1. Quick Facts: Total Area: 1,141,748 sq km (~Texas+California combined)‏ Population: 46,000,000 (second largest Spanish-speaking country)‏ History: indigenous people included the Muisca, Quimbaya, and Tairona, Spanish settlement began 1525 at Santa Marta, Viceroyalty of New Granada 1717, Gran Colombia 1819. Venezuela seceded 1829, Ecuador 1830, Panama 1903 Languages: Spanish, with <1% speaking 72 native languages, and some English on Caribbean Islands Ethnicity: mestizo, mulatto, or zambo (mixed white, Amerindian, and/or black) 75%, white 20%, black 4%, Amerindian 1% Human Development Index: 0.710 (87th of 187 countries, about the same as Brazil and Ecuador)‏ Export partners: US 32.5%, Venezuela 17.2%, Netherlands 4.2% Import partners: US 28%, China 11%, Mexico 7%, Brazil 6.5% Currency: Colombian peso Electricity: same as in U.S. Bogota: capital city of 7.3 million is due south of New York City. Near equator, but 8600' high, so chilly - average low in July: 46F, high: 65F, frost possible 9 months of the year, record high 77F Colombia Birding and Adventures July 16 - August 5, 2009 John Dole, Derb Carter, Will Cook Birds: Total species in Colombia: 1878, #1 in the world Endemic Birds: 85 Species seen on Trip: 516 Lifers on Trip: 192 (Will) Plants: Total species: rough estimate 55,000-130,000 (highest in world per unit area) Butterflies: Total species: ~4000 (NC: 173)‏ National hat: sombrero vueltiao

2. Why Colombia? Quite simply: it's the #1 country in the world for birds Asia: 3533 species, South America: 3418, Africa: 2581, North America: 2165, Oceania: 1953, Europe: 931 Colombia: 1878 species, 85 endemics Brazil: 1788 species, 240 endemics Peru: 1744 species, 103 endemics Indonesia: 1647 species, 421 endemics Ecuador: 1606 species, 38 endemics Bolivia: 1383 species, 19 endemics Venezuela: 1381 species, 54 endemics China: 1353 species, 56 endemics United States: 1090 species, 68 endemics (mostly in Hawaii) US Endemics in NC: Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Fish Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Bachman's Sparrow, Seaside Sparrow, Boat-tailed Grackle Source: http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org

4. Santa Marta Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta - isolated mountain range next to the Caribbean Sea (world's highest coastal range) - highest mountains in Colombia (5700 m, 18700') - older than the Andes Isolation from other mountain ranges led to many endemic bird species...

5. Santa Marta Endemics √Santa Marta Parakeet Santa Marta Sabrewing √ White-tailed Starfrontlet Black-backed Thornbill Santa Marta Woodstar √ Santa Marta Bush-tyrant √ Santa Marta Antpitta √ Rusty-headed Spinetail √ Streak-capped Spinetail √ Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner √ Santa Marta Tapaculo Santa Marta Wren √ Yellow-crowned Whitestart √ Santa Marta Warbler √ White-lored Warbler √ Santa Marta Brush-finch √ Santa Marta Mountain-tanager

9. Vermilion Cardinal (Cardinalis phoeniceus)

95. Sunrise at the Piha Reserve, Antioquia, Colombia 8/1/2009