Art, music, costumes, and science unite in Tena, Ecuador to celebrate the magic of birds.

Laughter echoed for miles during the Tena Urban Bird Festival, in Ecuador. Those who partook in the event, including students from the Unidad Educativa Fiscomisional Juan XXIII and la Unidad Educativa Comunitaria Intercultural Bilingüe Nicolás Shinguango, proudly showcased their costumes. Organized by the Tena Urban Bird Program (PAU Tena), directed by Marco Andrés Urvina Alejandro and winners of a mini-grant from the Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University, this second edition of the festival brought the community together in celebration of the birds of Tena. The enthusiastic participation of children, families, and the community turned the festival into a resounding success.

The “Children for the Birds and Nature” Festival “Artistic Expression” Edition

PAU Tena brought to life two wonderful contests that highlighted the charm of Tena and celebrated the cultural richness of the Ecuadorian Amazon.

The first contest, “Myths and Legends of the Birds of the Amazon,” transformed the stage into a realm of magic and tradition with music and dances that gave life to the region’s mythological birds.

The second contest, “Birds of my Amazon,” was a colorful contest full of joy and imagination. Students from Bosque Escuela y Centro Infantil and La Caracola School dressed in vibrant and creative costumes inspired by Amazonian birds. The students filled the stage with enthusiasm and proudly represented their chosen bird species with enthusiastic dances and poses.

They also highlight the support and participation of SNAP (Sistema Nacional de Áreas Protegidas) Reserve Colonso Chalupas, National Park Sumaco, National Park Antisana, and the collectives of Guardianes de la Biodiversidad y Roots & Shoots Napo, which helped the work being done to protect the Biodiversity become a reality.

Workshops, Entrepreneurship Fair, and Urban Bird Count

The magic of the festival extended over a full weekend, with a series of entertaining activities and a fair where community workshops were held. In the first workshop, Guardians of Biodiversity, facilitator Melany Herrera, introduced participants to the use of camera traps for observing local bird species. The festival also featured other entertaining workshops, such as The Nature Diary led by Marie Piedra, Sound Forests led by Paola Moscoso, and Warmi Pajarera led by Rosa Gaibor and Isabel Córdova.

Before birdwatching and tree planting took place, the Intercultural Night occurred on the second day of the festival. It included live music, dance, contests, and performances by artists such as Kindi Amarum, Selva 7, Suco Cubo, Versos Franco, Suco, and Waldo DJ, who provided an unforgettable evening of memories for the community.

To conclude the event, birdwatching took place on three wonderful trails in local urban parks: Parque Lineal, Bio Parque La Isla, and the Malecón de Tena. In one of the most visited urban parks, a symbolic planting took place where, in collaboration with the Fundación Ishpingo, 20 native trees from the area were donated. These trees included Mulchi, Chuchaguaso, native Cacao, and Pungara. This was followed by the Archaco-Ornithology workshop, led by Darlo Rocha, and a sound concert that beautifully united art, science, and nature.

Acknowledgements

PAU Tena extends its heartfelt thanks to the participants and volunteers Emily, David, Isaac, Shyrma, Jennifer, Josue, Antony, Isabel, Marie, Gabriel, and Jerson, and sponsors, as well as the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, whose support made the festival possible. They also are grateful for the support of Andrés Naturalist, PAU Ecuador, the Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University, and Conservamos por Naturaleza, for helping to connect the community with the rich birdlife of the region.

Photos courtesy of PAU Tena

Page developed by Diana Palma-Vazquez