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Rwanda Celebrates its Birdlife at Britain’s National Birdfair

africapractice — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:35:23 +0000

Visitors to this year’s British Birdfair in Rutland will discover the wonders of Rwanda’s birds, from the Great Blue Turaco to the most sought after Shoebill stork. The Rwanda Development Board/Tourism and Conservation will be showcasing the country named “Land of a Thousand Hills”, from the 21-23 August 2009.

A landlocked central African country, smaller than Belgium, Rwanda is a verdant country of fertile and hilly terrain, home to over 670 species of birds. Though famed for its big game and primates, Rwanda boasts fascinating wildlife that will appeal to all nature-loving tourists. In particular, its unique avian wildlife makes this an ideal destination for bird lovers. It is projected that by 2012, Rwanda will generate 11,000,000 USD from birding.

Described as the birdwatcher’s Glastonbury, Birdfair encompasses the whole spectrum of the birdwatching industry whilst at the same time supporting global bird conservation. With hundreds of stands selling the latest products for wildlife enthusiasts, as well as lectures, quizzes and book-launches, this is the event of the year for bird lovers and wildlife enthusiasts.

The various hot spots for birdwatching in Rwanda include Nyungwe, Akagera and Volcanoes National Parks, Cyamudongo Forest, Buhanga Eco-park, Rugezi Swamp, Nyabarongo Wetlands, Akanyaru Wetlands and Lake Kivu Islands. Some of the highlights of Rwanda’s birdlife to be found in the country’s rolling hills, rugged mountains, swamps and lakes include:

The elusive Shoebill stork, which has made a home for itself in the wetlands of Akagera National Park in the eastern part of the country – one of the densest concentrations of waterbirds on the continent.
The outlandish Great Blue Turaco, a popular highlight of western part of the country.
The rare Ring-necked Francolin, that have also made their home in Akagera
The not-to-be-missed fish eagles, asserting their status as the avian monarchs of Africa’s waterways
African Bird Club describes Nyungwe National Park as the only place in Africa where the Red-collared Mountain Babbler can be seen in safety.
If the amazing avian wildlife were not enough, there are also 13 primate species including man’s closest living relative; the chimpanzee.

To raise awareness of the importance of birds, a Birding Association has been set-up, bringing together all bird lovers from both the Government and private sector, working closely with the Tourism Board.

Emmanuel Werabe from the Rwanda Development Board/ Tourism and Conservation commented, “We’re excited to be travelling to the UK to showcase our country’s unique birdlife. Whether you’re a seasoned bird-watcher, an intrepid mountaineer or a curious culture-seeker, there really is something for everyone in Rwanda. This weekend we’re looking forward to meeting birdwatchers that are keen to expand their horizons.”

The Rwanda Development Board/ Tourism and Conservation will be at Stand 20 in Marquee 3 from Friday 21st – Sunday 23rd August.

Wings Over Willcox Birding & Nature Festival

Editor — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:20:18 +0000

If you’re looking for a great way to get back to nature early next year, make sure that you stop off at the 16th annual Wings Over Willcox birding and nature festival for some great family fun. Whether you’re an avid bird watcher or you just enjoy taking in the sights and sounds of nature, you’re sure to find something enjoyable to do at this great annual event.

The 16th annual Wings Over Willcox festival is due to get off to a flying start on January 14, 2009. It is a five-day festival that covers various aspects of nature and serves both as a window on the natural world and as a means to educate the general public. The 2009 Wings Over Willcox festival promises to be bigger and better than ever before, with seminars, exhibitions, tours, a massive banquet and both photographic and artistic displays. Some of the new tours will feature rather novel aspects, such as astronomy, while others will focus on the wildlife of the Chiricahuas – perfect for those who love nature in general. The AEPCO power plant has volunteered to open its doors for the weekend so that visitors can learn more about this electric power station, while those with green fingers will no doubt get a kick out of visiting the 100-acre greenhouse in the area. There is also a working ranch filled with farm hands that are ready to show you the ropes. Of course, no visit to the area would be complete without a bird watching tour and you can be sure that there are plenty of those to go around. If you are lucky you will get plenty of chances to see cranes, sparrows and a variety of raptors in their natural habitats. There are also plenty of other birds to see – almost as many as 180 different bird species have been spotted in the area during the last four years of the festival alone, with an average of 135 different bird species being sighted annually.

Some of the seminars will cover diverse topics such as rainwater harvesting or wildlife tracking. There will also be seminars on rarities such Siberian cranes and jaguars. Clearly this is a diverse and intriguing part of the natural world and visitors are openly invited to explore the birds, bats, rocks and plants of the area. The Wings Over Willcox festival will also be targeting schools, trying to highlight the need to protect nature in a way that children can identify with. Birds will be taken to the classroom during the festival and part of the art exhibition will feature various artworks done by a number of school children in the area. However, the more intriguing art will be provided by Anne Peyton who is this year’s featured artist. So make the most of this great annual event by being a part of the 16th annual Wings Over Willcox birding and nature festival!

Mazatlan Bird Festival

Editor — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:18:03 +0000

North America is certainly no stranger to bird festivals and there are literally hundreds of big and small bird festivals taking place across the continent annually. However not that many birding festivals take place in sunny Mexico. The Mazatlan Bird Festival promises to put an end to this shortage soon.

The inaugural Mazatlan Bird Festival is set to take place on January 16-19, 2009. Though it is the first time this event is being held it promises to be the biggest birding festival in Mexico and the most important birding event in Latin America. The four day-long festival will feature wildlife tours, birding experts, artistic exhibits and education workshops. Guided birding tours, day trips and multiple-day circuit tours will also be organised as part of the festival. Bird lovers from across the continent can come together to become better informed and fuel their passion for our feathered friends. The festival is also set to take place along Mexico’s Pacific Coast in Mazatlan and honestly, no better location could have been chosen. The area is home to more than 500 species of bird, including as many as 35 indigenous varieties. The 2009 Mazatlan Bird Festival will be casting a spotlight on the rare Tufted Jay which is indigenous to the area. No doubt there will be many opportunities to view this beautiful bird in its natural habitat during the course of the festival.

There is another reason to make sure that you attend the first annual Mazatlan Bird Festival; you can combine a great vacation with a wonderfully educational festival. The festival is set to take place at the Hotel Playa Mazatlan, a full service resort that is situated right on the beautiful blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. Even if you don’t plan to stay at this resort, the city of Mazatlan is incredibly hospitable and there will be plenty of great accommodation options to choose from. The city’s location near the ocean is also a bonus as it provides a pristine sea-side location for your vacation. However, for four full days, you may find it hard to turn your eyes away from the invaluable information and wildlife tours that will be taking place during the festival. Either way the Mazatlan Bird Festival is an obvious win-win affair – so book your stay now and make sure you’re a part of this great festival!

Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding & Nature Festival

Editor — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:37:14 +0000

For the last couple of years Southeast Georgia has been home to a wonderful annual birding and nature festival. The event spotlights the numerous bird species that make use of the different Georgian habitats and caters to almost everyone – from causal nature enthusiasts to more experienced birders.

This year will be no different. The plans have been drawn up and the bookings have been made for Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding & Nature Festival 2008. Pete Dunne has been chosen as the keynote speaker for the festival and already the birds are arriving, promising birders a great opportunity to see as much bird life as possible. In fact the area is just teeming with life. Salt marshes, woodlands, freshwater wetlands, shorelines, barrier islands, tidal rivers and old rice fields are all home to fascinating and often distinct bird communities that make for fantastic bird watching. The 2008 festival will feature field trips to more than 25 different natural areas, enabling visitors to make the most of this fantastic natural area. When you combine the exciting field trips with the informative seminars and great association, you’ll find that Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding & Nature Festival is an unbeatable gem that simply shouldn’t be missed!

Not everyone who attends the festival is strictly a bird watcher. The show caters to nature lovers of all kinds and you’ll find that nature day activities combine birds with other elements of nature to appeal to all kinds of people. Beach and marsh walks provide the perfect way to while away a few hours, while the raptor show will provide ample inspiration for anyone who gives the beginning birding course a try. There will be reptiles, sharks, animal tracking and even a segment that deals with the role that Southern Birds have played in Native American culture. Add to that the bird watching opportunities and field trips and you’ll find you’ll run out of time before you run out of things to do. Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding and Nature Festival will be held on Jekyll Island in Georgia from October 9 to 13, 2008. Book your accommodation now to make sure that you don’t miss out on this great birding and nature event!

Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival

Editor — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:18:11 +0000

Bird lovers looking for a fantastic long-weekend getaway should look no further than the 15th Annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. The festival will take place, as always, in Harlingen, Texas, and will provide plenty of great, nature-orientated activities for young and old.

So what can you expect to enjoy at the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival? The weekend’s events are a combination of field trips, keynote lectures, workshops, seminars, children’s programs and a trade show, so there really will be something for everyone. What’s more, the programs and activities have been specially designed to cater to the needs of backyard, novice and veteran birder’s alike; so no matter what your skill level you will find the program to be insightful, informative and fun. The Birder’s Bazaar is one of the places where you will be able to while away hours while updating your equipment, having some fun and learning more about the environment. Nature artwork, trusty field guides, new optics and plenty of birding gear will be available from the more than 60 vendors who have traveled to the show from across the nation to participate in the festival. For those interested in photography, the Eagle Optics and Swarovski Optik digiscoping contest that will be held throughout the festival represents the opportunity of a lifetime. There is simply no shortage of great things to see and do at the festival.

Of course the real reason for the festival is the abundant birdlife that is present in Rio Grande Valley. More than 250 species were sighted at last year’s festival – something which proves that the area is a birding hotspot! To help you in your quest to spot some of these amazing birds, there will be a number of world-class guides leading field trips into the valley and sharing their invaluable information with you. Another good reason for attending the festival is the opportunity to surround yourself with plenty of like-minded individuals. There will be many opportunities to make new friends and meet new people. The event will get underway with a Welcome Reception held at the Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum on Wednesday, November 5, between 5 and 7 pm. The weekend’s activities will wind down to an enjoyable ending on November 9, after five great days of bird-watching excitement. So make the most of this annual event and make sure that you participate in this year’s Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival.

Monterey Bay Birding Festival

Editor — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:30:41 +0000

Birders living near the Central Coast of California simply have to make the most of the Fourth Annual Monterey Bay Birding Festival. Whether you are a beginner or a more advanced bird watcher, young or old, local or not, you will find that this great annual event has something for everyone. This year’s festival will be offering a lot of opportunities for beginners. But there will still be plenty on offer for experienced birders.

The main appeal of every bird festival is, of course, the birds. The Monterey Bay Birding Festival is no different and birders will find that vast majority of the more than 600 bird species to be seen in California can be spotted in the Monterey Bay area. The Monterey Bay region and the nearby Pajaro Valley have a wonderful variety of habitats which house an incredible variety of birds. Habitats found here include beaches, ocean, forest, rivers, sloughs and wetlands – no wonder there are so many birds living in this area! However this is not all that the Monterey Bay Birding Festival has to offer visitors. Beginner birders stand the chance to learn from a number of skilled and knowledgeable birders who will act as team leaders on birding trips and help you to find, identify and learn more about the birds living in the area. There will also be workshops, vendors and lectures for more advanced birders. In total more than 70 different activities have been planned for the three days of the birding festival so you can be sure that there will be plenty of interesting things to see and do.

The Wetlands of Watsonville Nature Center at Ramsay Park will also feature during the festival as it will be offering free, bilingual family days on both Saturday and Sunday for the whole family. This is the perfect compliment to the weekend’s activities and should definitely be taken advantage of. Pajaro Valley and the Monterey Bay region is well known for being the biggest bird hotspot on the Central Coast of California and fall is the perfect time to visit this fantastic area as this is when a number of shorebirds choose to winter here. The festival will be taking place on 26-18 September 2008, so register for the Monterey Bay Birding Festival now to make sure that you don’t miss out!

Increase your Knowledge at the Montana Bird Festival

Editor — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:41:36 +0000

Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, will serve as the host venue for the 2008 Montana Bird Festival to be held 6 to 8 June. Montana Audubon will be joining up with Yellowstone Valley Audubon Society to invite birding enthusiasts to enjoy three days of seminars, workshops, field trips and much more.

More than twenty guided field trips are planned to take participants to the area’s premium birding locations, from local parks through to the majestic Pryor Mountains and Pompey’s Pillar. Birders will explore diverse habitats including prairies, wetlands, mountain forests and river beds. All field trips will be led by experienced and knowledgeable leaders who are sure to add to the educational value of the trip with interesting facts about each habitat and the many birds that live there.

Depending on which habitat they choose to visit, birders can expect to see Blackbirds, Orioles, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Creepers, Doves, Dippers, Ducks, Swans, Geese, Flycatchers, Grosbeaks, Finches, Sparrows, Buntings, Grouse, Hawks, Falcons, Eagles, Hummingbirds, Jays, Crows, Kingfishers, Kinglets, Larks, Nighthawks, Shrikes, Starlings, Swallows, Swifts and Thrushes.

The festival will be opened on the Friday evening by Zoo Montana. Guests can look forward to meeting some interesting animals, as well as a presentation about the native animal and bird species that intrepid adventurers Lewis and Clark discovered during their travels along the Yellowstone River. The seminars planned for Saturday afternoon will cover a range of fascinating topics, which will include: raptors; bird identification; birds of Yellowstone River; surveys relating to wetland birds; C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge; bird photography; oil and gas development threats; wind energy; global warming and climate change; and Ethiopian Birding and Culture.

On Saturday evening, keynote speaker Kevin Doherty’s presentation “Sage-grouse, Energy Development, and Conservation Planning” will address the impact that habitat loss is having on Sage-grouse populations in the Rocky Mountain West. The presentation will include a number of strategies aimed at protecting existing habitats, as well as plans for the restoration of lost habitats. As the Senior Ecologist with the National Audubon Society, Kevin Doherty is well qualified to address these vital issues.

An art show with the theme “Birds of the Big Sky Country” will be running in conjunction with the Montana Bird Festival. Visitors will be able to view the artworks at the Rocky Mountain College’s Ryniker-Morrison Gallery from 15 May, and an artists’ reception and awards ceremony will take place on 23 May 2008.

Tours through the Montana Audubon Conservation Education Center will give visitors insight into the ongoing efforts being made to ensure that the diverse local bird population will be around for future generations to enjoy. Workshops will be on offer to introduce the joys of bird watching to visitors who are new to this rewarding past-time. Certainly this popular event will have something for everyone – so be sure to make a note in your diary that 6 to 8 June 2008 is reserved for the Montana Bird Festival.

Guide to Birds and Birding

Editor — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 13:11:30 +0000

Birds are warm-blooded species, that lay eggs in order to reproduce, they are characterized by feathers, hollow bones and forelimbs that are modified as wings. They range in size from tiny hummingbirds to humongous Ostriches and Emus. There are approximately 10 000 bird species in the world that are known to man, making them the most diverse class of terrestrial vertebrates.

Birds are very different from each other, some birds species feed on nectar whereas other feed on plants, seeds, insects, rodents, fish, carrions, or other birds. Most birds are active during the day and sleeping at night. Some birds such as owls and nightjars are active during the night time (nocturnal).

Many of these feathered friends migrate extensive distances to make use of the most favorable habitats, while others spend almost all their time at sea.

Common characters of birds include a beak with no teeth, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, light strong skeletons and a high metabolic rate. Most birds can fly and also use this method for helping them to find their food and the flee from predators. Flightless species include birds such as penguins, ostriches, kiwis and dodos.

Bird watching or birding (ornithology) is a very popular hobby that includes the observation and study of birds and their habitats. The best times of the year for bird watching in the temperate zones are during spring and fall migration, when the greatest variety of birds may be observed as they make their way north or south. Early morning is the best time for bird watching since many birds are then at their hungriest, searching most actively for food. Birding is usually one of the more relaxing outdoor activities, however some very serious birding enthusiasts will travel very long distances too see a new specie to add to the list of birds they have personally observed.

Sea watching is another type of bird watching where observers based at a coastal watch point, such as a headland, watch birds out at, or moving over, the sea.

Equipment that is usually used for bird watching includes binoculars and a telescope or spotting scope with tripod, a notepad, and one or more field guides.