BirdLife International partner – Romanian Ornithological Society (SOR)

Founded in 1990, the Romanian Ornithological Society (SOR) works to protect and study Romania’s biodiversity, with a particular focus on wild birds and their habitats. It combines long-term species monitoring with practical conservation, advocacy and environmental education. Its work includes protecting threatened bird species and key habitats, promoting the designation of Important Bird Areas, and working with policymakers to strengthen nature conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. It is BirdLife International’s partner in Romania. 

The African-Eurasian Flyway stretches from the Arctic to southern Africa and is one of four major global migration routes for birds. Often described as ‘avian superhighways’, these pathways are traversed by billions of birds each year, including species like Egyptian Vulture, Steppe Eagle, and Sociable Lapwing. But key sites along the flyway are under threat from habitat loss, illegal hunting, and climate change. Losing these places would have serious consequences for the birds that rely on them to rest, refuel, and breed.  

ERF’s support of SOR is part of their £7.5 million grant to BirdLife International’s African-Eurasian Flyway grant which supports habitat restoration and protection work in Romania, Bulgaria, Iraq, Jordan, Uganda, Malawi and Zimbabwe, alongside efforts to grow nature-based economies and jobs. It will also strengthen rapid-response action against harmful developments and help operationalise the ground-breaking collaboration between BirdLife and the World Bank.