50 años en defensa de las aves 1954-2004

Its more than 400 pages tell the story of SEO, “the most beautiful story in the world of Spanish conservation,” in the author’s own words. After a brief summary of the history of Spanish ornithology in the 19th century, there is a detailed commentary on the expedition to Doñana, made in 1952 by Francisco Bernis Madrazo and José Antonio Valverde. The publication of the magazine “Ardeola”, the creation of the Bird Migration Centre (1957), the ringing of birds in the fifties in Doñana, the first ornithological reserves, the fight for the Tablas de Daimiel or Santoña, the discovery of the Straits of Gibraltar and its importance for migratory routes and the creation of CODA are some of the important moments collected in these 450 pages. There are almost 400 illustrations, with ample references to the two major catastrophes in the world of birds, the spilling of toxic waste in Aznalcóllar and the sinking of the Prestige. The book underlines too the decisive role played by SEO/Birdlife in the development of scientific ornithology.