The Global Big Day is a worldwide event that unites people who appreciate birds in their natural habitat. This is more than just citizen science, it is also an opportunity to appreciate biodiversity in its pure concept: plants, animals in their interconnected ecosystems. 

 

As BEPREP researchers, we decided to take advantage of this day to celebrate biodiversity with the community involved in our case study.  For this occasion, we visited a school in Montelíbano (Cordoba, Colombia) engaging 266 children in activities that heightened their awareness of animals and plants around them. 

 

We invited the children and their families to participate in their first birdwatching day outside of school hours. This event was held in a well-known place but focused on mindful observation and identification of bird sounds and sightings. Roughly 65 people were involved, and 77 bird species were described, contributing also to the largest nature citizen science exercise in the country.