Los Cabos is preparing to welcome birders, researchers and nature enthusiasts from across the Americas for the second edition of the International Bird Festival, scheduled for October 8–10 at the Krystal Grand Los Cabos.
The municipality’s Tourism Department is working with the festival organizing committee to build on the success of last year’s inaugural event, which brought together specialists, birdwatchers and local residents interested in the region’s avian biodiversity.
This year’s festival expects participants from Brazil, Panama, the United States and Canada, along with attendees from several Mexican states including San Luis Potosí, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Oaxaca, Querétaro and Mexico City, according to the Ayuntamiento de Los Cabos.
Why It Matters for Tourism
Municipal Tourism Director Ana Gabriela Navarro González said the event is part of a broader effort to diversify Los Cabos’ tourism offerings beyond beaches and resorts. Birding tourists tend to stay several days and spend money across multiple local sectors, she noted, while also encouraging appreciation for the natural spaces that define the municipality.
The region’s growing reputation as a birding destination received a boost earlier this year when Los Cabos earned international recognition as a Bird City, a designation that highlights conservation efforts and habitat protection.
Who’s Behind the Festival
The festival is organized by a committee that includes the municipal Tourism and Ecology departments, the Los Cabos Tourism Board (Fideicomiso de Turismo), the Los Cabos Hotel Association, the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur and civil society groups including the nonprofit Isla.
Emer García, a researcher at UABCS and president of the festival committee, explained that the event brings together public, private, academic and community partners. The goal is to create opportunities for knowledge exchange between experts and the general public while reinforcing the value of protecting local bird populations.
What Attendees Can Expect
Programming will include pre-festival workshops on bird illustration, citizen science activities and training sessions on creating pollinator gardens using native plants. The main event runs three days and is open to the public, with sessions designed for both experienced birders and newcomers curious about the region’s wildlife.
Officials say the festival supports responsible tourism by connecting visitors to the environmental features that make Baja California Sur unique — an approach that can help sustain both the local economy and the natural systems that attract tourists in the first place.
For residents interested in learning more about the birds that migrate through or live year-round in Los Cabos, this October’s festival offers a chance to meet researchers, join field outings and explore a side of the destination that doesn’t always make it into travel brochures.
