Aves de Portugal

Helder Costa was born in Lisbon and began birdwatching about 35 years ago. Since then he has travelled all over Portugal collecting data. His birdwatching trips have led him abroad too, in a worldwide search for birds. He is author or co-author of 15 books including the authoritative Aves de Portugal Continental, Ornitologia do Território Continental (Birds of Continental Portugal), (2010), the well-known Birdwatcher’s Guide to Portugal, the Azores & Madeira Archipelagos (2014) and the popular Onde Observar Aves no Sul de Portugal (Where to Watch Birds in Southern Portugal), (2003). He is also author or co-author of more than 80 papers on various aspects of ornithology. He was a founder member of SPEA (Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds, currently BirdLife International in Portugal) of which he was President between 1999 and 2006. He was also a founder member of the Portuguese Rarities Committee, and Chairman of the same between 1995 and 2002. He has been actively involved in several field projects including the Second Bird Breeding Atlas, the First Wintering Bird Atlas of Portugal and the new Breeding Bird Atlas, which is under way.

Eduardo de Juana is a biologist and was for many years Professor of Zoology at Madrid’s Universidad Complutense. His career has centred mainly on the study of bird conservation, and he has authored or co-authored numerous scientific and popular articles and also books, which include Atlas ornitológico de La Rioja (1980) (Ornithological Atlas of La Rioja), Guía de las Aves de España (2000) (Guide to the Birds of Spain), Aves raras de España (2006) (Rare Birds of Spain) and The birds of the Iberian Peninsula (2015). A regular contributor, since the first volume, to the Handbook of the Birds of the World (1992-2014), he has also been one of the editors of the online version, HBW Alive. In the field of conservation, he has committed himself to the development of the Sociedad Española de Ornitología (SEO/Birdlife), joining the organization’s board in 1976, and subsequently occupying the roles of Vice President, General Secretary (1990-1998) and finally President (until 2014). He was a director of the Consejo Internacional para la Preservación de las Aves (now Birdlife International) and is a member of the Comité Ornitológico Internacional (International Ornithological Committee). In 2002 he was awarded the RSPB medal by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. In recent years he has spent his retirement travelling the world in quest of birds and nature, becoming increasingly interested in plants, and has recently published Plantas silvestres de Madrid (2019) (Wild Plants of Madrid).

Juan Varela, biologist and artist, was born in Madrid. He worked on ornithological research, contributing to the conservation of endangered species. He has illustrated dozens of publications and has authored around twenty books. His work has been exhibited in many galleries and museums in Spain, France, United Kingdom, Holland, Portugal, USA and Israel and has been chosen by the jury of the Birds in Art show at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wisconsin. He is also regularly selected by the Society of Wildlife Artists, for their annual exhibition in London. He is the Spanish representative of the Artist for Nature Foundation and has collaborated in several of its conservation projects in different countries. His work includes landscapes and birds in their natural environment, and is based on his own observations and sketches from life. This has taken him to visit territories as diverse as Alaska, Peru or Turkey.