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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 …

Congratulations to the AOS 2020 Class of Fellows and Elective Members

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.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology Seeking Executive Director and Tenure-Track Professor

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.

What’s in a name? More than you might think…

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.

Statement on the McCown’s Longspur Naming Issue

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 …

Message From AOS President and The Diversity & Inclusion Committee

The following is a message from AOS President, Kathy Martin, and AOS Diversity & Inclusion Committee co-chairs, Sharon Gill and Viviana Ruiz Gutierrez: The recent deaths of Black Americans, including George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and David McAtee, at the hands of white police and vigilantes, have highlighted trans-generational systemic racism in U.S. institutions and …