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The Christmas bird count in San Blas reported the highest number recorded since 1986. It is one of the favorite places to observe birds in all of Mexico.
The San Blas Bird Observers Club reported a total count of 310 winged species and the participation of 28 observers, the highest number recorded since 1986. The total number of registered individuals was 12,713. This means 3,122 individuals more than in 2018, when 9,591 specimens were counted.
Bird watching ("birding" in English) has been carried out in San Blas since 1973. It is coordinated by Marck Stackhouse, a renowned ornithologist, tour guide and professional bird watcher. Stackhouse as well as a photographer with more than 40 years of experience. He leads birding tours in conjunction with the Audubon Society of the United States.
"Birding": a promotional tool for the destination
The importance of this count for Riviera Nayarit, lies in the fact that "birding" or bird watching has become a promotional tool for the destination.
“The Riviera Nayarit is part of the western migratory route for birds that travel from North America to the South. Some of these species are a reason for attracting international tourism,” said Marc Murphy, director of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau (OVC) and the Bahía de Banderas Association of Hotels and Motels (AHMBB).
In that sense, San Blas, located in the north of the Riviera Nayarit, is one of the most famous places to observe birds in all of Mexico. This is due to their different types of habitat. In this area there is open sea, beaches, freshwater and saltwater wetlands, swampy mangroves, lowland jungles, tropical forests, among others.
Historical results of the bird count in San Blas
The 2019 bird count has been the best since this activity began, 46 years ago.
At least 25 species with the highest number of individuals were detected, including 31 Colima pygmy owls (Mexican endemic species). It is the highest total ever recorded for that species anywhere. Seven individuals of the gray woodpecker, another endemic species of Mexico, were also observed.
The best part was the number of observers: this year there were 28, plus six professional field guides. These represented four countries: Mexico, Canada, the United States and England.
«BIRDING»: DATA TO KNOW
In the United States there are about 47 million "birders". Among them, more than 18 million have traveled outside their borders to carry out this activity. These are data from the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.
Great Britain, for its part, concentrates a significant number of observers. They are people with a high purchasing power belonging to the natural market of the destination. Canada and Italy are other important emitters of "birders". Hence the value of the Christmas Bird Counts as the largest and longest running citizen science project in the world.
How beautiful!