The Honduran government - through the ministries of Tourism
and Natural Resources—has officially announced the publication
of the Guia de Aves de Honduras. This field handbook for bird
identification is the first of its kind specifically covering
the species that inhabit Honduras.
The guide was presented at a special ceremony led by Tourism
Minister Thierry de Pierrefeu and Natural Resources Minister
Patricia Panting. It written by Peace Corps Volunteers Mark
Bontá and David Anderson, in a joint effort inspired
by well-known local specialists like Jorge Betancourth, Gustavo
Cruz and Pilar Thorn.
The 186-page guide brings to life a passion for birds. It
illustrates the beauty, strength and abilities of some of
Honduras’ most magnificent varieties, while providing
text descriptions for 701 different species. The index includes
exotic birds like the escaples macaw, the harp eagle, the
emerald hummingbird, quetzales, toucans and hundreds of other
birds that inhabit the country’s protected areas and
buffer zones. Both native birds and migratory species escaping
the cold winters of North and South America are included.
The book is a gift to all of the citizens, researchers, students
and birdwatchers who wish to set out on the adventure of discovering
the fascinating lives that these birds live in the tropical
ecosystems of Honduras.
“Our country is home to 7% of the world’s biodiversity,
even though Honduras covers only 0.08% of the earth’s
surface,” said Pierrefeu. “Honduras is privileged
to have these resources. We had the raw material; what we
needed was a guide that would promise tourists access to one
of the country’s most memorable and enjoyable experiences.
This makes the guide an effective tool for promoting certain
kinds of tourism.”
“The Honduran Embassy in Washington, USA has already
launched the guide in that country,” said Panting. “Starting
today, we’ll also be promoting the guide internationally.
It will also be on sale and available to students and any
person or visitor who would like to have information about
the habitat present in our country.”
