This year's Virtual Birdfair gets underway tomorrow (Tues).

One of the highlights in Rutland's events calendar, this year's physical Birdfair at Rutland Water was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But the perennially popular lectures by experts, celebrities and influencers will be available as webinar sessions, which can be watched live or later.

The Birdfair auction will also be back again, raising thousands for global conservation with lots ranging from a year's supply of bird seed to photography tuition.

And on Friday (21 Aug) evening, a panel including Liz Bonnin, Chris Packham and Sir Ian Boyd will discuss the current state of Global Conservation and how we can start to turn the tide.

Birdfair has also announced that monies raised from this year's event and the 2021 physical event will be supporting BirdLife's project to protect the critically endangered Helmeted Hornbill and its forest habitat.

The Helmeted Hornbill is one of the most unusual hornbills, the only one with a solid casque. However, this is precisely the cause of its downfall.

The birds have been hunted for their casques in Borneo and traded with China for over a thousand years. But, in the last decade, the species has come under new pressure from an exploding demand for casques which are in great demand as a material for carved jewellery and ornaments.

Patricia Zurita, CEO of Birdlife International has thanked Birdfair for more than 30 years of support and highlighted why the donations make such a difference to conservation: "For over three decades, Birdfair's generous support has empowered BirdLife to steer resources towards the places where nature needs help most.

"This year's project continues that trend by scaling up protection of the Helmeted Hornbill, which has suffered catastrophic declines in the 21st Century as a result of unsustainable hunting.

"The project will also advance our research into the wider threats posed by illegal bird trade - which now has greater recognition as having wider implications for human well-being."

This year's Virtual Birdfair will be taking place from tomorrow until Sunday (23 Aug).