60 Minutes airs an encore presentation of “Birds of War” tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS, featuring correspondent Anderson Cooper reporting from the mountains of western Colombia, where nearly 2,000 bird species—more than anywhere else on Earth—thrive in pristine forests that were once inaccessible due to decades of armed conflict.
The segment, which originally aired in May 2026, takes viewers deep into Tatamá National Park, where Cooper travels with renowned birding guide Diego Calderón Franco to search for rare species found nowhere else in the world. Colombia’s extraordinary bird diversity is partly a result of its unique geography, but also, paradoxically, of war: for decades, fighting between the Colombian government, left-wing guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries, and narco-traffickers made many areas so dangerous that few people could enter, preserving the birds’ habitat from human development and destruction.
Since Colombia's government signed a peace deal with the FARC, the country’s largest left-wing guerrilla group, in 2016, the region has become increasingly accessible. More than 450,000 people were killed during the decades of conflict, most of them unarmed civilians, according to the 60 Minutes report. The peace agreement has opened new possibilities for the affected communities and for conservation efforts.
The encore episode showcases how birding has become an important part of a growing ecotourism industry in Colombia, bringing millions of dollars to the country’s economy. Birders from around the world are now flocking to the region to glimpse species they cannot find anywhere else. The report features interviews with local residents whose lives have been transformed by the birding industry, including Michelle Tapasco, who built the Montezuma Rain Forest Ecolodge after her partner was killed by the FARC in 2008, and Marcos Guevara, a former FARC combatant who has become a photographer and forest guide.
One of the most compelling stories in the segment involves Diego Calderón Franco himself. In 2004, as a graduate student on a birding expedition in northern Colombia, he and two colleagues were kidnapped by the FARC and held for 88 days. During his captivity, he continued to observe and document birds on scraps of cigarette paper, finding solace in nature even while being held hostage. His father eventually paid a ransom of about $30,000 for his release. Three years later, Diego started a birding tour business, and years after that, he began introducing former FARC combatants to birding as a way to help them transition to peaceful livelihoods.
The episode captures the moment when Cooper and his guides spot the Gold-ringed tanager, a species that lives only in this part of the Andes mountains. Diego tells Cooper: “Now you belong to a higher cult of mortals, for you have seen the gold-ringed tanager.” The segment illustrates how birds—once a source of conflict and danger—have become a bridge to healing and economic opportunity in a region still working to rebuild after years of violence.
Sources
- Paramount Press Express — Official 60 Minutes episode listing for August 2, 2026, confirming the encore presentation details, air time, and segment titles.
- CBS News — Full transcript and video of “Birds of War” segment, including interviews with Anderson Cooper, Diego Calderón Franco, Michelle Tapasco, and Marcos Guevara, plus details on Colombia’s bird species count and the peace deal’s impact.
- 60 Minutes social media — Confirmed that Colombia is home to approximately 2,000 bird species and documented Anderson Cooper’s birding journey in Colombia.
