{"id":11498,"date":"2023-12-15T13:06:48","date_gmt":"2023-12-15T18:06:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/latam\/?p=11498"},"modified":"2024-09-20T11:56:50","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T16:56:50","slug":"raising-awareness-for-guatemalan-urban-birds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/latam\/en\/raising-awareness-for-guatemalan-urban-birds\/","title":{"rendered":"Raising Awareness for Guatemalan\u00a0 Urban Birds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Guatemala is a paradise for bird lovers. More than 700 species of fascinating birds can be observed within its borders! The El Club Observadores de Aves Urbanas<\/strong><\/a> (CAU, Urban Bird Observer Club) is a Guatemalan group dedicated to promoting appreciation for birds as well as raising awareness for  bird conservation and habitat protection. As a team they organize bird-related educational and recreational activities for people of all ages and demographics.  They also train people to observe and identify birds and help them share their observations with local organizations and with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology through participatory science! This hard work combined with the support of a mini-grant from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, allowed them to organize two fantastic bird festivals. They emphasized an artistic education approach to highlight the importance of biodiversity in all corners of the country, even densely populated urban areas. They called the festivals \u201cExpo-Biodiversity\u201d to promote not only the appreciation and understanding of Guatemalan birds, but also to emphasize the country’s rich biodiversity in general. During the festivals information stands provided valuable information about local flora and fauna, conservation programs and much more, making sure there were activities for everyone!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expo-Biodiversity Festival in Ciudad Peronia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ciudad Peronia<\/strong> is located on the outskirts of Guatemala City, in the municipality of Villa Nueva.\u00a0 The Asociaci\u00f3n Peronia Adolescente<\/strong><\/a> (<\/strong>Peronia Teen Association) plays an integral role in the community by working closely with local youth.\u00a0 The Association is dedicated to empowering teenagers and young people in the community by supporting their development and practicing risk management. The association offers youngsters educational opportunities and social and employment skills training, as well as a safe space for personal growth. Thanks to all their experience, the Asociaci\u00f3n Peronia Adolescente<\/strong> was a key contributor to the \u201cExpo-Biodiversidad” festival. Their collaboration with CAU allowed young people from the Peronia community to be involved in the festival and empowered their protection of local biodiversity. The activities allowed everyone to create a deeper connection with the local birds and nature, generating a long-term impact on the youth and their community. It was very exciting to join forces with the goal of sharing knowledge and caring for nature. The festival was wonderful!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The festival in Ciudad Peronia had educational stands from all types of organizations, such as the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD)<\/a>, Foundation for Ecodevelopment (FUNDAECO)<\/a>, Guatemalan Association of Mammalogy (ASOGUMA)<\/a>, Program for Bat Conservation in Guatemala (PCMG)<\/a>, Crocodiles of Guatemala, All Together<\/a>, Center for Conservation Studies of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala (CECON)<\/a>, Universidad del Valle of Guatemala (UVG)<\/a>, Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (INGUAT)<\/a>, Organization of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Students of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala (OEQF)<\/a>, Organization of Nutrition Students of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala (OEN)<\/a> and Kinka<\/a>. In addition, a bird watch was carried out in a protected area of the community forest led by a group recently trained by OWSD trainers. These trainers also carried out a training prior to the festival to share information about birdwatching with the youth of the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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These educational and informative stands only kicked off the fun. The arts also had to join! A show featuring an artistic presentation by the multifaceted artist Daniela Berger<\/strong> delighted the public with her talent and passion for nature and birds. With her melodic voice, guitar skills, and impressive tap dancing, she managed to fuse music with a narrative tied to nature and birds. Her presentation showed the participants how beautiful it is to live in harmony with nature. An exhibition of bird photographs was also held and the images delivered powerful messages about protecting the beautiful wildlife of the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Woman<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Last but certainly not least, science had to make its debut at the festival! A series of talks were held, and posters were presented on topics such as how birds migrate, general information about pollinators and flora, and about the beautiful birds found in the cities of Peronia and Guatemala. The participants’ attention had been captured! At the end of the activities, the participants received a certificate of participation with the signatures of representatives of the CAU<\/strong>, the Peronia Teen Association<\/strong> and the Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology,<\/strong> leaving them happy and eager to continue bird watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Expo-Biodiversity Festival in San Crist\u00f3bal el Alto<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

San Crist\u00f3bal el Alto<\/strong> is located in the municipality of Antigua, Guatemala, in the department of Sacatep\u00e9quez. It is a vibrant community with great tourism potential and is working on conserving natural spaces and educating the public about the benefits of being eco-conscious. The community has a picturesque layout decorated with flowers and shrubs and as a whole is surrounded by the remnants of a native montane forest. Ethereal! Kindness, respect, and joy come naturally to the inhabitants of San Crist\u00f3bal el Alto who have also organized to raise awareness around their local culture and natural spaces. The Expo-Biodiversity Festival in Guatemala was made possible by the community\u2019s shared vision of environmental conservation and activism\u00a0 and the sheer enthusiasm of the townspeople of San Crist\u00f3bal el Alto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The festival featured the educational stands of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD)<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>FUNDAECO<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>ASOGUMA<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>PCMG<\/strong><\/a>, Crocodiles of Guatemala, All Together<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>CECON<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>UVG<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>INGUAT<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>OEQF<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>OEN<\/strong><\/a> and Kinka<\/strong><\/a>. In addition to the <\/strong>Hylos<\/strong><\/a> organizations, the Guatemalan Association of Herpetology (AGHerp), Foundation for Nature\u2019s Defenders (FDN)<\/strong><\/a> and the Foundation for Latin American Anthropological Research (FLAAR Mesoamerica)<\/strong><\/a> were present. A bird watch was carried out on a short trail full of open areas in the pasture of Pacayales de Do\u00f1a \u00c1ngela<\/strong><\/a>, a restaurant in the Communal Forest of San Crist\u00f3bal el Alto<\/strong>. At the festival several workshops were held,  including a fascinating introduction to bird illustration. This workshop was led by Herbert Ismatul<\/strong>, a talented Guatemalan illustrator who guided participants through the anatomy and history of birds and helped participants develop their artistic and educational prowess, all in order to inspire attendees to appreciate birds and their surroundings. Art and learning can always go hand in hand! There was also a photography workshop facilitated by the expert photographer Enrique Hern\u00e1ndez<\/strong> and a very interesting workshop about \u201cPollinating and medicinal plants”, facilitated by the biologist Mar\u00eda Chavarr\u00eda<\/strong>. She led the participants in learning more about the uses of local plants not only for the benefit of birds and other pollinators but also their use in improving human health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"People<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Arts were essential to the activities in San Crist\u00f3bal el Alto as well. The Brisante Woodwind Quintet<\/strong> joined the festival giving attendees the opportunity to delight in the music produced by incredible musicians specializing in instruments like the flute, clarinet, oboe, French horn, and bassoon. Mariela Estrada<\/strong> also told stories to the young girls and boys, adding a fun narrative twist to the music to help entertain the participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Afterwards an exhibition of urban bird photography by local photographers was displayed in the local square. A call went out to the public to share their photographs to make the event full of variety and intrigue. Many inspiring photos filled observers with admiration and curiosity for the birds they can find in their urban environment. Although all photo submissions were excellent, six of the best were chosen and those were later exhibited in the plaza.  The photographers were very happy to learn that their photographs would later be used as environmental education material on their behalf in CAU activities. A great example of how a hobby like photography can contribute to participatory science!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The festival continued with a scientific poster exhibit on urban birds and some of their characteristics, including bird migration routes and an introduction to cloud forests. In addition, conferences were held on biodiversity, focusing on the importance of butterflies, plants in urban areas, pollination and its importance for humans and  on the importance of the ecological belt of Guatemala City. The conferences emphasized the importance of creating more sustainable urban environments to preserve and promote biodiversity. At the end of the activities the participants received a certificate of participation signed by representatives of the CAU<\/strong>, the San Crist\u00f3bal el Alto Cooperative<\/strong> and the Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology<\/strong>. This gave all the participants a sense of satisfaction and left them hungry for more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CAU thanks Smartutorias<\/strong><\/a> for their support, which was essential in carrying out the activities, and Toposig<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>for providing refreshment to the participants throughout the festival. In addition, the <\/strong>Asociaci\u00f3n Peronia Adolescente<\/strong><\/strong><\/a> is recognized for their support which was essential for the success of the project in their community. Finally all the organizations that participated in the informational stands are thanked for dedicating their time and resources to make the festival even more special. None of this would have been possible without the mini-grant support from the Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology for Latin America and The Caribbean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Page Written by Diego Valle<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Guatemala is a paradise for bird lovers. More than 700 species of fascinating birds can be observed within its borders! The El Club Observadores de Aves Urbanas (CAU, Urban Bird Observer Club) is a Guatemalan group dedicated to promoting appreciation for birds as well as raising awareness for  bird conservation and habitat protection. As a… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_birdpress_hero_toggle":true,"_birdpress_hero_type":"image","_birdpress_hero_image_type":"image","_birdpress_hero_style":"default","_birdpress_hero_ratio":"","_birdpress_hero_h1":"","_birdpress_hero_media_id":11356,"_birdpress_hero_media_array_id":[],"_birdpress_hero_media_array":[],"_birdpress_hero_media":0,"_birdpress_hero_video_id":0,"_birdpress_hero_video":0,"_birdpress_hero_youtube":"","_birdpress_hero_content":true,"_birdpress_hero_byline":"","_birdpress_hero_byline_bottom":"","_birdpress_hero_button_link":"","_birdpress_hero_button_text":"","_birdpress_hero_button_color":"","_birdpress_hero_date":false,"original_guid":"","_birdpress_hide_search":false,"_birdpress_page_width":"","_birdpress_global_cta":false,"_birdpress_widget_sidebar":"","_birdpress_next_article":0,"_birdpress_next_article_title":"","_birdpress_prev_article":0,"_birdpress_prev_article_title":"","_birdpress_sub_navigation_id":0,"_birdpress_sub_navigation":"","_birdpress_sub_navigation_title":false,"_birdpress_anchor_navigation_id":0,"_birdpress_anchor_navigation":"","_birdpress_postType":"both","_birdpress_categoryID":0,"_birdpress_tagID":0,"_birdpress_parentPostID":0,"_birdpress_parentPostTitle":"","_birdpress_menuID":0,"_birdpress_menuName":"","_birdpress_listHeader":"","_birdpress_listLayout":"card-display","_birdpress_listColumns":"","_birdpress_maxItems":12,"_birdpress_listPaginate":true,"_birdpress_displaySort":true,"_birdpress_sortOrder":"DESC","_birdpress_sortBy":"date","_birdpress_listID":"","_birdpress_listClass":"","_birdpress_displayImages":true,"_birdpress_displayCaptions":false,"_birdpress_displayExcerpts":false,"_birdpress_attTop":"","_birdpress_attBottom":"","_birdpress_showLogos":false,"_birdpress_post_logo":0,"mc4wp_mailchimp_campaign":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"content-format":[],"class_list":["post-11498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":11498,"es":11351},"pll_sync_post":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/latam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/latam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/latam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/latam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/latam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11498"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/latam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11498\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/latam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/latam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/latam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11498"},{"taxonomy":"content-format","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.birds.cornell.edu\/latam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-format?post=11498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}