Luis Miguel Renjifo

Luis Miguel has dedicated himself to the conservation of nature, especially birds, through research, teaching and institutional management. He is senior author of the Red Books of Threatened Birds of Colombia, has studied the development of strategies for the conservation of biodiversity in rural landscapes and motivated the establishment of the Barbas-Bremen biological corridors in Quindío (the first biological corridors established in South America through forest restoration). He was one of the organizers of the first national ornithology meeting, promoted the creation of the National Network of Bird Watchers – RNOA and led the first strategy for the conservation of birds in Colombia. He has received awards such as the Alejandro Angel Escobar Foundation Award for Environment and Sustainable Development, and the Rodrigo Velez de Bedout Award from the RNOA. He is currently researching, in collaboration with several colleagues, the motivations of people to engage in bird watching as a recreational activity. He is a founding member of the Bogota Ornithological Association and the Colombian Ornithological Association.

This conference takes a look at who the bird watchers of Colombia are. To this end, a survey was conducted in which they were asked about their sociodemographic characteristics, such as age, gender, income, place of residence, time they have been birding, and frequency with which they do so. The factors that drive them to bird watch were identified, including emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, well-being, search for novelty, income generation, and photography. Likewise, attributes of the places they go to in terms of their birdlife, other attractions, local guides, facilities and infrastructure, and factors that discourage them from going to certain destinations were identified.