The AOS is working to understand and support our members’ needs during this time of rapid change and uncertainty. Through increased funding support for research and travel, creating supportive communities within ornithology, signing on to letters in support of key programs and initiatives, and providing ways for members to exchange information and share their needs, we are here to support our community in myriad ways.
Expanded Research Grants
In 2025, the AOS increased Student Research Grant funding from $117,185 in 2024 to $149,400 in 2025. The AOS also more than tripled funding for Latin American and Caribbean conservation research grants and increased Kessel Fellowship funding by 75 percent, allowing the AOS to support a broader range of research and conservation efforts. Our next call for grant proposals will be in the fall of 2025. Read more about our different research grant programs.
Increased support for participation in AOS Annual Meetings
In 2025, the AOS increased its budgeted funds for student travel grants from $141,000 (2024) to $175,000 (2025), allowing us to provide travel support to eligible applicants to ensure a broad range of students could participate in our 2025 Annual Meeting.
To support federal employee participation, the AOS extended the early-bird registration deadline and allowed late abstract submission for current and recent former federal employees.
Launching Flocks communities
In 2025, three ornithological societies launched Flocks, affinity groups within ornithology to provide a deeper sense of connection, community, and support. During these disruptive political times, Flocks will play an especially important role in helping ornithologists learn from each other and provide support that will better enable them to succeed in their chosen field.
AOS 2025 Community Forum
On 14 August 2025, ~100 AOS members joined us for an in-person community-building event at our 2025 Annual Meeting: “Flying together through the storm: Supporting ornithologists & ornithology in the face of uncertainty.” Participants shared resources and brainstormed suggestions on how the AOS and other scientific societies can best support our community in the face of disruption and uncertainty.
We will share more about what we learned from this forum once we’ve gathered and compiled feedback. Thank you to all of the forum participants!
Letter sign-ons
The AOS has joined our voices with other scientific and conservation organizations to raise issues that are facing ornithology and ornithologists, and have signed letters highlighting the importance of federal funding for science, the necessity of DEIBJ in scientific programs, the value of federal scientists. We are also speaking up in support of programs like the U.S. Geological Survey Ecosystems mission area, the Bird Banding Lab, and the Breeding Bird Survey, among other priorities. A sample of these letters include:
State of the Birds 2025 Report
The 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report, produced by a coalition of leading science and conservation organizations (including the AOS), reveals continued widespread declines in American bird populations across all mainland and marine habitats, with 229 species requiring urgent conservation action. This report is an important communication tool to demonstrate actions critical for bird conservation.