Within the framework of “Egyptian Vulture New Life” and “Combating Illegal Killing and Taking of Birds in Albania”, AOS organized a photo-projection event, “ Flight For Survival”, to introduce to the public seven species which are known as “Magnificent Seven”: Egyptian Vulture   / Neophron percnopterus / #MagnificentEgyptianVulture, White Stork  / Ciconia ciconia / #MagnificentWhiteStork, Turtle Dove  / Streptopelia turtur / #MagnificentTurtleDove, Imperial Eagle  / Aquila heliaca / #MagnificentImperialEagle, Honey Buzzard  / Pernis apivorus / #MagnificentHoneyBuzzard, Common Quail  / Coturnix coturnix / #MagnificentCommonQuail, Eurasian Blackcap / Sylvia atricapilla / #MagnificentBlackcap. #FlightForSurvival is one of the largest international campaign which aims at putting an end to illegal killing of migratory birds in Mediterranean. Every year, an average of 25 000 000 birds are illegally killed throughout Mediterranean. The threats posed are the illegal killings and taking,...

WE NEED URGENTLY YOUR HELP!  Your support and contribution, even the smallest amount, is critical to ensure the return to the sustainable state of Egyptian Vulture in Albania. Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is globally endangered "EN". In our country, of the four nesting vulture species once, nowadays only the Egyptian vulture continues to breed, though at very critical levels. AOS-Albanian Ornithological Society in cooperation with international and national partners, in the light of efforts to ensure the sustainability of nesting and the success of the reproduction of this icon species, we have undertaken a lot of initiatives based on scientific research, awareness and capacity building . Our latest initiative is focused on capacity building among young people who share the passion and willingness to engage in the protection of this icon species in the long-term. Our aim is to include this young generation in the international monitoring schemes of the Egyptian vulture’s...

Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) is a small migratory bird, in the pheasant family (Phasianidae). In our country, it is both, migratory and resident. Common Quail is a bird with a secretive behavior, seldom seen and often heard. It is listed as a game species. Red List Category:       Within the framework of “Combating illegal killing and taking of birds in Albania” project, this Sunday (5 May 2019), AOS’ team and hunters monitored Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) population in some plots in Tërbufi plain. The monitoring of Common Quail was based on the method with transects. Transects (with a total length of 10 km) along the selected plots, covered a surface of 5 km2. The patrolling of the area lasted 5 hours, with 2-3 minutes breaks along the transects in order to register the males’ mating calls that have already started in this period of the year. On the monitored area was recorded a total of 22 individuals of Common Quail (seen and heard), and was noted the...

Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) – Last vulture in Albania. Of the four breeding vultures species in Albania, nowadays only Egyptian Vulture continues to breed in our country, even though critically endangered. Therefore, our awareness for our last breeding vulture should be at its peak! Egyptian Vulture is a globally endangered (EN) species whose population is facing a constant decline. The same situation is present also in the Balkans where only 50 pairs of them remain, from which up to 5 pairs are estimated to breed in our country. A number of different reasons has led to the decline of the Egyptian Vulture population, such as: poisoning, electrocution, collision, poaching, illegal wildlife trafficking, etc. Driven from this major threat (which leads to extinction), experts and institutions from all over the world have joined forces to recover Egyptian Vulture populations. Part of this initiative is also our country since 2002.   In the Egyptian Vulture’s territories....

Background: Albanian Ornithological Society (AOS) in partnership with the Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA) are jointly implementing the project “Combating Illegal Killing and Illegal Taking of Birds in Albania” supported by EuroNatur Foundation and financed by the MAVA Foundation. The phenomena of illegal killing and trapping of bird in Albania (IKB) is still considered a serious threat in the environmental crime spectrum. According to the latest reports, the number of birds killed illegally in Albania within a year varies from 206,000 - 325,000 individuals. These figures rank Albania among the first 10 Mediterranean countries with the worst record with regards to illegal killing and trapping of birds. Furthermore, this project aims at strengthen the implementation and legal aspects on hunting, fauna, biodiversity conservation, awareness in all levels as well as enhancement of collaboration  and partnerships among public authorities, civil society...

Background: Albanian Ornithological Society (AOS) in partnership with the Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA) are jointly implementing the project “Combating Illegal Killing and Illegal Taking of Birds in Albania” supported by EuroNatur Foundation and financed by the MAVA Foundation. The phenomena of illegal killing and trapping of bird in Albania (IKB) is still considered a serious threat in the environmental crime spectrum. According to the latest reports, the number of birds killed illegally in Albania within a year varies from 206,000 - 325,000 individuals. These figures rank Albania among the first 10 Mediterranean countries with the worst record with regards to illegal killing and trapping of birds. This project aims at strengthen the implementation and legal aspects on hunting, fauna, biodiversity conservation, awareness in all levels as well as enhancement of collaboration  and partnerships among public authorities, civil society...

​In the framework of the Life project “ Egyptian Vulture New Life ” as well as BAPP- Balkan Anti-Poisoning Project, the Albanian Ornithological Society-AOS organization, in its capacity as the project partner in national level held the Second Meeting on Anti-Poisoning in Albania on December 5th 2018. With the participation of representatives from 4 international organizations (BSPB, VCF, HOS, GREEN BALKANS), this meeting resulted successfully in several key aspects of environmental crime treatment. The AOS presented its Draft-Road Map for Wildlife Anti-Poisoning in Albania. The presentation was followed by extensive discussions on the issue of fauna poisoning and the ways of fighting and preventing crimes against birds and wildlife. In this meeting participated also representatives from national decision-making and implementing authorities such as the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the State Inspectorate of the Environment, the...

Vultures, although a rarity in the country, have often been subject of poisoning, trapping and poaching with evidences registered even in recent years. An estimation of the impact of IKB on vultures in Albania was undertaken in 2018, based on expert opinion and data collected through relevant stakeholders and social media groups. It shows that at least 1-3 individuals of vultures species are approximately killed every year. Griffon Vulture is often subject of poaching as it occurred in 2008 in Kukes, north of Albania, where an individual was killed for taxidermy purposes and it is today exposed in a restaurant in the city. Another Griffon Vulture was trapped in Lura (north of Albania) after being apparently injured due to electrocution. Although it somehow recovered, this individual was kept as a pet species for almost two years until its fatal electrocution in 2015. In addition, a tagged Griffon Vulture (from Serbia) was trapped in 2016 in Fushe-Kruja (nearby Tirana) showing signs...

The Albanian Ornithological Society as a national partner within the project “Egyptian Vulture  New life” was tasked with the realization of Action 2: "Identifying and Evaluating the Use of Veterinary Drugs Affecting the Egyptian”. During the study, it was observed that from four products, confirmed as potentially dangerous for vultures,  Aceclofenac, Ketoprofen, Flunixin, Diclofenac, in the list provided by the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development, there were three of them; Ketoprofen, Flunixin and Diclofenac. Environmental and animal protection organizations have expressed concern about the negative effects of Diclofenac. Even in the EU, Diclofenac poses a direct risk to birds and mainly to vultures that are scavengers. Considering the drastic decline in this population, various actors have demanded the categorical prohibition of the use of Diclofenac. Meanwhile, it is noticed from the list that in Albania, this highly dangerous element for the wildlife has been used...

Did you know that agricultural chemicals are considered to be highly dangerous to the Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus which is categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List? To confirm this hypothesis,  the "Albanian Ornithological Society” as a national partner, under the “Egyptian Vulture New Life” project, undertook an investigation into the impact of agricultural chemicals as a poisonous agent for Egyptian Vulture in Albania. To accomplish this activity, AOS has been able to obtain the necessary information from the Department of Agriculture and Veterinary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Albania for all legal agricultural chemicals used in Albania recently. The material that the Ministry has provided us is the complete list of plant protection products, PPP, which is also known as the pesticide list. Currently, about 319 agricultural chemicals are currently used in Albania based on the above information. Meanwhile, 97 agricultural chemicals have...

Duke u shtrirë në pesë shtete të Ballkanit (Shqipëri, Bosnie Hercegovina, Kroaci, Greqi dhe Maqedoni (FYR), ky projekt ka për qëllim angazhimin e qeverive përkatëse, grupimeve në mbrotje të kafshëve të egra, shoqatave të gjahtarëve, fermerët dhe shkencëtarët në një projekt ambicioz për të trajtuar kërcënimin e vetëm më serioz për shkabat: helmimin e paligjshëm.

AOS ka filluar zbatimim e një projekti të ri Life i cili ka për qëllim forcimin dhe rimëkëmbjen e popullatës së Kalit të Qyqes në Ballkan dhe përgjatë korridorit të shtegtimit. Ajo përfshin 14 vende, ndër të cilat bën pjesë edhe Shqipëria. Ky projekt në nivel ndërkombëtar mbështetet financiarisht nga Bashkimi Evropian me bashkëfinancim nga fondacioni A.G. Leventis dhe zbatohet nga Shoqata Bullgare për Mbrotjen e Shpendëve (BSPB) në bashkëpunim me një rrjet shumë të gjerë partnerësh. AOS në kuadër të këtij projekti po zbaton disa aktivitete në drejtim të ruajtjes së popullatës së Kalit të Qyqes në Shqipëri.Objektivat dhe qëllimi  : Objektivat e projektit janë në përputhje me synimet e dokumentit më të fundit strategjik që përshkruan taktikën e ruajtjes për të shpëtuar speciet: Plani i Veprimit për Ruajtjen e Popullatës të Kalit të Qyqes Neophron percnopterus (PVKQ) në Ballkan dhe Azinë Qendrore, si një komponent kyç i integruar i MsAP-së së Shkabave. Prandaj objektivat specifikë të...

AOS was informed during the last evening, the 10th of April 2018, on the finding of a Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) injured due to collision. On the absence of specialized centres for the rehabilitation of medical treatment of wild birds, AOS contacted the veterinary expert Kalem Ymeralaj who provided his prompt assistance. The bird of prey, diagnosed with dislocation in its right wing, was wrapped with bandage, cotton and flaster. In the mean time, the Buzzard, is treated with special care against potential infections. We will keep the bird as such until fully recovered and able to compete in the wild. The bird was baptized as “Lucky” and it is currently sheltered in a dark, quiet and safe place, well aired and under continuous monitoring. We are grateful to Mikel for informing us in due time and for trusting to our mission. ​Our gratitude goes also to our colleague and friend Kalem Ymeralaj for the medical assistance and his great contribution.

This extremely rare picture for Albania, has been sent to us from an AOS friend circa more than one month ago. At last, we decided to publish it despite the internal debates on the image considering that the following information is very important and it could not be neglected. This is the first ever published evidence in the last 25 years on the existence of the Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) in Albania. The species has the size of a pheasant and it usually occurs in habitats with low grass plants, often in dry and salted lands. Males and females differ in their plumage. The global population of the Little Bustard is estimated at 100,000-499,000 individuals (BirdLife International, 2018. Species factsheet: Tetrax tetrax). The species is composed by two breeding widely separated populations, the eastern one concentrated in Russia and Kazakhstan, the western in Spain and Portugal. Despite its widespread distribution and its high number of individuals, the species is considered as...

White Storks (Ciconia ciconia), those birds rare in Albania but so close to mankind, are now back and ready to nest again. Both future parents have started building their nest, at the same place as one year or many years ago. In 2017, there were only 4-5 nests of White Storks in Albania, One nest was located at the top of a line tower while the rest in churches or worship places demonstrating thus that human disturbance is a limiting factor. This is in stark contrast with the 1950s’ when White Storks were in hundreds and very common in every urban area of the Western Lowland and in other wetland areas of Albania as Maliq dhe Korça, Narta and Vlora, Tërbufi and Lushnja, Karavasta and Divjaka, Durrësi, Lezha, Velipoja etc. Their sharp reduction was first due to the disappearance of marshlands as suitable foraging habitats. This first reduction was amplified by the intensification of the agriculture, urbanization, industrial development, infrastructure and oil and gas extraction. Today...

One conference, 2 presentations and 2 more contributions from AOS, many questions and congrats for the work undertaken, the strengthening of the capacities, the use of scientific data for nature conservation. The Adriatic Flyway 3 Conference, in Fruska Gora, Serbia, with representatives from the Balkan countries and international institutions, was closed yesterday. Many presentations stressed the importance of Albania for migratory birds, the need for further strengthening the capacities in the country, the positive cases of cooperation between the NGOs and state institutions and the urgency on the protection of birds and their critical habitats from degradation and loss. The latter seems to threaten today any natural area and particularly those in the coastal area.

Satelite telemetry enriches our knowledge on Birds in Albania – The migration of a Red Kite (Milvus milvus) in Albania In accordance with the satellite telemetry data, kindly provided to AOS by our Czech colleague David Horal, a migrating individual of Red Kite has already crossed through Albania during 11-13th of March 2018. It is a juvenile female, born in Niederosterreich (Austria) in në vitin 2015 and tagged there as a chick with the GPS-GSM logger AUKI06. This Red Kite has wintered for a third consecutive year in Central and Western Greece and it is now taking its way back most likely towards Austria. This Red Kite has entered from Greece in Albania on the 11th of March 2018, via Vjosa valley, has followed the direction of Osumi river through Ҫorovoda, Poliçani, Berati, Elbasani and Tirana for passing the night in Krasta of Kruja. At this place, the Red Kite stayed two overnights and on the 13th of March it has left for north, crossing over Vau i Dejës and Hani i Hotit for...