History in Short

The Czech Society for Ornithology was founded in 1926. Below is a timeline and expanded narrative of its development:

• 1926 – Foundation
• 1928 – Official bylaws acknowledged; first constituent gathering held in Prague
• 1934 – Bird-ringing center established; launch of Sylvia magazine
• 1965 – Participation in International Waterfowl Census
• 1972 – Regional subsidiaries founded; specialized expert groups formed
• 1973 – Nesting birds distribution survey initiated
• 1989 – Milestone year: expansion of international cooperation
• 1992 – First Bird of the Year elected
• 1994 – Joined BirdLife as Partner Designate
• 1994 – First issue of World of Birds published
• 1998 – Became BirdLife Partner
• 2002 – Launch of the coordination of the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS)
• 2006 – First Bird Park founded – Josefov Meadows
• 2010 – Online bird database (avif) launched
• 2014 – White Stork Nests census launched
• 2017 – CSO Dog unit searching for poisoned baits and dead animals started its activity
• 2018 – Linear Species Counting (LSD) created
• 2019 – Winter Bird Count launched
• 2019 – Leading a petition to the Minister of Agriculture demanding a healthy landscape
• 2020 – Launch of webinars Ornitolog na drátě during covid-19 pandemic
• 2025 – Launch od podcast series

 

History

The very first session of people potentially interested in the membership of the Czechoslovak Society for Ornithology was held in Prague on April 5, 1926. The enthusiasts, who had gathered that day, discussed the possible content of activities, adopted a bylaws draft and elected an interim board. The bylaws were officially acknowledged by the Ministry of Interior in 1928. The constituent gathering was then held on April 22, 1928, in Prague. Professor Jiří Janda was elected the first chairman of the society and the head of the first board. In the beginning, the first activities were aimed at the monitoring of bird species distribution and abundance.

After the first bird-ringing center had been established in 1934, bird-ringing became another basic activity of CSO members. A newsletter for members started to be published in 1928. The „Sylvia“ magazine was launched in 1934. Both of these periodicals have been issued ever since!

During the following years, other men were elected to the chair office. Let’s name Dr. Alfred Hořice, doc. dr. Otakar Štěpánek, doc. dr. Walter Černý, prof. dr. Zdeněk Veselovský and prof. dr. Karel Šťastný. There were a few more enthusiasts who helped the society to flourish. It was Josef Musílek who engaged himself in the process of the society establishment and who helped in editing the two periodicals. There were also Josef Jirsík and Ota Kadlec involved at the beginning of the bird-ringing station’s existence.

The period of new advancement started after 1945 when the work of the Czech ornithologists began to be laid on a professional basis. Another boom occurred after 1972 when new regional subsidiaries had been founded and specialized groups of experts had started to work. Since 1965 the society members have participated on the International waterfowl census which is the activity with the longest tradition. It has also been Nesting birds distribution survey since 1973 which is another long-lasting activity. The group for owls and birds of prey survey is another very hardworking group of the society members.

Of course, the year 1989 became a milestone in the history of CSO especially in terms of international work challenges and opportunities. After the BirdLife International organization had been established in Rosenheim in 1994, the Czech Society for Ornithology joined international activities and projects and found its way to the BirdLife International organization in 1998. A good deal of new projects focused on bird protection and survey has appeared. Most of them have been realized through international cooperation.

Three pillars

From the beginning, the activities of CSO were based on three pillars, just like today – research, conservation and education.

1) Research

The aim of the CSO as a scientific organisation has always been to study birds and their populations, and this aim has not changed even after a century. Thanks to monitoring, the CSO obtains valuable information on the distribution and abundance of birds in the Czech Republic and abroad, and thus the initial data necessary for subsequent research and protection of birds. Since 2002, CSO has coordinated the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS), which is a project of the European Bird Census Council (EBCC). The CSO thus collects data from census programmes in Europe and, based on long-term data on the abundance of bird species, calculates pan-European species indices and indicators reflecting the overall state of the environment.

Citizen science

Since 2010, CSO has maintained the Avif bird database on the website birds.cz, which is the largest source of data on bird observation in the Czech Republic. As part of citizen science, the CSO also involves the citizen science project, including in the White stork nest census or Winter bird count. Experienced volunteers regularly participate in the Lineal Species Census (LSD) monitoring program.

Publishing

The activities of the CSO include a number of publishing activities. Research results are regularly published in international scientific journals. In 2010–2020, the CSO, as one of the three coordinating institutions, significantly participated in the preparation of the second European Breeding Bird Atlas. Another important publication is Prague Birds 1800-2020 – an expanded edition of Veleslav Wahl’s book from 1944. The CSO regularly publishes two magazines. The peer-reviewed professional magazine Sylvia is published once a year and contains original ornithological articles, short reports and reviews in Czech (Slovak) or English. The magazine World of Birds was founded in 1994 and is the only periodical in the Czech Republic focused exclusively on the popularization of domestic and world ornithology and bird protection. It is published four times a year.

2) Conservation

The CSO focuses on protection of rare and common bird species and their habitats. The CSO’s key conservation activities include the protection of birds in agricultural landscapes, coordination of the rescue program for the critically endangered little owl, collection of evidence and cooperation with the police in cases of bird crime, and resolution and prevention of conflicts between birds and people. In order for conservation measures to be effective, the CSO establishes cooperation with farmers, architects, municipalities and other individuals and legal entities. At the same time, it tries to educate the general public and professionals through seminars, training courses and other educational tools and thus prevent unnecessary conflicts between humans and nature.

Bird Parks

The CSO’s goal is not only to protect natural habitats, but also to strive for their active restoration. In 2006, the concept of bird parks was created and the CSO began purchasing land outside state‑protected areas, where it actively restores natural habitats and creates a suitable environment for the reproduction of endangered bird species through targeted management. Bird parks are flagship projects of CSO, serving as model areas for landscape restoration and biodiversity conservation. This is only possible thanks to the great support of donors. Most bird parks contribute significantly to water retention in the landscape and thus to mitigating the effects of climate change. The CSO uses mainly traditional methods of management to restore nature. The CSO motto „Together for birds and people“ is applied in the concept of all parks, which are open to the public all year round, visitor infrastructure is built in them and serves various eco-educational activities. Currently (2026), there are seven parks covering 700 hectares – Josefov Meadows, Zbudovská blata, Rzy, Mnišské louky, Malá Lipová, Kosteliska, and Střimická výsypka. The long‑term goal is to acquire land into the ownership of the CSO and to create areas of exceptional biological value, while placing emphasis on enabling visitors to experience direct contact with nature. CSO aims to establish at least one park of 50+ hectares in every region by 2042.

3) Education

One of the core missions of the CSO is the education and of the public, including children and youth. Every year, it organizes a number of events, seminars, excursions, identification courses and publishes a number of educational publications and other educational materials. On bird walks organized throughout the year, volunteer ornithologists introduce the public to the life of birds and, according to their capabilities, provide an accompanying program (including bird ringing a games for children). For those interested in more in-depth education, the CSO organizes identification courses. Young ornithologists can deepen their knowledge at the Ornithological Academy or share their enthusiasm for nature at the Ornithological Student’s Conference. For the youngest ones interested in ornithology, the CSO organizes the Weekend for Families with Children. The public also has the opportunity to participate in excursions, whether domestic or foreign. Professional guides and staff from the CSO office are always present on excursions, who provide the program and bird identification. In addition to the general public, the CSO also strives to educate teachers and lecturers of the EVVO, for whom it organizes new seminars every year. It also organizes seminars for architects, public administration and the professional public focused primarily on the protection of synanthropic birds and ensuring their safe coexistence with people.

Since 1992, the ČSO has been awarding the title Bird of the Year. The aim of the campaign is to draw attention to interesting bird species occurring in the Czech Republic, to encourage the public to observe and practically protect them, and at the same time to arouse people’s interest in birds and nature in general. The Bird of the Year is selected by the CSO Board and is usually an interesting, well-known or abundant species in our country that can be easily observed or directly actively involved in their protection.

Modern Era and Current Activities

Currently, CSO has over 8 000 members and operates as a dynamic, membership-based organization recognized for its efficiency and impact. It combines science, practical habitat restoration, and community involvement to protect birds and biodiversity. Key modern initiatives include long-term monitoring programs, citizen science projects, and active participation in policy-making.

Awards and Recognition

2019 – Adapterra Award for Josefov Meadows Bird Park

2021 – Prague Science Film Fest Award for the movie Hearing the Little Owl

2022 – The Best Bird Book of the Year for European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

2023 – The Most Beautiful Czech Book of the Year for Prague Birds 1800-2020

2024 – Czech SDGs Award for Bird Parks

2024 – Josef Hlávka Prize for book Prague Birds 1800-2020

2025 – E.ON Energy Globe Award for Bird Parks

 

The CSO itself honors individuals with awards for outstanding contributions to bird conservation and ornithology.