Latvian Ornithological Society

The Latvian Ornithological Society (Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība, LOB) is a Latvian non-governmental organisation dedicated to the scientific study, monitoring and conservation of wild birds and their habitats. It was founded on 17 February 1985 in Riga, at the Institute of Biology of the Academy of Sciences of the then Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, by 76 bird researchers and enthusiasts. The founding core came from participants in the first Latvian Breeding Bird Atlas survey carried out between 1980 and 1984. Today it describes itself as the largest nature conservation organisation in Latvia by membership, with more than 900 members as of its 40th anniversary in 2025. The society's mission is to maintain conditions under which wild bird populations naturally linked to Latvia's territory can persist over the long term. Its work rests on two main pillars: scientific research and habitat conservation for wild birds, and public education and awareness-raising about birds and nature conservation for members and the wider public. Governance is handled by a nine-member board elected by the general assembly together with a president, while day-to-day operations are run by an executive board and staff. Funding comes from project grants, donations and membership fees. The society's symbol is the White Wagtail (Motacilla alba), Latvia's national bird. LOB has been the Latvian representative of BirdLife International since 1994 and became a full partner of the organisation in 2001. It also works within international frameworks such as the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), and cooperates with BirdLife partners in the other Baltic states and the Nordic countries. Domestically it runs breeding bird atlases, population monitoring schemes, bird ringing at the Pape station, the citizen-science portal Dabasdati.lv launched in 2008 with the Latvian Fund for Nature, and the annual "Bird of the Year" campaign held since 1996. The society is also an active policy advocate. In 2022, together with the Latvian Fund for Nature and WWF Latvia, it challenged a government regulation lowering the minimum diameter of trees eligible for clear-cutting; in April 2024 the Constitutional Court ruled in their favour, finding the regulation incompatible with the right to a good environment under Article 115 of the Satversme. LOB continues to oppose subsequent proposals to relax forest regulations, and promotes the designation of micro-reserves for nesting Black Stork, Lesser Spotted Eagle and Capercaillie, as well as the expansion of the Natura 2000 network.

The Latvian Ornithological Society was founded on 17 February 1985 in Riga, at the Institute of Biology of the Academy of Sciences of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, with 76 bird researchers and enthusiasts taking part. Its founding core consisted of people involved in the first Latvian Breeding Bird Atlas survey conducted between 1980 and 1984. That atlas project aimed to map bird distribution across Latvia, but because Latvia was then part of the Soviet Union, the production and publication of detailed maps was effectively subject to strict control. The society emerged from the desire to organise bird research systematically and continuously within those constraints. In a 2025 interview reflecting on the 40th anniversary, board chair Viesturs Ķerus noted that he was "too young to join the society" in 1985, and explained that the society grew organically out of the Institute of Biology, with its core made up of people involved in the first breeding bird atlas. Current president Antra Stipniece was also a member from the founding year in 1985. In 1987 the society began publishing its journal Putni dabā ("Birds in Nature"). After Latvia regained independence in 1991, the society deepened its engagement with international bird conservation. From 1994 it served as the Latvian representative of BirdLife International, becoming a full partner in 2001. Latvia's accession to the European Union in 2004 brought EU nature protection legislation, including the Birds Directive, into domestic application, and the society became deeply involved in its implementation and monitoring. In 2008, together with the Latvian Fund for Nature, LOB launched Dabasdati.lv, a citizen-science portal for collecting nature observation data, shifting distribution surveys from paper forms to electronic records. From 2015 it began operating a breeding bird population monitoring scheme covering roughly half of the bird species breeding in Latvia. Between 2020 and 2024 the third Latvian Breeding Bird Atlas survey was carried out. On 8 April 2024, the society won its case before the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia (Satversmes tiesa), which it had brought together with the Latvian Fund for Nature and WWF Latvia. The court found that a 2022 government regulation lowering the minimum diameter of trees subject to clear-cutting was incompatible with the right to live in a good environment guaranteed by Article 115 of the Satversme, and invalidated it. In February 2025 the society marked its 40th anniversary, by which time its membership had grown to more than 900. In March–April 2025, Riga hosted the 23rd conference of the European Bird Census Council (EBCC), "Bird Numbers 2025", co-organised with the University of Latvia, bringing together 280 researchers and conservationists from 44 countries. From 2025 into 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture proposed regulations that would effectively restore the clear-cutting minimum diameter rules struck down by the Constitutional Court, extend the validity of felling permits and relax the forest inventory system; LOB, together with the Latvian Fund for Nature, WWF Latvia and "Green Freedom", continued to object, arguing that these moves circumvent the spirit of the Constitutional Court ruling.

• 2025

  Marked 40th anniversary with more than 900 members; hosted EBCC "Bird Numbers 2025" conference in Riga.

• 2024

  Won Constitutional Court case against the lowering of clear-cutting tree diameter rules on 8 April.

• 2020

  Third Latvian Breeding Bird Atlas survey began (through 2024).

• 2015

  Began operating a breeding bird population monitoring scheme.

• 2008

  Launched the Dabasdati.lv citizen-science portal with the Latvian Fund for Nature.

• 2004

  Latvia joined the EU; EU Birds Directive and Habitats Directive began to apply domestically.

• 2003

  Black Grouse selected as Bird of the Year, highlighting mires and wetlands.

• 2001

  Became a full partner of BirdLife International.

• 1996

  Launched the annual "Bird of the Year" (Gada putns) campaign.

• 1994

  Became the Latvian representative of BirdLife International.

• 1987

  Began publishing the journal Putni dabā.

• 1985

  Founded on 17 February in Riga at the Institute of Biology of the Academy of Sciences, with 76 participants.

Latvia's largest nature conservation NGO by membership and the country's BirdLife International partner, combining scientific bird research with conservation advocacy and public education.

• Putni dabā journal

  Society journal published since 1987.

• Dabasdati.lv

  Citizen-science portal for nature observations, launched in 2008.

• Latvian Breeding Bird Atlas

  Atlas surveys conducted since 1980–1984, with the third edition in 2020–2024.

• Bird ringing at Pape station

  Ringing station in western Latvia, part of the international Acroproject since the 1980s.

• Educational materials

  Free beginner guides such as "First Bird Guide" and "First Waterbird Guide".

1. 1Latvijas Ornitoloģijas biedrība - official websitelob.lv
2. 2Latvian Ornithological Society - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3ラトビア鳥学会 - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org