Bird watching, a development alternative for local communities in Ecuador.
Bird watching or also known as ornithological tourism consists of the search, observation, and identification of birds, as well as enjoying the nature found in their habitat. Fans of this activity travel from one place to another to study as many birds as possible. This type of tourism is not invasive or aggressive, which is why it is known as one of the most sustainable forms of ecotourism. Since the post-pandemic tourist reactivation, this activity has become a new tourist trend by offering the opportunity to enjoy and contemplate in open spaces surrounded by nature where endemic species predominate. Bird tourism has taken a role of great importance in Ecuador due to its biodiversity, which leads it to occupy the fourth place in the world with 1680 species of birds that represent 17% of the world total according to the Ecuadorian Committee of Ornithological Records (CERO). Additionally, Ecuador is ranked thirteenth among the countries with the highest endemism with a total numbe...