Dear Colleagues and Ornithologists

When I write this, we still do not see the end of the present pandemic. This uncertainty led us to postpone our next EOU congress until spring 2022. Although a tough decision I hope you understand that it was the only possible option. All of us have suffered one way or the other during the past Covid time. However, I hope that you can join me in seeing some lights at the end of the tunnel. For me, one of these lights, keeping my spirits up during grey days of self-distancing, is the possibility to meet the spring of 2022 in Giessen, Germany. At that point, we have been looking forward for such a long time for social interactions with colleagues that I anticipate an even more vibrating congress than usual. The local organisers, Petra Quillfeldt and Tobias Reiners and their team, have had a busy time trying to organize the congress in the middle of a pandemic. We all send you our warmest thoughts for making it possible for us to meet and enjoy social activities. However, as usual the EOU Congresses aim at providing opportunities for avian researchers of all fields and from all corners of Europe and beyond, to meet in a friendly atmosphere to share ideas and discuss recent results and conservation concerns.

Thus, I will take the opportunity to encourage you to participate in this vibrating event and to warmly welcome you to the Giessen congress in March 2022. Until then, try to be out and enjoy nature as much as possible as that will reduce the risk of being infected and that is where the birds are!

Jan-Åke Nilsson

EOU President