Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera promotes the 12th edition of the Delta Birding Festival, featuring more than 100 activities
Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, together with the Institut Català d'Ornitologia (ICO), Oryx and Photo Logistics, is promoting the 12th edition of the Delta Birding Festival, which will take place on 18, 19 and 20 September at MónNatura Delta de l'Ebre.
Under the slogan “Thousands of wings, one meeting point”, the Mediterranean's international birdwatching festival will offer more than 100 activities this year, bringing birds, nature and conservation closer to people of all ages.
Over three days, the programme will combine talks, conversations, guided outings, photography activities, workshops, family activities, audiovisuals, competitions, exhibitions, and book presentations and signings, as well as a specialist fair that brings together professionals and companies working in ornithology, photography, optics, art and nature tourism.
International experts on ornithology and conservation
The programme will bring together researchers, naturalists, photographers and specialists from around the world to share knowledge and address some of the major challenges facing ornithology and conservation.
Featured speakers include Alex Berryman, a member of BirdLife International's scientific team and head of the Search for Lost Birds programme, who will discuss the search for species that have not been observed for years and whose current status remains unknown; Peter Boesman, an ornithologist specialising in the study and recording of bird vocalisations; Allert Bijleveld, a researcher at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, who will present the WATLAS project, which studies bird movements at high resolution; and Dhritiman Mukherjee, a renowned photographer specialising in nature, wildlife and conservation.
Also taking part will be Ugo Mellone, a biologist and photographer specialising in wildlife and conservation, who will discuss raptor migration between the Mediterranean and the Sahara, and Ana Rivas, founder of Voces Pajareras, an initiative that raises the visibility of women in the world of ornithology and birdwatching.
The festival will once again give a voice to new generations through the Delta Birding Festival Junior, featuring young speakers aged 11 to 18, who will share their passion for ornithology and the projects they are already developing.
More than 100 activities to discover and experience nature
The Delta Birding Festival offers activities for experienced birdwatchers and photographers, as well as for people who want to take their first steps in birdwatching and families keen to discover the natural environment of the Delta de l'Ebre.
Guided outings and birding by boat will provide opportunities to experience the Delta's rich birdlife first-hand, while workshops, photography activities, audiovisuals and family activities will offer many different ways to discover the world of birds.
Among the most original activities in this year's programme is Who Can Bird?, the festival's first competition for imitating bird songs and calls, open to all ages and hosted by Òscar Dalmau, a well-known Catalan TV and radio presenter and comedian. The programme also includes documentaries, ornithology podcasts, competitions and numerous book presentations and signings.
From the Pyrenees to the Delta de l'Ebre through birds
Another highlight of this year's festival will be the outdoor exhibition Birding Ebre Pirineus, showcasing Catalunya as a birdwatching tourism destination.
The exhibition explores the diversity of habitats and species found from the Pyrenees to the Delta de l'Ebre, taking in places such as the Vall d'Aran, the Parc Nacional d'Aigüestortes, La Terreta, Mas de Melons and the Estany d'Ivars. The exhibition is supported by the Patronat de Turisme de les Terres de Lleida.
A festival that directly contributes to conservation
Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera promotes the Delta Birding Festival to bring people closer to nature, foster knowledge of biodiversity and actively contribute to its conservation.
One of the festival's distinguishing features is that proceeds from ticket sales are allocated to a conservation project. For this 12th edition, they will support the GEPEC project for the conservation of the European roller and steppe birds in the dryland plains of the Alt Camp.
The project aims to contribute to the conservation and recovery of the European roller (Coracias garrulus) and other farmland and steppe bird species through applied conservation measures, scientific monitoring and agricultural land stewardship. Planned actions include installing nesting shelters for European rollers, monitoring them during the breeding season, scientific ringing in collaboration with the Institut Català d'Ornitologia, and monitoring steppe bird populations.
In this way, attending the Delta Birding Festival is an opportunity to enjoy and learn about birds and nature while directly contributing to the conservation of biodiversity.
View the full programme and buy your tickets on the Delta Birding Festival website here