Birds are one of the most admirable wonders of nature and, in this manner, Colombia is a privileged land. Officially named as the nation with the greatest diversity of birds in the world, Colombia reached a total of more than 1,900 species inhabiting its geography. As expected, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta offers its visitors the unique opportunity to enjoy approximately 18% of the oviparous there, equivalent to 27 of the 79 species endemic to the country, which lends itself to bird watching, a touristic activity developing rapidly.
Guided by a professional in the area, visitors can contemplate, identify and qualify the birds of a specific habitat learning about the behavior, feeding and diverse aspects of the birds they see. The Sierra Nevada offers the possibility to admire, recognize and appreciate their characteristic wing flapping, the varied colors of their plumage, the rhythm of their melodies and many other unique characteristics of each species. In this zone, tourists can become enchanted by the unique beauty of some of them like: “La Guacharaca Caribeña”, “El Inca Colombiano”, “El Pauji Colombiano”, and “El Churrin de Santa Marta” among others. Many of theses species are in endangered conditions and/or in danger of extinction, such as two very rare but impressively beautiful hummingbird species identified as the ‘Santa Marta Sabrewing’ and the ‘Blue-Bearded Helmetcrest’, which are very difficult to spot and of which only one photograph is known to exist in the world. Among the notable places to visit are some of the beaches of the National Natural Tayrona Park such as Palangana, Bahía Concha, as well as Ciénaga Grande and Vipis, this last one being known as the international airport of both endemic and migratory birds.