American Ornithological Society

American Ornithological Society
AbbreviationAOS
PredecessorAmerican Ornithologists' Union
Cooper Ornithological Society
FormationSeptember 26, 1883; 141 years ago (1883-09-26)
TypeNGO
Legal status501(c)(3)
Purpose
HeadquartersChicago, Illinois
Location
  • 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Coordinates41°51′59″N 87°37′01″W / 41.866269°N 87.616997°W / 41.866269; -87.616997
Region served
Western Hemisphere
Membership
3,000
President
Colleen Handel
United States Geological Survey
President-elect
Sara Morris
Canisius College
Secretary
Sushma Reddy
University of Minnesota
Treasurer
Matthew Carling
University of Wyoming
Main organ
Council
AffiliationsOrnithological Council
Ornithological Societies of NA
Websiteamericanornithology.org

The American Ornithological Society (AOS) is an ornithological 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.[1] Its members are primarily professional ornithologists, although membership is open to anyone with an interest in birds. The society publishes the two scholarly journals, Ornithology (formerly The Auk) and Ornithological Applications (formerly The Condor) as well as the AOS Checklist of North American Birds. The American Ornithological Society claims the authority to establish standardized English bird names throughout North and South Americas.[2]

In 2013, the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) announced a collaboration with the Cooper Ornithological Society, streamlining operations through joint meetings, a shared publishing office, and a reorientation of their journals. By October 2016, the AOU ceased its independent status, merging with the Cooper Ornithological Society to establish the unified American Ornithological Society.

  1. ^ "AOU History". American Ornithological Society. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  2. ^ Miller, Katrina (November 1, 2023). "Birds in the Americas Will No Longer Be Named After People". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 3, 2023.