Next Saturday, May 10, the Global Big day (GBD) 2025, an international event organized by EBIRD and the Ornithology Laboratory of the University of Cornell, which invites bird observers from all over the world to record species for 24 hours will be held. The day coincides with World Migratory Birds and seeks to promote the conservation of avifauna through citizen participation.
In this context, Peru, one of the countries with the greatest diversity of birds on the planet, aspires to recover the first global position that it obtained in 2015, 2016 and 2021. In the previous edition, the country registered 1445 species, being behind Colombia. The goal this year is to overcome that figure and strengthen leadership in biodiversity.
national participation and strategic areas
The event will mobilize professional, amateur, scientific and tourist observers. Throughout the country, key areas for observation have been identified, especially within 77 protected natural areas managed by the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (Sernanp), including the Tingo María National Park in Huánuco, the National Sanctuary Los Mangroves de Tumbes, the Cerros de Amotape National Park and the Nor Yauyos Cochas Nor Yauyos Landscape Reserve.
The Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve also stands out in Loreto, which houses more than 500 species of birds, including three endemic. This protected area has designed a strategy to facilitate the participation of the public, offering free guided tours to those who reserve their online tickets and enabling overnocte spaces to begin the observation day from dawn.
Aviturism and conservation
The GBD not only promotes citizen science, but also promotes aviturismo, an activity that generates employment, energizes local economies and strengthens conservation efforts. The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism has highlighted the country’s potential to position itself as a leading nature in nature tourism.
According to the Union of Ornithologists of Peru (UNOP), the country has 1879 registered species, 117 of them endemic. This biological wealth makes Peru a world reference for bird observation and ornithological research.
How to participate?
Participating in the Global Big Day is free and open to the public. It is only required to create an account on the Ebird platform, observe birds on May 10 from any location and record the species observed on the web or in the mobile Ebird app. It is also recommended to use the Merlin Bird ID app to facilitate the identification of birds by image or sound.
Observations must be entered before May 16 to be included in the official count. In the 2024 edition, more than 63,000 people participated from more than 200 countries, adding more than 156,000 species lists.
Expectations 2025
The objective for this year is to exceed 150,000 lists registered in a single day globally. From Peru, both public institutions and civil organizations and local communities have joined efforts to ensure organized and effective participation.
The official launch of the Global Big Day in Iquitos was held on May 5, with the presence of tour operators, media and biodiversity specialists. This edition is expected to reinforce the national commitment to conservation and provide valuable data for science.
Peru is like this for a new edition of the contest, with the expectation of achieving a wide citizen mobilization and returning to the first place in the world ranking of the Global Big Day.
