We try to answer all questions we receive to our mailbox. Here you can find answers to most frequently asked question. We hope it will be helpful, [accordion clicktoclose=true]
General
[accordion-item title=”1. How can I help Association Biom in its work?” state=closed]
You can contribute to nature preservation and help Biom in its work in several ways: by becoming the association’s member, volunteering, donating or offering sponsorship. Also, you can contribute to nature protection by attending our events and workshops, disseminating information about our work, sharing our content on social networks and informing us about illegal activities harming nature. However, everything with beneficial impact on nature that you do as an individual, such as sorting waste, feeding birds during winter, planting flowers on balconies, etc., contributes to our work as well. Let us know if you have additional ideas on how to use your knowledge and resources to help us make positive changes together.[/accordion-item]
[accordion-item title=”2. Can I follow your work on social networks?” state=closed]
Yes! Find us on the following platforms:
- Facebook: BIOM, https://web.facebook.com/biom.hr/
- Instagram: udruga_biom, https://www.instagram.com/udruga_biom/
- Twitter: Udruga Biom, https://twitter.com/biomhr
- YouTube: Udruga BIOM, https://www.youtube.com/user/biomhr
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[accordion-item title=”3.Where can I find information about future events?” state=closed]
We invite you to follow news on our website and social networks where we regularly announce our future events. If you would like to receive our electronic newsletter biweekly, please subscribe HERE.
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[accordion-item title=”4. Can I seek employment in the Association Biom?” state=closed]
When hiring, we publish the job advertisement on our website and other specialised pages.
On the other hand, if you would like to send us an open job application, please send it to posao@biom.hr.
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[accordion-item title=”5. Do you organise corporate volunteering?” state=closed]
Yes, we do. If you would like to volunteer and spend time in nature while contributing to nature and biodiversity preservation or you are willing to promote our work using knowledge and competences of your employees, please send us an email to volontiranje@biom.hr.
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[accordion-item title=”6. What are Biom’s sources of financing?” state=closed]
The Association Biom is mostly funded from different EU related sources, such as the LIFE programme for conserving nature, Interreg programme for cross-border cooperation as well as national operational programmes such as the Operational Programme Competitiveness and Cohesion. We are partially funded by donations from international foundations such as MAVA, Euronatura and Segrea foundations, which either focus on the Mediterranean and the Balkans as their priority areas or their priority areas include our points of interest such as illegal killing of birds, electrocutions, bird poisoning, marine bird conservation, etc. Biom also carries out self-financing activities, such as professional research activities and monitoring of biodiversity regarding birds, mammals and plants as well as management of protected areas where we cooperate with national parks, nature parks, county public institutions for management of protected areas, Ministry of Environment and Energy and Ministry of Agriculture. A minor part of funding comes from Croatian Lottery funds through the National Foundation for Civil Society Development and Office of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for Cooperation with NGOs. Biom does not receive funding from the state budget pursuant to special regulations. For complete sources of our funding as well as our revenue and expenditure, click here.
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Membership
[accordion-item title=”1. How do I become a member of Biom?” state=closed]
Any citizen interested in nature conservation can become a member of Biom. Our wish is for the Association to be based on a wide membership of people of different profiles and for its members to work together with our employees on nature conservation. For more information on how to become a member, please go to Become a member.
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[accordion-item title=”2. What are membership fees?” state=closed]
Any citizen interested in nature conservation can become a member of Biom. Our wish is for the Association to be based on a wide membership of people of different profiles and for its members to work together with our employees on nature conservation. For more information on how to become a member, please go to Become a member.
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[accordion-item title=”3. What are the benefits of becoming a member and what are my rights and obligations in that case?” state=closed]
By becoming a member of our Association, you support our efforts to conserve nature and protect biodiversity. Your rights are:
- To be informed about the Association’s work
- To participate in activities for members
- To participate in the annual assembly
- Membership card
- Commemorative badge for each membership year
- Discount on the Croatian edition of the Collins Bird Guide (Ptice Hrvatske i Europe) (and other discounts)
- The Wildlife Watch Magazine published by the Association Biom
- Use of professional literature and equipment in Biom’s premises
Your obligations include adhering to Biom’s Statute and Code of Ethics.
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[accordion-item title=”4. Can children become members of Biom?” state=closed]
Yes, they can. Pursuant to Article 15 of Biom’s Statute, children younger than 14 are directly signed up for membership by parents or guardians, and parental or guardian consent is required for young people aged 14 to 18.
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Birds
[accordion-item title=”1. How do I become a member of Biom?” state=closed]
Any citizen interested in nature conservation can become a member of Biom. Our wish is for the Association to be based on a wide membership of people of different profiles and for its members to work together with our employees on nature conservation. For more information on how to become a member, please go to Become a member.
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[accordion-item title=”1. Which bird is this?” state=closed]
Please send us your photo to ptice@biom.hr, and our ornithologists will reply to you as soon as possible! You can also send any questions to the Facebook group “Koja je ovo ptica? / What bird is this?”
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[accordion-item title=”2. How can I help a baby bird which fell out of its nest?” state=closed]
It is important to know that nature takes care of itself the best and the most appropriate course of action is to leave a bird where you found it. As cruel as it may sound, it is the best way. It is normal that a few days before nestlings take their first flight, the nest becomes too crowded so one or several baby birds fall out of it, but keep lingering in the vicinity of the nest, on the ground or in nearby bushes. However, the nestlings on the ground are not alone and their parents still take care of them, i.e. they bring them food and, when the time comes, they encourage and call them to embark on their first flight. So it is normal for baby birds to spend up to several days on the ground or in the bushes without the ability to fly or they can fly just a few metres before falling to the ground, until they are ready for their first flight. The fact that you do not see any adult birds around does not mean they are not taking care of their baby birds – they are probably hiding from you or looking for food for their offspring. Sometimes birds throw weaker offspring out of the nest so they can successfully take care of the rest of them. This is natural selection and we should not interfere with it, especially with common species which are not endangered as this is a natural response to environmental changes such as reduced food availability or loss of adequate habitat.
If you find a young bird in a dangerous location (on a parking lot, road, sidewalk), it is ok to move it to a safer closest location. Look around you and find a bush or a hedge – the nest is probably located there anyway. If the baby bird already has its flight feathers, you can try to swing it to the lowest branches or lift it up using a stick.
In cities, it is common to encounter young common house martins, birds related to the swallow, near building walls. The common house martin nests under roofs and it is often impossible to return the bird into its nest. In that case, lift it to a nearby window sill, branch, etc.
If you find the bird in your garden or somewhere else where you can “improvise” a nest, you can also do that. A small (bread) basket, attached to a tree branch with a wire or band, can substitute an actual bird nest. Basket edges will ensure that the bird does not fall out, and in case of rain, it will not fill with water. Make sure that the location is not accessible to cats – that it is high enough so they cannot jump to it from the ground and on thin enough branches so they cannot reach the “nest”.
Also, note that even if you touch a young bird, there is no reason to fear that its parents might reject it due to your smell – a vast majority of birds do not have a sense of smell. If the baby bird is hurt, look at the answer under question no. 6.
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[accordion-item title=”3. How do I become a member of Biom?” state=closed]
If you notice that a nest of any bird was destroyed during nesting, we kindly ask you to inform the Nature Protection Inspection at prijave@dirh.hr and briefly describe the issue to them. Biom is not authorised to deal with such issues, but we kindly ask you to forward such reports to us as well (but not only to us) so we can try to ensure adequate attention from competent institutions.
Rook nests in continental cities, and common house martin and swallow nests all over Croatia are most commonly intentionally destroyed. Also, bee-eater nests are occasionally destroyed. These are always illegal actions as all birds in Croatia are protected during nesting season, even if they are not on the strictly protected bird species list. Simply speaking, in nesting season, any and all birds are protected and should not be bothered.
The rook is a completely black bird with a grey beak, similar to the crow, which nests in groups (colonies) high in trees in cities of continental Croatia. Citizens are mostly bothered by the noise rooks make so city and utility services react by removing nests or cutting branches, which is illegal if the birds have already begun nesting. Generally speaking, the period between 1 March and 1 July is considered to be the rook’s nesting season and in that period, it is prohibited to remove nests and cut branches where rooks (or any other birds) nest.
The common house martin and the swallow are similar birds which are, despite their differences, referred to as swallows by most people. Their nests are also similar – made out of mud and grass under a roof or eave. The common house martin constructs nests with top part almost entirely closed with just a small round opening left while swallow nests have a fully open upper part. Both types of nests create problems for some citizens, generally not because of the noise, but rather due to the excrement from the nests. This poses a particular problem in coastal towns where nests can be found on apartment houses or restaurant terraces. Generally speaking, the period between 1 May and 31 August is considered to be the nesting period and nest removal is prohibited during that time. In order to solve the problem with the excrement, you can simply install a 40x40cm wooden board or cardboard directly under the nest. All the excrement will fall onto the board, your terrace will stay clean and you or your guests will enjoy looking at young martins and swallows. Also, keep in mind the old Croatian proverb: “A house is only a house when it has a swallow”.
Bee-eaters make their nests in tunnels in the ground that they dig themselves. They feed on bees, wasps, hornets, bumblebees, and similar large insects they snatch from the air. Unfortunately, bee keepers who think that bee-eaters are causing them damage sometimes decide to seal the holes where they nest, killing both the adult bird and baby birds. Their nesting period is between 1 June and 15 August so it is illegal to destroy their nests in that period.
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[accordion-item title=”4. Where can I enter birds or other animals that I spotted?” state=closed]
If you have an Android OS smartphone, you may download the NaturaList application, where you can enter your observations and contribute to the citizen science project. You can also enter your observations directly into the Fauna.hr website database.
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[accordion-item title=”5. Which animal/plant is this? Which spider is this?” state=closed]
Please send us your photo to ptice@biom.hr, and we will try to answer your question. Even though we know a lot, we still don’t know everything, so in case we don’t know the answer to your question, we will direct you to other professional organisations.
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[accordion-item title=”6. How can I help an animal that is hurt or an animal that is stuck somewhere or has wandered to some location?” state=closed]
If you find an injured animal, contact your closest animal shelter which will give you further directions. If you are in the City of Zagreb administrative area, please contact the Shelter for abandoned animals of City of Zagreb – Dumovec, at +385 1 2008 354. In case of strictly protected species such as the white stork or other birds, please contact one of 11 Croatian wildlife rehabilitation centres or a public institution for management of protected natural areas in your county.
[accordion-item title=”7. Who can I contact if I find a ringed bird?” state=closed]
If you find a ringed bird, you may contact the Institute of Ornithology in Zagreb (zzo@hazu.hr), a roof institution which organises bird ringing in Croatia.
If you find a ringed bird, please report the following information (by email, mail, phone or fax):
- found bird species
- name of the central facility on the ring *
- ring number *
- sex and age of the found bird
- how you found the bird (whether the bird was released with a ring or without it, whether it was kept in captivity, whether it was found dead, has been dead for a while or its body was still fresh, whether it was killed, etc.)
- finding location *
- finding date *
- information about the finder (name and last name, address, zip code and town/city, phone, email, etc.).
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory; a finding has little value without these.
If you see a bird with a coloured ring, a mark on its neck or wing, you can also report the finding to the specified address. However, instead of the name of the central facility, you should report the colour of the ring or other marks and colour of the marks (letters and/or numbers), where the mark is located (right or left leg, below or above the “knee”, on the neck, or on the left or right wing).
These marks were designed to increase the percentage of repeatedly spotted birds as they can be easily recorded. Birds marked this way are mostly larger birds, such as seagulls, terns, white storks, swans, etc.
All finders are notified by HAZU about all the known information about the bird (where and when the bird was ringed, how old the bird is, whether it was located elsewhere, etc.)
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[accordion-item title=”8. Some black birds are bothering me, I think they are crows…” state=closed]
The rook (Corvus frugilegus) is a completely black bird with a grey beak from the crow family and colloquially called the rook crow or, incorrectly, the black crow (there are no black crow in our region, this species is replacing the hooded crow in Western Europe).
Every spring in March, we can witness rooks gathering in tall trees, mostly poplar and plane trees, where they construct large spherical nests. In early spring, they construct new or renew old nests, males court females and during this stage, rooks are relatively noisy, which may bother people, especially since they become active in early morning hours.
Due to the noises they make, which bother people, nesting rook colonies are often targeted by municipal services monitoring officers/utility services, i.e., in some cases, their nests are removed (which is not in accordance with the Animal Protection Act).
We are kindly asking citizens to be tolerant of wild birds residing in urban areas, even though we are aware that many citizens are bothered by their croaking.
In cities, we are exposed to different sources of noise pollution, such as the traffic and construction sites so we should be more tolerant of natural noise sources. Also, the noise that rooks make has a limited timespan as young birds leave nests already in mid-May and rook families form larger flocks and move to nearby fields, embankments and parks where they stay until the following spring.
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Birdwatching
[accordion-item title=”1. How can I find out about birdwatching events you organise for citizens?” state=closed]
Birdwatching for citizens is organised at least once a month, except during summer, in Zagreb, but also occasionally in Sinj and the surrounding area. We announce these events on our website in the Events category, on social networks and in our electronic newsletter.
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[accordion-item title=”2. I do not own binoculars, can I still attend birdwatching events?” state=closed]
Yes, even though you do not own binoculars, we will make sure all the participants experience birdwatching in the best way possible.
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[accordion-item title=”3. The forecast suggests rain, will birdwatching be cancelled?” state=closed]
Generally speaking, a poor weather forecast should not interfere with birdwatching. In case of exceptionally poor weather, birdwatching will be cancelled and you will be notified of this on our website and on social networks (primarily in Facebook events).
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Poaching
[accordion-item title=”1. How and where do I report poaching?” state=closed]
If you encounter poaching, report it to the police on 112. For more information about poaching and how to report it, click on the link.
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[accordion-item title=”2. Which bird species are most commonly illegally hunted?” state=closed]
Quails, Eurasian coots and ferruginous ducks.
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[accordion-item title=”3. Which bird species may be hunted?” state=closed]
pheasant (Phasianus cholchicus)
rock partridge (Alectoris graeca)
chukar partridge (Alectoris chucar Grey.)
grey partridge (Perdix perdix L.)
common quail (Coturnix coturnix L.)
Virginian quail (Coturnix virginiana L.)
Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola L.)
common snipe (Gallinago gallinago L.)
common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus L.)
rock dove (Columba livia Gmelin.)
bean goose (Anser fabalis Latham.)
mallard (Anas platyrhynchos L.)
tufted duck (Aythya fuligula L.)
garganey (Anas querquedula L.)
common teal (Anas crecca L.)
Eurasian coot (Fulica atra L.)
hooded crow (Corvus cornix L.)
rook (Corvus frugilegus L.)
western jackdaw (Coloeus monedula L.)
common magpie (Pica pica L.)
Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius L.).
Killing these species during closed season is prohibited.
Killing any other bird species is prohibited at all times.
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Other
[accordion-item title=”1. How can I order the Croatian edition of the Collins Bird Guide (Ptice Hrvatske i Europe)?” state=closed]
You can order the book through our Internet store.
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You did not find the answer you were looking for? Contact us at info@biom.hr!