The Romanian Ornithological Society

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	The Romanian Ornithological Society (SOR) works for the study and protection of birds, their habitats and nature. Your support and contribution matters.

The BirdLife Partner: Romanian Ornithological Society (SOR)/ BirdLife Romania
Date founded: 30 May 1990
Members: 1,500
Full-time staff: 10

Mission: SOR aims to conserve and study the wild bird species, their habitats and sites in Romania, increasing population’s awareness regarding environmental sustainability, working for the protection of biodiversity and bird fauna.

Major programmes/areas of work
The research activity of SOR focuses on the following issues: Important Bird Areas Programme, study and protection of rare and endangered bird species; study on bird migration; monitoring of specific bird species; distribution of breeding bird species of Romania; building action plans for the protection of bird species.

SOR manages the national Important Bird Areas (IBA) programme in Romania since 1994. Up to present there have been chosen the 44 areas to which up to 60 new could be added and for which the documentation is on the way. A network of local co-ordinators has been established. They monitor the areas and keep the headquarters informed up-to-date. Latest news appears in the IBA newsletter twice a year. The IBA Inventory is almost ready and it will be printed in 2004.

SOR took and continues to take part to international projects such as (apart from the IBA programme): Dispersed species of Europe, Atlas of the breeding birds in Europe, Mid-winter count of geese and water birds. It also takes part, in co-operation with neighbouring countries, to several regional projects on study and protection of species like: Slender-billed curlew, Red-breasted goose, Corncrake, White stork, Pygmy cormorant, White-headed duck. SOR contributed to data and texts to all major works/publications, on south-eastern Europe or bird species from Romania, of BirdLife International and Wetlands International.
ROS headquarters is based in the centre of the country, the town Cluj. There are 13 branches and 2 school groups throughout the country, one very important regional office in the Danube Delta, at Tulcea and one in the capital, Bucharest. On national level it is known as the most qualified organism on issues related to bird fauna. Consequently it is currently consulted by the environment and administrative authorities on several problems: from local issues related to environment to lobby for the Romania’s alignment to European legislation.
Headquarters and local office from Tulcea, in close relation with the IBA and teachers’ network develop a large activity of public awareness towards the conservation of birds and habitats. Several posters, leaflets and booklets on this have been published, among which the Romanian version of the Hamlyn field guide to birds of Europe, with the text adapted to the Romanian bird fauna.

SOR is the partner of BirdLife in Romania and carries out its policy and strategy towards their joint worldwide target: conservation of birds and natural resources.

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