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American Birding Association

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American Birding Association
American Birding Association, Inc.
AbbreviationABA
Formation1968;56 years ago(1968)
TypeNonprofit
74-2347314
Legal status501(c)(3)
Purpose"Inspiring all people to enjoy and protect wild birds"
HeadquartersColorado Springs, Colorado
Location
Locations
Region
North America
Board Chair
Julie Davis
Executive Director
Wayne Klockner
Julie Davis; David Bates; Sara Beesley; David Bell; Neil Hayward; Willie Hendrickson; Karyl Gabriel; Amanda Mangan; David McQuade; Judy Pollock; Paul Riss; Jordan Roderick; Jeff Rusinow; Chris Sloan; Arnella Trent; Magill Weber
Main organ
Board of Directors
Websitehttps://www.aba.org/

TheAmerican Birding Association(ABA) is anonprofit organization,founded in 1969, dedicated to recreationalbirdingin Canada and the United States. It has been called "the standard-bearer for serious birding in North America."[1]Originally concentrated on finding, listing, and identifying rare birds, the ABA now seeks to serve all birders with a wide range of services and publications.

History[edit]

In December 1968, in the first issue (volume 0, number 0) ofThe Birdwatcher's Digest,Jim Tucker proposed the formation of a group to be known as the "American Birdwatchers' Association" for the exchange of information and the comparison of birding lists.[2][3]

On the suggestion ofStuart Keith,the next issue of Tucker's newsletter bore the nameBirding(volume 1, number 1). This January/February 1969 issue included a statement of intentions and objectives and three pages of lists, including the birders with the top ten lists for the world and for the area then covered by the checklist of theAmerican Ornithologists' Union.[2]The organization was renamed the American Birding Association.[3]Expressly excluding conservation advocacy and ornithological research, the ABA's initial focus was on the hobby and sport of birding.[2]Through its publications and events, the early ABA sought to connect avid birders, establish rules for listing, and communicate the latest identification techniques.[3]By 1970, the organization had more than 500 members.[2]

The first officers included Keith as president, Arnold Small as vice president, and Tucker as secretary and treasurer. Shortly thereafter, Joseph W. Taylor became treasurer, and Bob Smart joined as second vice president. Benton Basham became membership chairman in 1971, and was responsible for much of the organization's growth.[2]

Beginning with volume 3 (1971),Birdingwas redesigned as a magazine; the annual page count increased to 258 from 96 in 1970.[3]The last issue of 1971 introduced a new full-color logo, designed by Guy Tudor, with the image of ared-billed tropicbird.[2][4]

The ABA held its first convention in 1973 inKenmare,North Dakota[3]and its second inLeamington,Ontario.[5]

Subsequent presidents of the organization have included Arnold Small (1976-1979),[6]Joseph W. (Joe) Taylor (1979-1983),[7]Lawrence G. (Larry) Balch (1983-1989),[8]and Allan Keith (1989-1993; 1997–1999).[9]As of 2022, Julie Davis is the current board chair and interim president of the ABA.[10]

Membership rose to 6,500 by October 1986[8]and first exceeded 10,000 in October 1992.[9]The ABA attained a high of 22,000 members in 2001.[11]

A monthly newsletter,Winging It,was published from 1989 to 2012.[9]In 1998, the ABA assumed responsibility for the publication of theNational Audubon Society'sjournalField Notes,subsequently renamedNorth American Birds.[12]The quarterly "Birder's Guide" first appeared in 2013.

In 2000, the ABA assumed management of the Institute for Field Ornithology workshops conducted by theUniversity of Maine at Machias.[13]

The ABA's mission has expanded to support conservation and research efforts, beginning with its partnership with Birders' Exchange, a program supplying research equipment to young scientists in Central and South America.[12][14]Conservation-oriented content began to appear more frequently inBirdingwith the 2001 volume.[15]

Publications[edit]

The ABA publishes three periodical publications, offering them in print and online formats. The ABA also hosts two blogs and a podcast. The ABA partners with and advises Scott & Nix, Inc., publisher of a series of recent and forthcomingABA State Guides.The ABA also publishes a regularly updated checklist and occasional eBooks and monographs.

Print publications[edit]

The ABA publishesBirding,its bimonthly magazine;North American Birds,the quarterly "journal of record" for North American birdlife; andBirder's Guide,a quarterly publication with a rotating schedule of themes. All three journals are offered in print and online formats.

The ABA has published bird-finding guides to various states and regions of the United States and the Caribbean (10 titles are in print). The ABA is a partner in the ongoing publication of a series of photographic field guides to the birds of particular states (12 titles).[16]

Online publications[edit]

The ABA maintains a multiauthoredblog[17]and a multi-voiced podcast;[18]ABA's youth program hosts the blogThe Eyrie.[19]The ABA's journalsBirding,North American Birds,andBirder's Guideare offered online, as well as in print.

ABA Checklist[edit]

The ABA publishes a checklist of the more than 1000 bird species found in the ABA area (the entirety of the United States and Canada, plus St. Pierre et Miquelon).[20]Updates to the most recent print edition are available online.[21]The Checklist provides thecommon namesestablished and recommended by theAmerican Ornithological Society,and it is one of the authorities consulted by the compilers of many popular bird identification guides in order to establish ranges and the status of populations.[22][23][24]

Programs[edit]

The ABA offers birding camps, sponsors youth teams in birding competitions, provides scholarships, and conducts an annual ABA Young Birder of the Year Contest.[19][25]

Members interested in bird listing share their totals at Listing Central.[26]

The organization promulgates aCode of Birding Ethics,guiding birders to protect birds, theenvironment,and the rights of others.[27]

In addition to offering ABA apparel,[28]the organization has partnered with for-profit companies to sell identification and bird-finding guides,binoculars,and items related toconservation.[29]

The ABA offers birding rallies, tours, and workshops (through the ABA Institute for Field Ornithology) throughout the world.[30]The IFO workshops, established to foster cooperation between professional and amateur ornithologists, blend classroom instruction and field study.[13]

Awards[edit]

The ABA presents several awards for promoting the cause of birding, advancing the state of ornithology, and making significant contributions to education and conservation. In 1980, it initiated theLudlow Griscom Awardto recognize "outstanding contributions to excellence in field birding;"[31]it is often called birding's highest honor.[32]In 2000, the awards program was expanded to include theChandler Robbins Awardfor Education/Conservation, theClaudia Wilds Awardfor Distinguished Service, and theRoger Tory Peterson Awardfor Promoting the Cause of Birding. TheRobert Ridgway Awardfor Publications in Field Ornithology was added in 2002. The Griscom Award now specifically recognizes outstanding contributions to regional ornithology.[33]

In 2014, the ABA introduced theBetty Petersen Awardfor Conservation and Community, to honor "those who have made great strides in expanding, diversifying, and strengthening the birding community, and those who have worked to build a support network for conservation." The first, posthumous recipient wasBetty Petersen.[34]In 2015, the award was granted to Jack Siler;[35]Ann Nightingale received the award in 2016;[36]Judy Pollock was honored in 2017.[37]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Weidensaul, Scott (2008).Of a Feather: A Brief History of American Birding.Orlando, Fla.: Harcourt, Inc. p. 262.ISBN978-0156033558.
  2. ^abcdefWilds, Claudia (February 1994). "The ABA from Hatching to Fledging".Birding.26(1): 34–37.
  3. ^abcdeFloyd, Ted (January–February 2006). "The History ofBirding,Part I. 1968-1974 ".Birding.38(1): 20–21.
  4. ^"ABA Logo Change".Birding.41(6): 23. November 2009.
  5. ^Gill, Boyd (22 June 1975)."Club Promotes Hobby and Sport of Birding".Sarasota Herald-Tribune.p. 51.Retrieved18 September2012.
  6. ^Floyd, Ted (March–April 2006). "The History ofBirding,Part II. 1975-1980 ".Birding.38(2): 20–21.
  7. ^"J. Taylor, 79, Lover of Birds".The Philadelphia Inquirer.30 September 1992.Retrieved24 September2012.
  8. ^abFloyd, Ted (May–June 2006). "The History ofBirding,Part III. 1981-1987 ".Birding.38(3): 18–19.
  9. ^abcFloyd, Ted (July–August 2006). "The History ofBirding,Part IV. 1988-1993 ".Birding.38(4): 18–19.
  10. ^"Chair".Birding.53(5): 2. October 2021.
  11. ^Clines, Francis X. (4 February 2001)."Field Guide? Check. Binoculars? Check. Lobbyists? Soon".The New York Times.Retrieved25 September2012.
  12. ^abFloyd, Ted (September–October 2006). "The History ofBirding,Part V. 1994-2000 ".Birding.38(5): 18–19.
  13. ^abPetersen, Wayne R. (March–April 2007). "The ABA's Institute for Field Ornithology: A Brief History".Birding.39(2): 22–25.
  14. ^American Birding Association."Birders' Exchange".Retrieved11 September2012.
  15. ^Floyd, Ted (November–December 2006). "The History ofBirding,Part VI. 2001-2006 ".Birding.38(6): 18–19.
  16. ^"ABA Birders' Guides".Buteo Books.Retrieved29 January2018.
  17. ^American Birding Association."ABA Blog".Retrieved29 January2018.
  18. ^"American Birding Podcast".American Birding Association. 15 March 2017.Retrieved29 January2018.
  19. ^abAmerican Birding Association."The Eyrie".Retrieved25 January2018.
  20. ^American Birding Association (2009).ABA Checklist: Birds of the Continental United States and Canada(7th ed.). American Birding Association. p. 203.ISBN978-1878788436.
  21. ^American Birding Association."ABA Checklist".Retrieved25 September2012.
  22. ^Dunn, Jon L.; Alderfer, Jonathan (2011).National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America(6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society. p. 7.ISBN978-1426208287.
  23. ^Floyd, Ted (2008).Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America.New York, N.Y.: HarperCollins. pp. 2–4, 499–504.ISBN978-0061120404.
  24. ^Stokes, Donald; Stokes, Lillian (2010).The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America.New York, N.Y.: Little, Brown and Company. pp. xi–xii.ISBN978-0316010504.
  25. ^"Young Birder of the Year Honored with Roger Tory Peterson App and Apple iPad 2"(Press release). 14 April 2011.Retrieved22 October2012.
  26. ^American Birding Association."Listing Central".Retrieved25 April2016.
  27. ^American Birding Association."American Birding Association Code of Birding Ethics".Retrieved29 January2018.
  28. ^"Shop@ABA".American Birding Association. Archived fromthe originalon 2017-06-12.Retrieved29 January2018.
  29. ^"About ABA Sales and Buteo Books".Buteo Books.Retrieved29 January2018.
  30. ^American Birding Association."ABA Events".Retrieved22 October2012.
  31. ^Davis, William E. Jr. (1994).Dean of the Birdwatchers: A Biography of Ludlow Griscom.Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 198.ISBN1-56098-310-8.
  32. ^"Expert birder starts playing the field: he sets his sight on common species".The Sacramento Bee.Sacramento, CA. November 20, 2000. p. B1.
  33. ^American Birding Association."ABA Award Recipients".Retrieved25 January2018.
  34. ^Gordon, Jeffrey A. (March–April 2014). "Birding Together".Birding.46(2): 8–9.
  35. ^American Birding Association (4 February 2015)."Announcing the American Birding Association 2015 Awards".Retrieved30 June2015.
  36. ^"Birds in the news: 10 important stories from the middle of February".BirdWatching.23 February 2016.Retrieved25 April2016.
  37. ^Breen, Justin (8 March 2017)."Chicago Conservation Pioneer Earns National Award From Birding Group".DNAinfo.Archived fromthe originalon 2018-01-26.Retrieved25 January2018.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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