The Andalucía Bird Society is a newly formed group, pan-Andalucían in scope, which is basically for the resident foreign birder and visitor whose knowledge of and fluency in Spanish is not of the best. It should be emphasised that the society aims to cooperate with and work within the framework of Spanish birding, not entirely as a separate and independent entity, but one which simply draws together the non-Spanish birder, hopefully into cooperative projects, with local Spanish birders (who often suffer the same language problem with regard to English).

Of course the new group also welcomes Spanish birders and all other nationals, as my position of President testifies!

La Sociedad Ornitológica de Andalucía es un nuevo grupo de ámbito andaluz, creado básicamente para ornitólogos extranjeros residentes y visitantes cuya falta de conocimientos y fluidez en castellano representan un impedimento. Hay que destacar que esta sociedad pretende cooperar y trabajar dentro del marco de la ornitología española, no como un grupo separado e independiente, sino como una organización que haga que los ornitólogos no españoles se involucren en proyectos de cooperación con los ornitólogos locales (quienes a menudo tienen problemas con el inglés).

Por supuesto, el nuevo grupo también está totalmente abierto a ornitólogos españoles y de cualquier otra nacionalidad, mi posición como Presidente da testimonio!

Juan Oñate.
President
Andalucía Bird Society

• To record and study wild birds in Andalucia
• To assist in the preservation of wild birds in Spain
• To encourage by use of meetings, outings, books and other ways:
• The study of birds in the field and ornithological science in general.
• The education of the general public and its members in ornithological science and the need for the protection of wild birds and their habitats.

Membership entitles you to a free quarterly newsletter and a free copy of the Andalucia Bird Report. You also get a chance to attend our Annual Conference during the year as well as our AGM in June, where you will enjoy talks by international and local speakers. As a member you can take part in over 12 outings a year to various parts of Andalucia, plus nearby provinces.

Our outings are led by expert birders and are designed to help both beginners and experts improve their bird watching skills. We also have a programme of conservation working parties providing practical help to improve important bird habitats in Andalucia.

A key role for the Society is to collect and hold the records of birds recorded in Andalucia.  It is hoped our database will hold sufficient records for the data to be used widely by conservation organisations, local government bodies, academics and commercial consultants. As a member you have the opportunity to participate in the Andalucia elements of national bird surveys, and to have your own bird records incorporated into our annual Andalucia Bird Report.

For details on how to become a member of the Andalucia Bird Society please visit the Join ABS page. It is the many and varied birding interests of the membership that gives the ABS its strength and continuity, so everyone, beginner or expert, are most welcome to join.