Los Cabos is gearing up for its second International Bird Festival, scheduled for October 8–10, 2026, with a program that mixes guided birdwatching outings, workshops and public talks across the municipality. Organizers unveiled the schedule this week at a press event held at the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur (UABCS), Los Cabos campus.
This year’s theme, “Birds unite us between the sea and the sierra,” reflects the festival’s focus on the region’s range of habitats, from coastal wetlands to mountain forest. That range is part of why Los Cabos has become a magnet for birders: roughly 340 bird species have been recorded in the municipality, according to figures presented by local officials.
Why Los Cabos Draws Birders
Jorge Armando López Espinoza, director general of Ecology and Environment for the municipality of Los Cabos, said the festival aims to raise awareness of birds as indicators of environmental health while promoting low-impact nature tourism. That framing lines up with the destination’s recent designation as a recognized Bird City, a status tied to habitat protection and community-based conservation work.
José Emer García de la Puente Orozco, president of the festival’s organizing committee and a UABCS research professor, said the event brings together government, academia, private business, civil organizations and the community. Municipal Tourism director Ana Gabriela Navarro González added that the gathering supports the municipality’s push to diversify beyond beach tourism, positioning Los Cabos as a leader in responsible birdwatching, or aviturismo, with direct benefits for local communities.
What’s on the Program
Over the three days, the festival will offer workshops, expert talks and activities open to the general public, according to the municipality of Los Cabos. National and international specialists are expected to take part, continuing a track record that has grown alongside birdwatching’s rise across Baja California Sur in recent years.
Representatives from several conservation groups joined the announcement, including the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas, known locally as CONANP, which oversees federally protected habitat in the region, along with the hotel association and a nonprofit focused on protecting Mexico’s island ecosystems. Their presence signals that the festival is being treated as more than a one-off event — it’s part of an ongoing conservation and tourism strategy for the destination.
What Visitors and Residents Should Know
Full details on ticketing, specific outing locations and how to register for individual sessions had not been released at the time the program was announced. Readers planning to attend, including seasonal residents returning for the fall season, should watch the municipality’s official channels for updates as October approaches.
For anyone who enjoys seasonal birding events, the festival adds to a growing calendar of nature-focused activities in the region, alongside efforts such as the annual Christmas Bird Count. With early notice now in hand, birding groups and nature-minded travelers have a few weeks to plan trips or clear calendars around the October 8–10 dates.
