In August and September 2019, the Albanian Ornithological Society (AOS) conducted some 41 km of transect surveys for mapping of dangerous pylons and detecting mortality due to electrocution and collisions with power grid in the stronghold of the Egyptian Vulture in Drino valley, part of the Globally Important Bird Area of Gjirokastra, in the southern …

Illegal Killing and Taking of Birds in Albania  According to Brochet et al (2016), Albania is listed among the most impacted countries from the illegal killing of birds with an average 265 000 birds killed per year. Approximately 30 000 – 40 000 birds are caught annually, 20% of which is thought to be traded …

World Wetlands Day 2020 – Wetlands and Biodiversity!  The 2nd of February is recognized as World Wetland Day (WWD), which marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. This international day was established to raise awareness about the value of wetlands for …

During the second weekend of January (10-12th of January), like every year, the Albanian Ornithological Society (AOS) became part of the  “International Waterbirds Census” (IWC) 2020. This international monitoring program is implemented in more than 143 countries and has been implemented in Albania since 1993. It has become a tradition for IWC to be joined …

On 24th January 2020 a national workshop was held in Tirana within the scope of “Balkan Anti-Poisoning Projects” and “Egyptian Vulture New Life” projects aiming at raising awareness among national responsible institutions on the scale, root causes and consequences of the illegal use of poison baits and wildlife crime in Albania. The national workshop “Anti-Poisoning …

On January 24, 2020, Albanian Ornithological Society (AOS)  jointly with Ministry of Tourism and Environment (MTE) and Embassy of Spain in Albania (ESP) within the Balkan Anti-Poisoning Project and Egyptian Vulture New Life projects will organize a national workshop on Anti-Poisoning and Wildlife Crime in Albania. The workshop will be attended by representatives of national responsible …

Wildlife poisoning in Albania  Since July 2019, after the consecutive lobbying and efforts of Albanian Ornithological Society (AOS) – the use of poison baits for the disposal of wild fauna species is incorporated as an amendment in the section of prohibited actions on the Law No. 46/2019, dated 8/7/2019 “On some amendments and changes of …

This is the newest bird species of Albania!!! Since 2006 this species has been added to the Phylloscopus genius due to the similar morphological feature with other Phylloscopus species. Similar to Regulus species, this warbler has a prominent yellow-crested line. In many places, he is called the Pallas’s Leaf-warbler in honor of German zoologist Peter …

What is the IWC? The International Waterbird Census (IWC) is a site-based counting scheme for monitoring waterbird numbers, organized since 1967 by Wetlands International, formerly the International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau (IWRB). The Census operates at a global level, and the former division into four separate continental-scale surveys was superseded in 2003 by a …

At the beginning of December 2019, during the monitoring visits in National Park Divjaka-Karavasta, like every year AOS team recognized that Dalmatian Pelican’s breeding season was approaching. Orange-red pouch, curly feathers and the presence of several specimens in the pelican island – warned us that the breeding season is approaching, where our actions for the …