Meet the newest EBCC Board member: Dimitrije Radišić

At the EBCC conference in Riga, we welcomed three new enthusiastic Board members. We wish to express our gratitude to Mattia Brambilla (Italy), Dimitrije Radišić (Serbia) and Nicholas Strebel (Switzerland) for their decision to join the EBCC Board, and help us guide the work of the EBCC in the upcoming years. In our second article, we would like to introduce you to Dimitrije Radišić, first Serbian Board member, his background and what he hopes to achieve within his first term as Board member where he plans to take over the new editor role for the Bird Census News.

Dimitrije Radišić, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology

Dimitrije, what is your research field, what are you focusing on within your institution?

During my career, I have been work on the mapping, census and conservation of birds in Serbia, both through my work at the University where I am employed and via activities with the Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia (BirdLife Serbia), of which I have been a member for the past 25 years. I am currently working in the Laboratory for Biodiversity Research and Conservation, which is primarily known for its decades-long research on hoverflies. These insects, alongside bees and butterflies, are among the most important pollinators; due to the pollinator crisis in Europe, they have gained significant attention from conservationists. To contextualize research on their status and ecology, I am employed in this laboratory because of my experience in mapping, monitoring, and assessing bird populations. My career has been notably marked by work on the Red Book of Birds of Serbia and the European Breeding Bird Atlas 2 (EBBA2), where I served as part of the coordination team in my county. My PhD thesis focused on assessing the effectiveness of protected areas in Serbia for common bird species, utilizing species distribution modeling to evaluate the extent to which their habitats are covered by the protected area network. I am particularly interested in the conservation of farmland bird species, whose habitats are inadequately covered by protected areas.
Almost all of my work has been connected to bird data collected through citizen science initiatives, which I have long found fascinating. My favourite species is the European Roller, and together with colleagues, I am dedicated to its conservation through nest box installation and monitoring. I consider contributing to the recovery of its population in Serbia my greatest achievement, which I also see as a real triumph of citizen science. At the university, I teach several courses related to conservation biology, and I strive to inform students about various opportunities for professional engagement in nature conservation.

What motivatated you to join the EBCC Board?

Being a national delegate, and particularly a member of the EBCC Board, is a great honor and responsibility for me. I accepted this role primarily because I admire the approach EBCC takes in forming a comprehensive understanding of bird populations across Europe, as well as establishing a robust and functional network of collaborators that unites the entire continent. From personal experience, I have seen how impactful and effective the EBCC approach can be for countries where ornithology is still developing. In Serbia, we have strongly felt how the support coming from this international association of experts can be motivating and sometimes even crucial for implementing activities of national importance, which also constitute an indispensable part of the European puzzle. Interest in bird conservation varies significantly across regions in Europe, and in many parts of the continent—including my country—insufficient investment in collecting fundamental information about birds has severely hindered conservation efforts. It is interesting how EBCC initiatives can often accelerate progress in such situations. On the other hand, even experts sometimes find it challenging to fully understand the research, monitoring, and conservation challenges faced by countries with less familiarity in these areas. My primary motivation is to help overcome these disparities and to participate in the expansion and strengthening of EBCC’s mission.

What would you like to focus on within the EBCC?

My role on the EBCC Board will be as the editor of Bird Census News. This task presents a significant challenge for me, given my limited experience in editing scientific journals. Nevertheless, Bird Census News is particularly interesting because it occupies a specific niche, focusing on publishing articles that showcase important and innovative programs fundamentally contributing to bird monitoring, mapping, and censuses across Europe. This aspect of the scientific process is somewhat underrepresented in scientific journals, where studies primarily emphasize conclusions and broader implications, sometimes taking the design of data collection and monitoring programs for granted. Bird Census News is valuable because it repeatedly emphasizes that high-quality scientific results rely on robust data collection programs. The design of research and monitoring of bird distribution and abundance in practice is usualy quite impressive, and sharing such experiences is essential. Additionally, in countries of Eastern and Southeastern Europe, many activities are underway to establish programs that have been operational for several decades in the most developed ornithological countries. Such initiatives deserve wider dissemination within the ornithological community, especially given their potential to contribute to shared goals at continental and global levels. I am particularly interested in promoting activities related to mapping, censusing, and monitoring birds in parts of Europe where such practices are less established.

What do you see as opportunities and challenges for your first EBCC Board period?

The rapid advancement in the collection and storage of avian data, as well as the extraordinary capabilities for their analysis and interpretation, simultaneously present both opportunities and challenges. With the development of the Euro Bird Portal and numerous contributing platforms, there has been a substantial leap in both the quantity and quality of collected data. The volume of bird-related information, gathered through relatively standardized methods across Europe, is difficult to fathom, and the potential for its analysis is virtually unlimited. One of the primary achievements of the European Bird Census Council (EBCC) is its research and promotion of these analytical possibilities. However, as is often the case, rapid development introduces significant disparities. For example, there is a noticeable contrast between countries with well-established bird research and monitoring programs, supported by appropriate data infrastructure, and those lacking such systems. Some European nations still primarily rely on local faunal checklists and individual data points as their main sources of avian information. Conversely, other countries regularly update distribution maps, population estimates, and other bird-related data in a nearly automated fashion. These disparities can sometimes obscure certain challenges or hinder adequate understanding of them. For instance, in Serbia, where infrastructure for data collection and processing is still developing, we have often underestimated how demanding working with large datasets can be. Conversely, ornithologists from more developed countries likely find it difficult to grasp the difference between scattered bird data from under-studied regions of Europe and the detailed, systematic data collected from well-researched areas. The EBCC, as an organization, has demonstrated a deep understanding and interest in these issues; nonetheless, new challenges will continue to emerge in tandem with the accelerating development of ornithological research aspects that are central to the EBCC’s work.

Anything else you would like to share regarding your role in EBCC?

Once again, I must express my enthusiasm for the role I have been assigned within EBCC and to acknowledge that I am experiencing a degree of trepidation. I sincerely believe that the mission and operational approach of EBCC are not only unique but also commendable, owing to its networking of partners across the continent while respecting the diverse contexts in which ornithology develops. I hope to contribute personally to this mission in the coming years.