Mark your calendars!

Ruddy-capped Nightingale-Thrush

It's coming up: SalvaNATURA's eighth annual Birdathon!

What
Various teams will try to find as many bird species as possible during a weekend in mid-October, as a fund-raising effort for SalvaNATURA's bird monitoring project.

When
Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 October 2010.

Where
Anywhere in El Salvador.

Who
SalvaNATURA is a conservation NGO based in El Salvador.

Why
Conservation of birds starts with knowledge of species composition and of population trends. With this in mind, SalvaNATURA set up a bird monitoring project in November 2003 with five bird banding stations at three sites: one in El Imposible National Park, two in Los Volcanes National Park, and two in Montecristo National Park. During monthly visits over the period 2003 - 2009, 117,366 net hours were logged, in which a combined total of 203 bird species were banded. A staggering 18,169 individual captures, of which 4,979 were recaptures, have already provided a wealth of information about the state of birds in these Salvadoran national parks. Right from the start in 2003, the birdathon has been a significant source of funding for the bird monitoring project, and your continued support will ensure that more valuable bird data on resident and migrant species will be collected.

How can I contribute
Sponsoring the birdathon is easy:
1) go to The Resource Foundation;
2) click on "Donate" on the right part of your screen, which opens a secure (https) connection;
3) select the amount you want to donate;
4) select whether you want to make a one-time donation or a recurring donation;
5) select "El Salvador - SalvaNATURA" in the pull-down menu called "Program Designation";
6) indicate in the "Dedication" that your donation benefits the "SalvaNATURA 2010 Birdathon";
7) send an email to the birdathon coordinator (john.vandort AT salvanatura.org) confirming your donation.

The Resource Foundation is a U.S. nonprofit organization that helps donors support effective, locally-driven development programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. Your donation through them is of course tax-deductible.

Thank you for your generosity!

Please check back regularly for updates and more information.