lovers to report and analyze data, as well as census projects such as Global Big Day, October Big Day and Christmas Bird Count. With Audubon's support, some 40 ornithological organizations and birding groups in Colombia participate in these censuses. The population data they collect is often included in research projects that inform conservation strategies.
Audubon's popular birding trails and education programs for guides and informants are other components of Audubon Americas' efforts to build relationships and strengthen the capacity of local communities. The first birding trail project in Colombia was the Northern Colombia Birding Trail, supported by USAID, Patrimonio Natural, and Asociación Calidris. It was followed by three more routes - Central Andes, Southwestern Andes and Eastern Andes - with the support of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (through FONTUR). Each route offers an itinerary of potential birding sites and more than 400 beneficiaries, including guides and tour operators who participated in the training process.
In the context of Colombia's ornithological routes, local guides trained by Audubon have continued to strengthen their capacities through the creation of support networks. One of these is the Red de Informadores de Aves (RIAC), which developed a YouTube channel to promote birds, places and culture, along with other activities related to bird watching and conservation.