From 22 to 26 November 2023, Ponta Delgada (Azores) hosted the XI Ornithology Congress, a meeting that brought together approximately 120 scientists, students and ornithologists. Organised by the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA) in partnership with the Spanish Ornithological Society (SEO BirdLife) and the University of the Azores, the congress stood out as the main scientific event dedicated to the study and preservation of birds in Portugal.
The event covered a variety of activities, including oral presentations, poster exhibitions and workshops. Of particular note were the lectures by Cátia Gouveia, which addressed the significant advances in the study of light pollution and its impact on birds. The presentations covered topics such as the measurement of light pollution in Natura 2000 areas, the use of seabird tracking technologies to study light pollution and the results of 15 years of efforts to combat this complex problem.
The posters on display covered issues such as the impact of light pollution on seabirds in Macaronesia, the challenges of measuring, identifying and mitigating light pollution, reducing and mitigating the impact of light pollution in Natura 2000 areas in Macaronesia and perceptions of light pollution in the Madeira Archipelago.
For more information on these presentations and posters, see the congress abstract book. The event also included a workshop led by SPEA’s Environmental Education Group, which presented playful-pedagogical tools for exploring biodiversity, where we showcased activities such as the jenga game, memory game and many others, created under the LIFE Natura@night project, included in SPEA Madeira’s Environmental Education programme.
The XI Ornithological Congress served as a crucial platform for exchanging knowledge, discussing the challenge of light pollution and promoting biodiversity conservation initiatives.
