Venezuela celebrates its great diversity of birds at National Ornithologists' Day

2023-09-02T16:20:08.660Z

Highlights: Venezuela celebrates its great diversity of birds at National Ornithologists' Day. September 2 is marked by the national day of ornithological observers, better known in recent years under the anglicism "birdwatchers" More than 300 species of birds live in the Venezuelan capital Caracas. The superstars of Caracas are the blue and yellow macaws, introduced 30 years ago, certainly by an owner who let specimens escape. But dawn and dusk are the best times for bird watching in Caracas, and even if you don't see them, you can still hear them.

In Venezuela, September 2 is marked by the national day of ornithological observers, better known in recent years under the anglicism "birdwatchers". This discipline also counts...

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Venezuela celebrates its great diversity of birds at National Ornithologists' Day

In Venezuela, September 2 is marked by the national day of ornithological observers, better known in recent years under the anglicism "birdwatchers". This discipline has more and more followers around the world, and the Venezuelan capital Caracas is considered a paradise for these observers: more than 300 species of birds live there.

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Caracas has a great diversity of birds, including macaws, especially visible and audible at sunset and sunrise. Here, one of them seeks to eat in the skies of the capital on September 5, 2020. © Matias Delacroix / AP

By: RFI Follow

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With our correspondent in Caracas, Alice Campaignolle

In Caracas, there are obviously pigeons, but also swallows, vultures, hummingbirds, parakeets and, for connoisseurs, speckled owls or crested caciques. But the superstars of Caracas are actually the blue and yellow macaws: a species introduced thirty years ago, certainly by an owner who let specimens escape.

Mauricio Zanoletti, from the birdwatcher community, explains why the Venezuelan capital is home to so many birds: "Having a national park north of the city promotes this diversity of species. In addition, we have several altitude levels in Caracas, which creates different habitats and can accommodate many types of birds.

The inhabitants of Caracas become ornithological observers in spite of themselves, simply by looking up, and we often see feeders hanging from the windows of the apartments.

And yet, according to Mauricio Zanoletti, birds are not appreciated at their true value: "There is no real awareness of the diversity and quantity of birds we have, nor of the potential for the country. Bird watching is a very interesting tourist bonanza.

Like everywhere else, dawn and dusk are the best times for bird watching in Caracas. And even if you don't see them, it's still possible to hear them.

Venezuela celebrates its great diversity of birds at National Ornithologists' Day

Venezuela celebrates its great diversity of birds at National Ornithologists' Day

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