Goa to Host Bird Festival to Promote Avian Tourism

Aiming to promote avian tourism, the Goa forest department will host its first "Bird Festival" in the state in November, state Environment and Forest Minister Rajendra Arlekar said on Friday. 
•    Goa is home to nearly a third of all the bird species in the country. 
•    The event will include bird-watching sessions at the state’s numerous wildlife sanctuaries.
•    The bird festival will be held over three days from November 11 to 13 and participants at the event will be treated to bird-watching sessions at the state’s numerous wildlife sanctuaries including Dr. Salim Ali bird sanctuary.
•    The participants will also watch a series of films screened on birds and their habitats, and engage with well known ornithologists who would be conducting technical sessions at the event.
•    Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Arlekar said that his ministry was in talks with the state Tourism Ministry, in order to promote avian tourism in Goa, which is home to 432 of the 1,224 bird species found in India.