According to the Biodiversity Information System of Colombia SiB (*1), our country is a megadiverse country with 75,157 registered species. It is first in richness of orchids, butterflies, and birds (1,966 species, of which 84 species are endemic, 140 migratory (*2) and 140 in some category of threat (*3), which makes Colombia a paradise for bird watchers, who can enjoy almost 20% of the total bird species in the world in a single country.

In the department of Caldas, there are 841 species of birds, 24 endemic species, 91 species of migratory birds, 3 introduced species, 43 are under some degree of threat according to the Red Book of Birds of Colombia, and 60 according to the IUCN. With 42% of the birds in Colombia in a department that occupies less than 1% of the country, Caldas is presented as a natural attraction of high interest for birdwatchers from Colombia and the world, who can visit various ecosystems such as dry, humid forests tropical and moorlands, which range from 170 to 5,400 meters above sea level. and places with high diversity in birdlife, exuberant landscapes, and great worldwide recognition. Likewise, it has other competitive advantages such as specialized places for bird watching, optimal road and hotel infrastructure, and associations of guides trained to provide a comprehensive service to a very demanding market such as bird tourism.

The Caldas Birdwatching Congress is consolidated as one of the most recognized events in Colombia, thanks to its trajectory, organization, invited experts, human team, level of convocation, and of course its birdwatching outings to different nature reserves and places. of high potential in avifauna, where the participants will know experientially the great natural wealth of the department and especially its birds.

During its history, the Birdwatching Congress has captivated bird watchers, nature photographers, tour operators, the scientific community, ornithological associations, research entities, university institutions, conservation foundations, professional tour guides, local guides, community groups, businessmen in rural accommodation, tertiary service providers such as transporters, restaurants, craftsmen and in general to the community that seeks an alternative for rest or pastime in nature.

Bird watching is a growing market in the world and Caldas has proven to be a high-level destination, advancing and preparing more and more to continue meeting this high demand that places it on the international radar as a mecca for bird tourism, which allowed that the organizers of the South American Bird Fair, the most important fair on the continent and which takes place every year in a different country, saw Manizales as the venue for the development of their fair in 2018 with more than a thousand participants, being the version with the greatest assistance during its 11 versions developed to date. Subsequently, and after the closure of activities due to isolation during the pandemic, the fair returns to Manizales in 2021 because at the time Caldas, representing Colombia, was prepared to run the fair at a time when other organizations could not do it efficiently. This event was carried out with all the recommendations of the moment, and was used as a means to reactivate tourism and the local economy.

The congress positively impacts the child population by bringing boys, girls and young people closer to the world of bird watching in their natural environment, with satellite activities prior to the event with cycles of talks in museums, talks in schools and bird watching outings. birds to leave a message of conservation in a population of high importance for environmental education from an early age.

The cultural sector is also impacted through the plastic arts exhibition “Birds in Art” held at the Rogelio Salmona Cultural Center of the University of Caldas, included in the agenda to captivate another national audience that is passionate about nature and birds through art and taking its theme to another level that enriches the Birdwatching Congress by contributing to its trajectory.

(*1) SiB Sistema de Información sobre Biodiversidad de Colombia. (2023). Biodiversidad en cifras Colombia. Disponible en https://cifras.biodiversidad.co/colombia. Consultado 28/08/2023
(*2) Echeverry-Galvis, M. A., Acevedo-Charry, O., Avendaño, J. E., Gómez, C., Estela, F. A, & Cuervo, A. M. (2022): Lista oficial de las aves de Colombia 2022: Adiciones, cambios taxonómicos y actualizaciones de estado. Ornitología Colombiana 22. Disponible en: https://asociacioncolombianadeornitologia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Echeverry- Galvis-et-al.-Lista-oficial-de-las-aves-de-Colombia-2022-FINAL25-51.pdf Consultado 28/08/2023
(*3) Ministerio de Ambiente, Vivienda y Desarrollo Territorial. (2017). Resolución 1912 de 2017: Por lo cual se establece el listado de las especies amenazadas de la diversidad biológica colombiana que se encuentran en el territorio nacional. Colombia.
(*4) Aristizábal-Salazar, D. F.; Ramírez-Chaves, H. E. & Ocampo, D. (2023). Aves del departamento de Caldas, Colombia: riqueza y afinidades biogeográficas. Acceso: https://repositorio.ucaldas.edu.co/handle/ucaldas/19505. Tesis de pregrado para optar a título de Biólogo. Universidad de Caldas, Manizales.