Saving Migratory Birds by Establishing Links Between Sister Birding Clubs in North and Central America

     In another part of my life, I’m the president of the Cayuga Bird Club in Ithaca, NY.  Our club is interested in working with other clubs to establish a network of sister birding clubs at the northern and mid-southern (Central America) ends of the migratory flyway.  Populations of many of our Birds of Summer (many warblers, thrushes, vireos) are declining because of habitat loss on both breeding and wintering grounds.  At the same time, Central American endemics like Lovely Cotinga, Resplendent Quetzal, and Honduran Emerald are declining even faster because of their very specific habitat needs.  While bird conservationists are well aware of these dilemmas, many birders here and in Central America are less aware.

               For example, only about five years ago, the Honduran Ornithological Association (ASHO) started developing birding clubs in about a half-dozen locations throughout the country.  Just like birders here in North America, they enjoy watching birds.  However, they lack many basic resources like binoculars, field guides, access to places to bird, and access to local, Spanish-speaking birding trip leaders.  Further, little incentive exists in countries like Honduras to care about the impacts of habitat loss on birds because so few residents realize the importance of birds for the ecosystem services they provide (how many disease-carrying mosquitoes can a bird eat in a day?) and how they are indicators of how sustainable the local ecosystem is.  In part to bring more awareness to the birding opportunities in Honduras, and in part to raise funds for bird conservation there, the Honduran Tourism Bureau is sponsoring the first-of-its-kind Honduras Birding Tour for Conservation.  I have decided to participate in this event in November 2016. 

               I am going down to Honduras in mid-October to travel to as many of the six existing birding clubs in the country as possible to explore the idea of connecting with us as sister birding clubs.  Likely, this would mean starting out by connecting virtually through print and electronic media, skyping, and sharing pictures and stories.  Ultimately, we would like it to involve visits with our sister clubs.  The possibilities, and the benefits to birds and birders, are constrained only by our imaginations!

               Travel within Honduras to meet with the various clubs will take time and money for transportation, food, and lodging in the birding communities.  To make that part of my trip to Honduras possible, I have started a Go Fund Me campaign https://www.gofundme.com/2rha68nv. Please consider making a donation, and consider sharing this link with your members and other birding friends.