As part of National Conservation Day, celebrated on November 27th, Pronatura Noroeste successfully promoted the third session of local bird-watching in the Municipal Youth´s Ecopark , in the city of La Paz, Baja California Sur. On this occasion, the pajareada (as this activity is commonly called, based on pájaro, spanish´s word for bird) was attended by more than a hundred people, all of them interested in learning about the birds that inhabit and come to these lagoons.
Despite the inclement weather, due to the rain of the previous night and the cloudy dawn that day, we welcomed the enthusiastic participants who showed up before seven in the morning at the Ecopark. Accompanied by Pronatura Noroeste staff, they were ready to enjoy the day outdoors to learn about and observe the different species of birds.
Each participant received three updated bird guides, produced by the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California Sur, Bird Lab, entitled: “Guide to Shorebirds in Mexico”, “Quick Guide to the Birds of San Ignacio”, and, for the first time, the recently created “Guide to Common Birds of the Lagoons of the Eco Park”. These illustrated documents facilitate the participants’ experience, provide them with valuable information, and also give an account of the research and outreach work done by the UABCS laboratory staff.
Natalia Ruffo Castaño, Director of Municipal Tourism of the State Government, as well as Dr. Alba Eritrea Gamez, Secretary General of the UABCS. Danae Kerr Fenton Bringas, Coordinator of Citizen Participation of the City of La Paz, José Manuel Martínez from Cipactli Forestal, Roberto Carmona from the UABCS Bird Laboratory, and Sergio González, Regional Coordinator of B. C. S., also participated, as well as personnel from the Academic Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences of the UABCS.
At the opening event, six signs were unveiled to be installed at various points in the Ecopark, which will give visitors the opportunity to learn specific information of what they can see on the tour. At Pronatura Noroeste we take care at all times of health precaution protocols, so our guides grouped the attendees into small groups, to safely enjoy this experience.
At the end of the day, Roberto Carmona, lead researcher of UABCS´ Bird Lab and Scientific Advisor of Pronatura Noroeste, congratulated all his team, collaborators and visitors, who persisted on this task despite the inclement weather, making this birding-watching trip a success. Finally, he assured that this type of activity will “increase the site’s viability, as the public becomes aware of its beauty and importance, both socially and ecologically; as our outreach efforts are intended to engage the public to own the Ecopark concept and thus support its conservation.”
Would you like to learn more about birds?
Learn about the basic course on bird identification for use in ecotourism activities. Taught by Dr. Roberto Carmona, professor-researcher at the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur.
You will learn about the following:
-Avitourism as a profitable economic activity.
-Basic equipment for birdwatching.
-Some criteria for identification and location of the taxonomic group.
-How to identify birds in the wild.
-What is citizen science and the importance of the lagoons of the Ecoparque de la Juventud in La Paz, B. C. S.
To learn more, click on this link:
