medal presented with aos coues award

The AOS Coues Award recognizes outstanding and innovative contributions to ornithological research, with no limitation with respect to geographic area, sub-discipline(s) of ornithology, or the time course over which the work was done. It consists of a medal and an honorarium and is named in honor of Elliott Coues, a pioneering ornithologist of the western United States.

Coues Award Nomination Guidelines

Before submitting a nomination, please review the lists of previous recipients below. In recognition of the large number of ornithologists making outstanding contributions to our science, the AOS Council recommends that the Coues Award not be conferred upon the same individual more than once in their lifetime. Generally an individual is expected to receive only one senior Award. However, since the Miller Award recognizes lifetime achievement in ornithological research, it is possible for an individual to receive a Miller Award after receiving a Coues or one of the other AOS senior awards, ideally only after an extended period of time since receiving one of the other Senior Awards. Note that nominees for the Coues Award need not be members of AOS at the time of their nomination. All award nominees are expected to have a high standard of ethical and social behavior that is strongly aligned with the AOS Code of Conduct & Ethics.

Submit a Nomination

Nominations must be submitted through our online Member Portal.

  • The page linked above will direct you to a login screen. If you have previously created an account in our Member Portal, enter your user name and password. After logging in, you will be redirected to the Senior Professional Award nomination page.
  • If you have not previously created an account, click Register Now on the lower right to set up your profile.

To submit a nomination for the Coues Award, you will need to upload 1) a written summary (no more than 2 pages) describing the nominee’s contributions to ornithology and why they should be recognized with the award, and 2) a current CV of the nominee.

Previous Coues Award Winners

2024 Rebecca T. Kimball
2023  Gregory F. Ball & Jacques Balthazart
2022  Bruce Lyon & Bridget Stutchbury
2021   Peter Arcese & Bruce Beehler
2020   André Dhondt & Tom Smith
2019   Linda Whittingham & Peter Dunn
2018   Peter P. Marra
2017   Kevin J. McGraw
2016   Michael Sorenson
2015   Scott Edwards
2014   Staffan Bensch
2013   Russell Greenberg
2012   F. Gary Stiles
2011   Timothy Birkhead
2010   Robert Montgomerie
2009   Charles R. Brown and Mary Bomberger Brown
2008   P. Dee Boersma
2007   Keith A. Hobson
2006   Sievert A. Rohwer
2005   Nicholas B. Davies
2004   Jared Verner
2003   Donald E. Kroodsma
2002   Jeffrey R. Walters
2001   Raymond A. Paynter, Jr. and Melvin A. Traylor, Jr.
2000   Thomas E. Martin
1999   Sir John R. Krebs
1998   Jared M. Diamond
1997   Chandler S. Robbins

1996   Ellen D. Ketterson
1995   Ian Newton
1994   Wolfgang Wiltschko
1993   Joel L. Cracraft
1992   Frances C. James
1991   John A. Wiens
1990   No Award
1989   Peter Berthold
1988   Ralph W. Schreiber
1987   John C. Wingfield
1986   Fernando Nottebohm
1985   Thomas R. Howell
1984   Thomas J. Cade
1983   Masakazu Konishi
1982   No Award
1981   Amos Ar, Charles Paganelli, and Hermann Rahn
1980   Nicholas E. Collias and Elsie C. Collias
1979   No Award
1978   Joseph J. Hickey
1977   Jean Delacour and Ernst Mayr
1976   Peter Marler
1975   Richard F. Johnston and Robert K. Selander
1975   Walter J. Bock
1974   Robert H. MacArthur
1973   John T. Emlen Jr.
1972   Niko Tinbergen
1972   Alexander Wetmore