Conservation Birding is a project of American Bird Conservancy (ABC), a non-profit organization whose mission is to conserve birds and their habitats throughout the Americas.
The goal of Conservation Birding is to highlight the best places to go in Latin America and the Caribbean where you can see some of the rarest birds in the world, while also supporting the conservation of these species.
Many of the reserves featured on this site are part of ABC’s Latin American Bird Reserve Network and are owned and operated by local non-governmental entities. With these groups, ABC has supported the acquisition or protection of 1,054,454 acres of land at 92 sites in 14 countries, providing critical habitat for 2,900 bird species. More than 80 of these birds are listed as Critically Endangered or Endangered, and several reserves also protect Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) sites—locations that contain the entire global population of a species that would face extinction if the habitat were lost.
These lands, though legally protected, require a constant management presence to ensure rules are enforced and that conservation goals are met. This incurs an annual cost for our partners, and reliable sources of funding must be secured.
Bird tourism has become a very important source of revenue for our local partners and helps keep reserves properly managed. To help grow bird tourism, and sustainably finance reserve management, ABC has helped partners establish lodges, trails, observation towers, and other infrastructure to facilitate access and create birdwatching opportunities.
So thank you for your interest in Conservation Birding, and for your visit to any of the reserves we list on this website. We would also love to hear about your experience at the sites!