Holbrook Travel

05/30/2026

Our team is on the move! This weekend, we’re excited to be attending two different birding events: Jill Hays is at the Colorado Field Ornithologists Convention in Loveland, CO, and Debbie Jordan is at the Acadia Birding Festival in Southwest Harbor on Mount Desert Island, ME.

If you’re attending either event, be sure to stop by and say hello! 🐦‍⬛

05/22/2026

Today is International Day for Biological Diversity, a yearly celebration that encourages communities across the world to learn more about the nature around us, support local conservation initiatives, and invite others to join us in protecting biodiversity even beyond our own backyards. 🌱🌎

On this , we’d like to highlight the inspiring conservation story of Colombia — one of our planet’s 17 megadiverse countries (housing almost 10% of global biodiversity!), and the country with the largest amount of bird species in the world. Local communities in Colombia have worked hard to protect their own natural treasures despite complex circumstances, and one of the country’s significant conservation initiatives is using birding and responsible birding tourism as a sustainable development resource. 🐦🇨🇴 Check out this great 60 Minutes feature that showcases Colombia’s stunning biodiversity and the empowering fighting spirit of its people!

05/21/2026

Check out these great photos of lush landscapes and active wildlife during Tanzania's rainy season. 🐘🦩🦓 Thank you for sharing them and joining us on this adventure, Cindy!

05/11/2026

We love a conservation success story! In case you missed it, earlier this year researchers from a multi-partner initiative released 158 captive-bred Galápagos giant tortoises onto Floreana Island. 🐢🐢🐢

The Floreana subspecies of the tortoise sadly went extinct in the mid-1800s as a result of human activity. However, researchers discovered that, through hybridization, its genetic lineage had lived on in some of the tortoises on nearby Isabela Island. This finding inspired a long-term, targeted breeding program to maximize the Floreana ancestry for reintroduction.

As giant tortoises play a key role in shaping the archipelago's ecosystems, the conservationists are hopeful that the newly released reptiles will aid in ongoing efforts to restore Floreana's ecological balance, and they've planned similar programs for other islands in the future.

Researchers released captive-bred tortoises carrying the ancestry of the extinct local species

05/09/2026

is here, birders!

We’re particularly excited to see this year’s event shine a spotlight on the Maya Forest in Guatemala — one of two “sister landscapes,” along with the Appalachian Blue Ridge forests of North Carolina, receiving special recognition.

Comprising the largest tropical rainforest network in Mesoamerica, the Maya Forest serves as an important biological corridor and plays a critical role in bird migration.

Today’s 24-hour worldwide birding marathon led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology helps raise funds and awareness for bird conservation. You can join in from home by making a donation or by observing birds wherever you are and entering your findings at eBird.org to help researchers better understand bird populations worldwide. See the link below to learn more!

Global Big Day 2026 is almost here! 🌍

Last year, birders documented 7,931 species in just 24 hours. This year, we're going for a new record: 8,000 species in a single day. Join the world-wide celebration on 9 May and help make history, one checklist at a time 🐦
Tap the link below to learn how you can participate:
https://ebird.org/news/global-big-day-2026

What species are you hoping to find? Drop them in the comments and use for a chance to be featured in eBird's annual event recap.

Image Credit: Brown Boobook, Ninox scutulata © Rejaul Karim / Macaulay Library