149 1. Introduction The first records on birds in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) can be found in travel books edited during the mid-19 th century. Expeditions organized by German and Austrian museums, aimed at collecting biological materials, collected specimens of birds hunted in BiH. Organized investigations started with the foundation of the National Museum of BiH, in 1888, and were connected to the name of Otmar Reiser, the founder of ornithology in BiH (Obratil 1980, Kotro{an 2002). In the period that followed, the development of ornithology was limited by political, economical and social factors, and this situation was reflected in the development of organized movements for the protection of habitats and bird population. The same situation may pertain today. In spite of the rather long history of ornithology, BiH still represents “terra incognita” for those interested in the field. Numerous serious consequences resulted, for example, in the appearance of incorrect data on birds and their habitats in BiH, in the ”Bird check list of the World, Bosnia and Herzegovina” (Lepage 2004). Also, the expected cooperation and support in the development of programs for nature and bird protection by international and specialist European associations, which could improve the situation, are lacking. 2. Ornithology in Bosnia and Herzegovina The first reliable information on BiH birds is published in the works of Dombrowski, Kadisha, Platz and others, during the 1880s. But the foundation of the National Museum of BiH was the precondition for establishing a research centre for ornithological investigation in BiH (Obratil 1980). Up to now two main periods of centre activities could be recognized. The first one, from 1888 up to 1920, was marked by the work of Otmar Reiser in the area of fauna and taxonomy. An all-inclusive review of his research was presented in the first, and the only, monograph on BiH avifauna (Reiser 1939). The second period, 1964 – 1992, was connected to the work of Svjetoslav Obratil dedicated to fauna and bird ecology. Special significance is attached to the work done in the areas of Hutovo blato and Barda~a, which present the first systematic investigations of these very important bird areas. Together with Obratil, a few researchers from Serbia and Croatia contributed significantly to the recognition of BiH avifauna, especially Dragutin Rucner with his work in the delta area of the river Neretva (Kotro{an & Papes unpubl.). Between these two periods very little was published about birds in BiH, as well as in the period after 1992. Of course, the war and post-war period did not favour bird investigations. The mine fields, and lack of material and human resources contributed to the very slow recovery of these activities. But it is worth underlining that the National Museum of BiH has been the only institution that employed ornithologists throughout the whole period. It is also important to note that Branislav Ga{i}, curator of the Museum of the Republic of Srpska in Banja Luka, is engaged in ornithology and some results can be expected. But in general, from 1995 till 2004, very few publications appeared (Ga{i} 2001, Mulaomerovi} et al. 2002, Rubini~ 2002a, b, c, d & e, Surina 2002 a & b, [tumberger 2002 a & b). Some efforts have been made by NGOs, especially in monitoring, numbering and surveying some species. The foundation of the NGO “Na{e ptice” (“Our birds”), which is aimed at developing bird research, is welcome (Kotro{an 2003). Ornithology and bird protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina: situation and perspectives Ornitologija in varstvo ptic v Bosni in Hercegovini: razmere in perspektive Dra`en Kotro{an 1 , Jasminko Mulaomerovi} 2 & Adi Habul 2 1 Zemaljski muzej Bosne i Hercegovine, Zmaja od Bosne 3, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, e-mail: kotrosan@bih.net.ba 2 Ornitolo{ko dru{tvo «Na{e ptice», Semira Fra{te 6, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, e-mail: naseptice@hotmail. com Kongres ornitologov Slovenije ob 25. obletnici DOPPS Slovene Ornithologists’ Congress at the 25 th anniversary of DOPPS – BirdLife Slovenia Acrocephalus 25 (122): 149 – 152, 2004