Estonia – Estonian Ornithological Society (EOS)

Mission of the organisation

Our mission is to achieve favourable condition of birds in Estonia by means of bird studies, habitat conservation and awareness raising in the society.

Key Activities

• Carrying out inventories of Important Bird Areas and Natura 2000 sites
• Coordinating 9 annual, plus several periodic bird monitoring schemes (http://www.eoy.ee/node/131).
• Carrying out applied research projects to gain new knowledge on the ecology and habitat use of rare and declining forest and farmland birds.
• Advocacy work with national and local governments and institutions.
• Media work and consultancy.
• Coordination of the annual “Bird of the Year” campaigns to raise awareness and involve the public in data gathering (http://www.eoy.ee/aastalind).
• Organizing traditional birdwatching events throughout the year.
• Coordinating two citizen science projects – Winter Garden Birdwatch (www.eoy.ee/talv) and Summer Garden Bird Diary (www.eoy.ee/aed) – that attract around 3000 people each year.
• Operating live web-cameras to broadcast the nest life of some of the rarest birds in Europe (http://www.eoy.ee/node/1035).

• Publishing the scientific bird journal “Hirundo”, where recent results in Estonian bird ecology and ornithology are being published (www.eoy.ee/hirundo).
• Publishing the free quarterly journal “Tiirutaja”, which is targeted at a wider audience to raise awareness of birds, their ecology, behaviour and promote events (http://www.eoy.ee/tiirutaja).