Global Creative Agency WhereNext Invents Virtual “Quarantine Birding” Based On Its Documentary Film About Adventure Birdwatching In The Wilds of Colombia, The World’s Most Diverse Bird Habitat

Portland, OR — Hybrid agency/production company WhereNext—known for its innovative creative campaigns for global brands—is giving homebound quarantiners an exciting way to discover adventure birdwatching while vicariously road-tripping through its epicenter, Colombia. 

How? Quarantine birding. Identify more than 100 Colombian bird species, both resident and migratory, from the comfort of your armchair, sofa, or hammock. No binoculars required. Just print out the readymade species-spying checklist designed to accompany the WhereNext documentary The Birders, which tells the story of a birdwatching road trip along the breathtaking Northern Colombia Birding Trail with National Geographic photographer Keith Ladzinski and Colombian biologist Diego Calderon. The film is the centerpiece of an integrated campaign for the Colombian Tourism Ministry. 

Bird From Home: Watch The Film & Download The Checklist Here

Blue-naped Chlorophonia; Chlorophonia cyanea

The professional, standard-format birder’s checklist features all of the avian stars of The Birders. Simply hit pause and check species off as you identify them throughout the film. Viewers can also download the Merlin app from WhereNext’s partners at eBird to help ID any tricky species, or they can explore eBird lists for clues. 

“We were all stuck at home with friends and family, looking for fun downtime activities beyond binging on shows, games, and social media,” says WhereNext founder Gregg Bleakney, who directed The Birders. “So we decided to create this interactive seek-and-find experience for ourselves. We enjoyed it so much that we wanted to share it with everybody. Birding has become a passion for everyone at our agency since we created The Birders, but we couldn’t do it while stuck at home—until now.”

Russet-throated Puffbird; Hypnelus ruficollis

If advanced avian fans discover that birding The Birders is too easy, they can try to identify all the birdsong from the film—a true challenge. Virtual birders can share their efforts on Instagram with the hashtag #TheBirders.