Audubon Society creates bird guide in Spanish
Aim is information, sharing love of nature
Published 9:39 pm, Sunday, March 6, 2016
As the weather warms and more birds are heard and seen throughout North America, the National Audubon Society has made materials that aid in observation and study of birds accessible to a wider population.
The National Audubon Society recently announced the Guide to North American Birds is now available in Spanish: GuÍa de América del Norte. In addition, the National Audubon Society has also translated the organization’s magazine, Audubon, to Spanish online.
After all, 80 percent of the birds found in the guide can be found in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to Audubon.
“The connection between caring about birds and caring about conservation is clear so any book that makes it easier for a wider range of Connecticut residents to enjoy birds and the outdoors in general is a good thing,” said Tom Anderson, director of communication and outreach for the Connecticut Audubon Society.
The effort was done to engage a growing audience in the conservation work of the Audubon Society, according to a media release. The national conservation group boasts 1 million members and supporters, 462 chapters, 41 centers and 23 state offices in the United States, according to the release.
“Birds don’t know borders and neither do the threats they face,” said David Yarnold, Audubon president and CEO, “Birds deal with climate change, the loss of places to live and other dangers across the hemisphere. Bringing Audubon’s content to Spanish-speaking communities will enable more people to care for the amazing wildlife we share.”
According to the Audubon, 341 species of North American birds are at risk because of climate change.
In the most recent report about birdwatchers done by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, about 20 percent of the American population was counted as a birder or birdwatcher in 2011. A birder is considered to be anyone that “must have either taken a trip one mile or more from home for the primary purpose of observing birds and/or closely observed or tried to identify birds around the home,” according to the report.
The report noted that 8 percent of the American Hispanic population were considered birders.
“By encouraging more people to appreciate birds today, we build support for actions that will lead to the survival of more birds tomorrow,” said Kenn Kaufman, Audubon’s field editor, in the release.
The GuÍa de América del Norte can be downloaded at www.audubon.org/es/inicio.