Colombia topped the list in the annual Global Big Day this year, the day when birdwatchers worldwide count as many birds and species as they can in their areas for a world total.
This year, 8,023 species were reported in over 4 million observations by over 80,000 birders in 203 countries. The annual count is organized by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York.
Columbia, which has a wide variety of ecosystems, from Andes to shore to Amazon, is home to 82 endemic species and is regularly visited by over 150 migratory species, as well as the other visitors who went to make up the country’s total of 1,566 species this year.
All five of the top spots were taken by South American countries—Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela. Three of the next five are in South America or nearby—Bolivia, Panama and Mexico took 8, 9 and 10. India was number 6, with Kenya in 7th.
