The American Ornithological Society (AOS) is an
ornithological
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the "methodological study and consequent knowledge of birds with all that relates to them." Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and th ...
organization based in the United States. The society was formed in October 2016 by the merger of the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) and the
Cooper Ornithological Society
The Cooper Ornithological Society (COS), formerly the Cooper Ornithological Club, was an American ornithological society. It was founded in 1893 in California and operated until 2016. Its name commemorated James Graham Cooper, an early California b ...
. Its members are primarily professional ornithologists, although membership is open to anyone with an interest in birds. The society publishes the two scholarly journals, ''
The Auk
''Ornithology'', formerly ''The Auk'' and ''The Auk: Ornithological Advances'', is a peer-reviewed scientific journal and the official publication of the American Ornithological Society (AOS). It was established in 1884 and is published quarterly. ...
'' and ''
The Condor'' as well as the ''
AOS Checklist of North American Birds
The ''AOS Checklist of North American Birds'' is a checklist of the bird species found in North and Middle America which is now maintained by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). The checklist was originally published by the AOS's predecess ...
''.
In 2013, the American Ornithologists' Union announced a close partnership with the Cooper Ornithological Society, including joint meetings, a centralized publishing office, and a refocusing of their respective journals to increase efficiency of research. In October 2016, the AOU announced that it was ceasing to operate as an independent union and was merging with the Cooper Ornithological Society to create the American Ornithological Society.
History
![AOU Letter 1 Aug 1883](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/AOU_Letter_1_Aug_1883.jpg)
The American Ornithologists' Union was founded in 1883. Three members of the
Nuttall Ornithological Club
The Nuttall Ornithological Club is the oldest ornithology organization in the United States.
History
The club initially was a small informal group of William Brewster's childhood friends, all of whom shared his interest in ornithology. These fr ...
,
Elliott Coues
Elliott Ladd Coues (; September 9, 1842 – December 25, 1899) was an American army surgeon, historian, ornithologist, and author. He led surveys of the Arizona Territory, and later as secretary of the United States Geological and Geographic ...
,
J. A. Allen
Joel Asaph Allen (July 19, 1838 – August 29, 1921) was an American zoologist, mammalogist, and ornithologist. He became the first president of the American Ornithologists' Union, the first curator of birds and mammals at the American Museum of ...
, and
William Brewster, sent letters to 48 prominent ornithologists inviting them "to attend a Convention of ''American Ornithologists'', to be held in New York City, beginning on September 26, 1883, for the purpose of founding an American Ornithologists' Union, upon a basis similar to that of the "British Ornithologists' Union." The addressees were selected mainly because of their "scientific standing, but somewhat with regard to geographical representation, it being desirable to make the gathering as catholic and non-sectional as possible." Twenty-five responded to the letter and 21 were present at the first meeting.
The founding convention was held in the library of the
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History (abbreviated as AMNH) is a natural history museum on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. In Theodore Roosevelt Park, across the street from Central Park, the museum complex comprises 26 inter ...
on September 26, 1883. Founding members of the AOU include those present at the inaugural convention, listed below. In addition, the members of the new Union unanimously enrolled two others as founding members:
Professor S. Baird, who was unable to attend due to his duties at the
Smithsonian, and
J. A. Allen
Joel Asaph Allen (July 19, 1838 – August 29, 1921) was an American zoologist, mammalogist, and ornithologist. He became the first president of the American Ornithologists' Union, the first curator of birds and mammals at the American Museum of ...
, who could not attend due to physical disability.
[
* From ]Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
: Charles Aldrich.
* From New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
: Harry Balch Bailey, Eugene Pintard Bicknell
Eugene Pintard Bicknell (September 23, 1859 – February 9, 1925) was an American botanist and ornithologist.
Bicknell was born at Riverdale-on-Hudson, the sixth son of Maria Theresa Pierrepont and Joseph Inglis Bicknell. The family was descended ...
, Daniel Giraud Elliot
Daniel Giraud Elliot (March 7, 1835 – December 22, 1915) was an American zoologist and the founder of the American Ornithologist Union.
Life
He was born in New York City on March 7, 1835, to George and Rebecca Elliot. In 1858, he married Ann ...
, Albert Kenrick Fisher
Albert Kenrick Fisher (21 March 1856 – 12 June 1948) was an American ornithologist, known for his 1893 boo''The Hawks and Owls of the United States in Their Relation to Agriculture''
Fisher was born in Sing Sing, New York (now Ossining), where ...
, Joseph Bassett Holder
Joseph Bassett Holder (1824–1888) was an American zoologist and physician.
Holder was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, October 26, 1824 to parents Aaron L. and Rachel Bassett Holder. His mother was a Quaker minister. Holder studied at the Friends' ...
, Edgar Alexander Mearns
Edgar Alexander Mearns (September 11, 1856 – November 1, 1916) was an American surgeon, ornithologist and field naturalist. He was a founder of the American Ornithologists' Union.
Life
Mearns was born in n Highland Falls, New York to Al ...
, and Clinton Hart Merriam
Clinton Hart Merriam (December 5, 1855 – March 19, 1942) was an American zoologist, mammalogist, ornithologist, entomologist, ecologist, ethnographer, geographer, naturalist and physician. He was commonly known as the 'father of mammalogy', a ...
.
* From : Charles Foster Batchelder, William Brewster, Charles Barney Cory
Charles Barney Cory (January 31, 1857 – July 31, 1921) was an American ornithologist and golfer.
Biography
Cory was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His father had made a fortune from a large import business, ensuring that his son never had t ...
, and Henry Augustus Purdie Henry Augustus Purdie (December 16, 1840 – March 29, 1911) was an American ornithologist and naturalist. He was a founding member of the American Ornithologists' Union, and a president of the Nuttall Ornithological Club.
Biography
Purdie was born ...
.
* From Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
: Charles Bendire
Major Charles Emil Bendire (April 27, 1836 – February 4, 1897) was a United States Army soldier and noted ornithologist and oologist. The Bendire's thrasher is named for him.
Early life
Born Karl Emil Bender at König im Odenwald in the Gran ...
.
* From Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
: Nathan Clifford Brown.
* From New Brunswick
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
: Montague Chamberlain.
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)
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, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
: Elliott Coues
Elliott Ladd Coues (; September 9, 1842 – December 25, 1899) was an American army surgeon, historian, ornithologist, and author. He led surveys of the Arizona Territory, and later as secretary of the United States Geological and Geographic ...
, D. Webster Prentiss, and Robert Ridgway
Robert Ridgway (July 2, 1850 – March 25, 1929) was an American ornithologist specializing in systematics. He was appointed in 1880 by Spencer Fullerton Baird, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, to be the first full-time curator of bird ...
.
* From Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
: Robert Wilson Shufeldt
Robert Wilson Shufeldt Jr. (December 1, 1850January 21, 1934) was an American osteologist, myologist, museologist and ethnographer who contributed to comparative studies of bird anatomy and forensic science. He held strong views on race and w ...
.
* From Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
: Thomas McIlwraith.
* From Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
: John Maynard Wheaton.
Presidents of the AOU
Membership
Regular membership in the AOS is open to any dues paying person with an interest in birds. Student rates are available for full-time students. ''Student Membership Awards'' of a no-cost membership are available to qualified undergraduate and graduate students who wish to pursue a career in ornithology. There are three higher classes of membership, ''Elective Member'', ''Honorary Fellow'' and ''Fellow.''
''Elective Members'' are selected "for significant contributions to ornithology and/or service to the Union." When elected, they must reside in the Western Hemisphere. A proposed ''Elective Member'' must be nominated by three ''Fellows'' or ''Elective Members'' and more than half of the ''Fellows'' and ''Elective Members'' must vote for the proposed member to be declared elected.[
''Honorary Fellows'' are limited to 100 and are "chosen for exceptional ornithological eminence and must at the time of their election be residents of a country other than the United States of America or Canada." Nominations for ''Honorary Fellow'' are by a special committee appointed by the president or any three ''Fellows.'' A vote of the majority of the ''Fellows'' present at an annual meeting is required for election. Each ''Fellow'' may vote affirmatively for as many as there are vacancies.][
''Fellows'' are chosen "for exceptional and sustained contributions to ornithology and/or service to the Union" and must be residents or citizens of the Western Hemisphere when elected. Candidates must be an ''Honorary Fellow'' or ''Elective Member'' in good standing. A vote of two thirds of the ''Fellows'' at an annual meeting is required for election as a ''Fellow''.][
]
Publications
The quarterly journal, ''The Auk
''Ornithology'', formerly ''The Auk'' and ''The Auk: Ornithological Advances'', is a peer-reviewed scientific journal and the official publication of the American Ornithological Society (AOS). It was established in 1884 and is published quarterly. ...
'', has been published since January 1884. The weekly journal '' The Condor'', has been published since 1899. Other significant publications include the ''AOS Checklist of North American Birds
The ''AOS Checklist of North American Birds'' is a checklist of the bird species found in North and Middle America which is now maintained by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). The checklist was originally published by the AOS's predecess ...
'', which is the standard reference work for the field, and a monograph
A monograph is a specialist work of writing (in contrast to reference works) or exhibition on a single subject or an aspect of a subject, often by a single author or artist, and usually on a scholarly subject.
In library cataloging, ''monograph ...
series, ''Ornithological Monographs''.
Awards
The AOS presents annual awards to recognize achievements and service, support research, and encourage student participation.
Scientific Awards
The AOS recognizes members' outstanding contributions to ornithological science through four senior professional awards and three early professional awards:
* The William Brewster Memorial Award "is given annually to the author or co-authors (not previously so honored) of an exceptional body of work on birds of the Western Hemisphere" and consists of a medal and honorarium. The first ''Brewster Medal'' was awarded in 1921.
* The Elliott Coues Award has been presented annually since 1972 to recognize outstanding and innovative contributions to ornithological research without limitation as to geographic area, sub-discipline(s) of ornithology, or when the work was done. It consists of a medal and an honorarium.
* The Loye and Alden Miller Research Award The Loye and Alden Miller Research Award, now known as the AOS Miller Award, was established in 1993 by the Cooper Ornithological Society (COS) to recognize lifetime achievement in ornithological research. The namesakes were Loye H. Miller and his s ...
, awarded annually since 1993, recognizes lifetime achievement in ornithological research.
* The Ralph W. Schreiber Conservation Award honors extraordinary scientific contributions to the conservation, restoration, or preservation of birds and/or their habitats by an individual or team. The award has been presented since 2005 and consists of a certificate and honorarium.
* Two James G. Cooper Young Professional Awards and one Ned K. Johnson Young Investigator Award are presented annually to recognize outstanding and promising work by researchers early in their careers in any field of ornithology. Each award includes an honorarium, an invitation to give a plenary at the annual meeting, gratis registration, and a travel stipend to the annual meeting up to $1000.
Student Awards
A decline in student membership in the AOU and other ornithological societies prompted creation of a ''Student Affairs Committee'' in 2003. Several awards for students were created starting in 2005 as well as activities for students at annual meetings.
* The Student Membership Award provides one year of full AOS membership benefits for qualified undergraduate or graduate students interested in pursuing a career in ornithology. Students must apply each year during the fall semester from September through December with a resume or curriculum vitae describing their degree program, the expected completion date, their academic or work experience, and interests in ornithology. A note of support from the student's academic advisor is also required. Membership in the AOS is required to compete for travel, research and presentation awards.[
* The AOS Student and Postdoctoral Travel Awards are competitive awards that defray travel expenses to annual meetings of the society for student members. Application procedures are distributed to eligible members each year.
* A student can compete for one of several AOS Student Presentation Awards when presenting a poster or oral paper at an annual meeting. The Robert B. Berry Student Award is given for the best oral presentation on a topic pertaining to avian conservation. The Mark E. Hauber Award is given for the best oral presentation on avian behavior. Four additional awards are given for the best presentation on any topic in ornithology. Applications are distributed to eligible AOS members.
]
Committees
Much of the AOS's work is accomplished by its thirty-three standing committees. Many of these are common for any organization such as Bylaws, History and Membership. Other committees are of special importance to ornithology.
* The Committee on Bird Collections is charged with monitoring the status of avian material collections, maintaining liaison with organizations holding collections and conducting and publishing inventories of collections. Its work on permits for the possession and transport of specimens is especially important to museums and researchers.
* The ''Committee on Classification and Nomenclature - South America'', better known as the South American Classification Committee (SACC) deals with creating a standard classification Classification is a process related to categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated and understood.
Classification is the grouping of related facts into classes.
It may also refer to:
Business, organizat ...
, with English names, for the bird species of South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
.
* The North American Classification Committee (NACC) is responsible for the AOS ''Checklist of North and Middle American Birds''.
See also
* List of ornithology awards
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This list of ornithology awards is an index to articles about notable awards concerning ornithology, or the st ...
* List of ornithology journals
The following is a list of journals and magazines relating to birding and ornithology. The continent and country columns give the location where the journal or magazine is published and may not correspond with its scope or content.
See also
* ...
References
External links
American Ornithological Society website
{{Authority control
Professional associations based in the United States
Ornithological organizations in the United States
1883 establishments in the United States
Organizations established in 1883
Natural Science Collections Alliance members