Society for Tropical Ornithology
| Society for Tropical Ornithology eV (GTO) |
|
|---|---|
| purpose | professional association |
| Chair: | Martin Kaiser |
| Establishment date: | 1981 |
| Number of members: | approx. 110; 2 institutional members ( Tierpark Berlin , Tiergarten Nürnberg ) |
| Seat : | Bonn |
| Website: | www.tropenornithologie.de |
The Society for Tropical Ornithology (GTO) unites people with an interest in the birds of tropical and subtropical countries. It was founded in 1981 and has the legal form of a non-profit, registered association .
history
The Society for Tropical Ornithology began with a gathering of bird friends interested in the biology and keeping of hummingbirds in October 1980 at the Koenig Museum in Bonn. An agreement was reached there on the establishment of a working group, which was registered in 1981 as the “Working Group of Hummingbird Friends eV” in the Bonn register of associations . The driving force behind the association was Karl-Ludwig Schuchmann , curator for ornithology at Museum Koenig.
After just a few years it became clear that the interests of the members went far beyond the hummingbirds. In 1990 the working group was renamed “Society for Tropical Ornithology eV”, which is widely known under its acronym GTO. The company still has a stylized hyacinth hummingbird Boissonneaua jardini in its logo .
President of the working group of hummingbird friends and the Society for Tropical Ornithology
- 1980–1993: Manfred Wittmann (Hanover)
- 1993–1996: Werner Steinigeweg (Burgdorf)
- 1996-2005: Corinna Bartsch (Grafschaft-Leimersdorf, later Dreieich)
- 2005–2009: Erich Steiner (Pöttsching, Austria)
- 2010–2016: Corinna Bartsch (Oberhonnefeld-Gierend)
- since 2016: Martin Kaiser (Berlin)
The president of the GTO is supported by two vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer and a changing number of advisory boards. The posts of press officer, editor of the circular and archivist can be taken over by board members or other association members.
Justification and tasks
The vast majority of the over 10,000 bird species in the world live in the tropics and subtropics of the world. Their large number goes hand in hand with an impressive variety of shapes, colors and adaptations to a huge spectrum of different habitats. This diversity has always fascinated many people in Europe. In the GTO you will all find a forum for mutual exchange of experiences.
The interest in birds of the tropics and subtropics unites observers, scientists, amateurs, bird keepers, zoo gardeners, bird conservationists and veterinarians. Experiences from nature as well as from practice flow into scientific studies and species conservation programs, whereby the transitions between the respective interests are fluid. Increased knowledge of and for tropical and subtropical bird species form the spectrum of tasks to which the GTO is committed. Its members are primarily based in the German-speaking area, but also come from neighboring European countries and states in the tropical and subtropical zone.
Meetings
The meetings of the GTO take place once a year at different locations under the name “Meeting on Tropical Birds”. They are the main public forum of the GTO. So far, they have been carried out in Germany , Austria , the Czech Republic and Switzerland . In 2018 the meeting will take place in Wilhelmshaven . The first meeting is the meeting in October 1980 mentioned above. In addition to a fixed program with lectures by scientists and amateurs, the meetings also include film screenings, meetings of working groups, discussion forums and panel discussions. There is also time for an individual exchange of experiences. The GTO has been publishing a conference volume with the content of the lectures since 1997, and detailed conference reports have appeared in the company's circulars since 2010.
In 1999 the GTO organized the “Tropical Ornithology ” symposium at the annual conference of the German Ornithological Society in Bayreuth . In 2006 the company was present with an information stand at the International Ornithological Congress (IOC) in Hamburg .
Publication organs
The first organ of the GTO was the Trochilus , published from 1980 , which was first published by the working group of hummingbird friends in Bonn. With the third year in 1982, Karl-Ludwig Schuchmann took over the editing of the organ, now professionally published by Biotropic-Verlag Baden-Baden. It was renamed Tropical Birds in 1991 , but had to cease to appear in 1992. In 1997 the GTO published the first of the conference volumes that have appeared regularly since then. They are registered under the name of the Conference on Tropical Birds of the Society for Tropical Ornithology (Tag. Trop. Vögel Ges. Trop.ornithol.), ISSN 1618-4408 , with a regular number of volumes. The members of the GTO have received a circular twice a year since 1992. Since 2014 this has been published as a membership magazine for tropical ornithology .
Prices
Since 1992 the GTO has awarded the “Tropical Ornithology Prize” every year. It is awarded to ornithological amateurs who have published a topic relevant to tropical ornithology in a journal or as a (contribution to) book.
Prize winners:
- 1992: Corinna Bartsch, Bonn
- 1993: Georg Sperber (forester) , Ebrach- Neudorf
- 1994: Heinz Lölfing, Horstmar
- 1995: Klaus-Georg Mau, Hamburg
- 1997: Gerhard Rösler, Waltersdorf, and Dieter Hoppe , Esslingen am Neckar
- 1998: Franz Robiller , Weimar
- 2000: Peter Ludwig, Niederstotzingen
- 2001: Heinrich Bregulla , Berlin
- 2002: Erich Steiner, Pöttsching (Austria). Special prize, donated by the Schönbrunn Zoo , for Theo Kleefisch, Bonn
- 2003: Norbert Hebel, Ellerstadt
- 2004: Eckhard Lietzow, Engen
- 2005: Erich Steiner, Pöttsching
- 2006: Jörg Asmus , Güstrow
- 2007: Hans-Joachim Wöhrmann, Spremberg
- 2008: Jürgen Stahl, Dinslaken
- 2009: Anna and Olaf Kühn, Storkow
- 2010: Josef Vandieken, Brakel
- 2011: Ingrid and Carlos Struwe, Cologne
- 2012: Norbert Bahr, Ahlden
- 2014: Heinz Schnitker, Holzhausen (Georgsmarienhütte)
- 2015: Christiane and Peter Kaufmann, Grabow (Elde)
- 2016: Lars Lepperhoff, Ittigen (Switzerland)
- 2017: Hartmut Kolbe, Meinsdorf (Dessau-Roßlau)
- 2018: Jens Hering, Limbach-Oberfrohna
- 2019: Ditmar Oppermann, Halberstadt
Promotion of young talent
The GTO supports tropical ornithological research projects by scientists and amateurs, mainly from the German-speaking area. The work must lead to new findings. Younger scientists and committed amateurs are particularly encouraged. They receive subsidies for travel expenses or for complex technical analyzes. Personnel costs are not covered, and the funding is limited to a one-off payment. In return, the sponsored are expected to report on their project at a GTO conference. From 1983 to 2018 nearly 60 studies were supported, such as for field biologist Seychellen- Vasa Parrots Coracopsis barklyi , the migratory behavior of dwarf Crake Porzana pusilla or stock situation of the black forehead fran Kolin Francolinus atrifrons .
literature
- Corinna Bartsch and Thomas Motyl: GTO - a journey through the first 25 years. Conference on Tropical Birds of the Society for Tropical Ornithology 10 (2006), pp. 13–15.
- Christoph Hinkelmann and Stephan M. Hübner: Exotic, but effective: The research fund of the Society for Tropical Ornithology e. V. (GTO). In: Vogelwarte . tape 55 , no. 4 , 2017, p. 401-402 .
- Stephan M. Hübner: Can Africa's rarest wild chicken still be saved? In: poultry newspaper . tape 2014 , no. 3 , 2014, p. 62-63 .
- Eberhard Mußler and Werner Steinigeweg: 20 conferences on tropical birds - a review. Conference on tropical birds of the Society for Tropical Ornithology 3 (1999), pp. 10-17.
- Erich Steiner: Promote relationships between hobby and job-oriented ornithologists. Feathered World 130 (2006): p. 252.
- Werner Steinigeweg: A review of 25 conferences on tropical birds. Feathered World 128 (2004): pp. 280–281.
- Werner Steinigeweg: 25 years of GTO. Feathered World 130 (2006): pp. 230-231.