Join us this Thursday April 18th for a photographic tour of Colombia and its birdlife, along with information on the country’s geography, cuisine, culture, and people.

Our monthly Speaker Series will feature Colombian birding guide Christopher Calonje, sharing images and stories from the country with the world’s longest list of birds, now over 1,890 species (more than North America and Europe combined).

Much of this diversity is due to the country’s complex topography, which includes three Andean ranges and the valleys between these ranges, Atlantic and Pacific coasts, vast grasslands bordering Venezuela, and a large portion of the Amazon Basin. Chris will discuss Columbia’s improving security situation and how the government, at all levels, has made great strides in bringing peace and prosperity to the country. Birding in Colombia promotes responsible environmental and social ecotourism as well as providing an opportunity of a lifetime for birders.

Christopher Calonje was born and raised in Cali, Colombia, and earned a degree in natural resources planning from Humboldt State University. He has been conducting birding tours in his native country for many years and has traveled widely throughout the entire country photographing its amazing avian diversity.

Date: Thursday April 18

Time: 7 p.m. refreshments, 7:30 pm program

Location: First Unitarian Universalist Church & Center
1187 Franklin Street (at Geary), San Francisco

Cost: Free for GGBA members, $5 for non-members.