For the past several years, AOS has been reckoning with and rectifying problematic aspects of our policies and procedures to become a more inclusive and culturally sensitive Society. We thank all individuals who have brought their concerns with these issues to our attention. It is such collective efforts that allow us to address wrongs. In …
Last week’s North American Ornithological Conference (NAOC) provided the American Ornithological Society (AOS) an opportunity to extend to a broader audience the important conversations the Society has undertaken internally over the past few years regarding diversity and inclusion in ornithology. Many of NAOC’s invited speakers shared their perspectives about how to increase diversity, equity, and …
The seventh North American Ornithological Conference (NAOC VII), which came to a close on Saturday, August 15, was a resounding success! The conference, organized by nine societies and originally planned to convene in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was moved online as concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic grew. This virtual gathering provided an opportunity for nearly …
The American Ornithological Society (AOS) is excited to announce changes to the names of its two journals, both of which are among the top three journals in the field of ornithology.
At our annual meeting each year, we officially welcome the new classes of Fellows, Honorary Fellows, and Elective Members of AOS. Individuals are elected to these special membership classes in recognition of their contributions to ornithology and to AOS. Congratulations to the newest members of these honored groups, who were voted in at the 2020 North American Ornithological Conference.
This week marks the 104th anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), which has been under threat by the Trump administration’s attempts to roll back its provisions that hold businesses accountable for bird deaths. In an August 11th ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Valerie Caproni made it clear that the administration’s rollback of the …
After 25 years serving as the Executive Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Dr. John Fitzpatrick has announced he is retiring at the end of the year. If you’ve attended one of our annual meetings, you’ve likely met Dr. Fitzpatrick (Fitz); many have worked closely with him on AOS Council and various committees, and no doubt everyone recognizes the tremendous impact of his leadership at the Lab.
AOS leaders, including the NACC and Diversity and Inclusion Committees are working together to develop Society-level policies in our nomenclature, and to be intentional in all our activities to ensure all individuals feel welcome in our Society. We will discuss these issues at our 2020 meetings of Council and make a statement at the end of the NAOC VII meeting.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has taken the next step in its rollback of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) by releasing a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), which includes an environmental analysis and alternatives for this rule. The public comment period is open until July 20.
North American Classification Committee, American Ornithological Society (AOS) Prompted in part by a 2019 proposal to change the English name of McCown’s Longspur, the North American Classification Committee developed and published new guidelines for English bird names that specifically address the issue of potentially offensive eponyms or other names. While continuing to emphasize the fundamental …
