The Guadalajara Reporter

Festival de Aves takes flight

Running under the slogan “We All Dream of Flying,” the 2013 Lake Chapala Bird Festival takes flight Friday, November 22, with an inaugural event at the Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo starting off at 5 p.m. with a brief talk on wild bird trafficking, followed by an introduction to this year’s star species, the roseate spoonbill.

The main objective of the ten-day program of activities is to raise public awareness about Lake Chapala’s environmental status, putting a focus on its rich winged wildlife. Recognition of the lakeshore region as an important haven for nearly 300 different native and migratory winged species was a key factor in Lake Chapala’s designation as Ramsar Convention wetlands site. The local bird population is estimated to rise to about 20,000 individuals during the peak winter season, although scientists warn that the number has declined significantly in recent years due to worldwide climate change and environmental deterioration.

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