Birding Rally Challenge Held In Peru This June

Lima, May 30, 2013 – The Birding Rally Challenge will be held in Peru this June for the second consecutive year, attracting the most renowned birders from the United States, England, Spain, South Africa, and Brazil to the northern Amazonian tourist circuit in search of the most spectacular birds inhabiting this part of the country.
The Birding Rally Challenge is a global birding competition, considered the world championship of birdwatchers. Teams are formed among the most reputable birders worldwide to tour as many habitats as possible in a specific geographic area during a limited time span, aiming to identify the greatest number of bird species.
On this occasion, the participants will cover the Northern Amazonian route, notable as the area with the greatest number of endemic bird species. During the non-stop, 8-day competition, June 11th to 18th, the birders will experience the regions of Lambayeque, Cajamarca, San Martin and Amazonas, allowing them to appreciate the vast biodiversity of Peru.
The Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, José Luis Silva Martinot, said the event aims to promote nature tourism and birding specialization in particular, noting that this this type of tourism contributes to the social inclusion of the communities involved.
Minister Silva Martinot said that for Peru, activities like the Birding Rally Challenge contribute towards sustained growth of foreign exchange income and the redistribution of this income through international and receptive tourism.  Over 20,000 birders are expected to visit Peru in 2013.
The Birding Rally Challenge is co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR), the Tourism Promotion and Exports Board of Peru (PromPerú), the Inka Terra Association (ITA) and the Management Office of the Northern Amazonian (OGD).
For additional information about the Birding Rally Challenge competition, please visit: www.birdingrallychallenge.com.

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ABOUT BIRDING RALLY CHALLENGE
In 2012, Birding Rally Challenge participant teams traveled through the Lower and Upper Jungle of Peru, from Puerto Maldonado through the Inter-Oceanic Route up to the Andes in Cusco, where they toured Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu for 6 days.  Team LSU - Tigrosomas from the United States was awarded the John P. O'Neill Prize, having observed 493 birds.  Team Forest - Falcons from the UK, taking second place with 490 species, managed to glimpse- for the first time in Peru - the "Vencejo Negro," or Swift Black, a North American migratory bird, thus increasing to 1837 the number of observed species in Peruvian territory.  The teams also confirmed the presence of the "Pato Silbon," or Duck Silbon, a species not seen in Peru since 1850. Of note, the species were identified by Peruvian guides accompanying the teams.
Peru has the extraordinary biodiversity required for an event of this kind, ranking second in the world in the number of bird species (1,837 species). 120 of these are endemic (only naturally found in Peru), a condition which makes the country an ideal destination for bird watching.
KEY FACTS:
Northern Amazonian Route – Birding Rally Challenge Itinerary:
Rally Day 1: Túcume - Bosque De Pómac – Batán Grande - Laquipampa.
Rally Day 2: Pto. Eten – San José De Moro - Ciudad De Dios – Represa Gallito Ciego - Tembladera, Magdalena –Abra El Gavilán – Cajamarca.
Rally Day 3: Sangal – Cañón Chonta - San Marcos.
Rally Day 4: Celendín –Cruz Conga - Limón – Balsas –Abra Barro Negro –Leimebamba.
Rally Day 5: Leimebamba – Calla-Calla - Cañón De Los Cóndores/Atuén Valle Utcubamaba – Pedro Ruiz –Laguna Pomacochas.
Rally Day 6: Pomacochas – Alto Mayo – Tingana – Cerro La Calzada – Moyobamaba – Tarapoto.
Rally Day 7: Tarapoto – Juan Guerra – Quebrada Upiaquigua - Lago Lindo.
Rally Day 8: Lago Lindo - Cerro Escalera – Tarapoto.

Participating Teams:
United States (e-Birds of Cornell University)

·         Tom Schulenberg

·         Steve Kelling

·         Marshall Iliff

·         Luke Seitz

United States (Tigrisomas of Lousiana State University)

·         Glenn Seeholzer

·         Dan Lane

·         John Mittermeier

·         Paul Van Els

England (Forest Falcon)

·         Guy Kirwan

·         Josept Tobias

·         Robert Martin

-         Alexander Lees

South Africa (Zululanders)

·         Fraser Gear

·         Ross Goode

·         Gavin Lautenbach

·         Trevor Hardaker

Spain (Tramuntana)

·         Deli Saavedra

·         Aleix Comas

·                    Oriol Clarabuch

·                    Ponç Feliu Latorre

Brazil (Ararajubas)
·         Eduardo Weffort Patrial
         Frederico Costa Tavares
       Bruno Rennó Ribeiro Soares
       Raphael Santos