Photo of Uku Paal

Uku started birding at the age of 11 and has been interested in birds and other wildlife ever since. His interest in birds has led to him working in various fields of ornithology including ringing, field surveys and migration studies. He has been a member of the Estonian Bird Rarities Committee since 2002, helping them to identify rare birds. Uku has led groups in Estonia for many years, but has also managed to find time in his busy schedule to help start the Estonian Birding Club. He also has a keen interest in bird photography and some of his photos have been published in Birding World, Birdwatch, Alula, Limicola and other birding magazines. Uku has travelled extensively in the Western Palearctic, Asia, Australia and USA, although his priority is birding in his native country. To date Uku has recorded four new bird species in Estonia, which is a considerable achievement.