Bird conservation news

Meeting of Experts for the Lesser Kestrel

What is the situation of the population of Lesser kestrels in the Balkans and in other European countries, and how can these elegant birds of prey be effectively protected? At the beginning of October, 54 experts from 11 countries met to exchange ideas at a Workshop in Bulgarian Plovdiv, which was organized by EuroNatur partner Green Balkans.

Film tip: Endangered treasure on the Adriatic Sea

Three years ago the Ulcinj Salt Works in Montenegro ceased production and as a result of that, one of the most important resting grounds for migrant birds in Europe may stop to exist. The short film “The Endangered Treasure of Ulcinj” appeals with impressive pictures for the protection of this unique natural and cultural heritage site.

Mystery Adriatic Flyway

What exactly is the Adriatic flyway? What threats migratory birds are facing on their journey along the Eastern Adriatic and why it is so important to preserve the valuable wetlands there as resting grounds for cranes, ferruginous ducks and others?

See the film “Adriatic Flyway” to learn more

Birds and natural paradise Lake Skadar

Lush riparian forests and extensive shallow water zones: Lake Skadar is a perfect habitat for thousands of birds, including rare Dalmatian pelicans. The short film “Skadar” explores the impressive scenery and unique beauty of the lake and its surroundings in the borderland of Montenegro and Albania.

The Return of Ibis and Spoonbill

They were missing for more than 20 years. Now the spoonbill and the glossy ibis are back to the Serbian nature reserve Obedska Bara – a wetland complex around the largest oxbow along the Sava River. In the course of a monitoring tour in early June, staff of the Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina province and Secretariat of Urbal Planning and Environmental Protection of the Province found four breeding pairs of ibises and six to eight pairs of spoonbills.

More room for our storks

From 29 June to 3 July 2016, all life revolved around the white stork in the Hungarian village of Nagybajom. More than 60 representatives of "European Stork Villages" from 13 different European countries converged on this little town of just three and a half thousand inhabitants in southwest Hungary.

Well-filled nurseries of the pelicans

Baby boom of Dalmatian Pelicans at Lake Skadar in Montenegro: Project staff counted 40 nestlings by mid-June. And this number will be increasing, as in the nests on the breeding platforms several eggs are still being incubated.

Rare, endangered, under threat – Red Lists for the Balkans

How do you draw up a Red List for a country? What criteria should be applied? How do you assess the state of different species for the Red List? Issues surrounding the Red List of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) were the topic of training for 30 staff from EuroNatur’s partner organisations at a workshop held in Veliko Gradiste, Serbia from 6 to 10 June.

“European Stork Village” 2016 designated

A new village has joined the already impressive network of European Stork Villages on Saturday. On 11th June the nature conservation foundation EuroNatur awarded the title of European Stork Village 2016 to the Greek village of Poros.

Bird hunting in the Balkans endangers the lives of our migratory birds

May 10th is World Migratory Bird Day. This year the Day of Action is being run under the motto “...and when the skies fall silent? Stop the illegal killing, taking and trading of migratory birds!”