New ornithological society planned
Why the American Ornithologists’ Union and other Western Hemisphere ornithological societies want to merge, forming a new group to be called the Society for Ornithology.
Published: October 21, 2011
The American Ornithologists’ Union and other ornithological societies in the Western Hemisphere may merge next year into a new group tentatively named the Society for Ornithology.
The move “would result in a clean slate for designing new governance and new journals, as well as provide broad opportunities to promote the field of ornithology, ornithologists, and avian conservation,” says Susan Haig, president-elect of the AOU. The Auk and other ornithological journals would cease publication, and in their place would be as many as four new journals, she says. Leaders expect to present a business plan for the new society to the AOU’s governing council in February 2012 and have the council vote on the plan in August.
“We are working on behalf of ornithology and ornithologists,” Haig adds, “to design a new unified society that is staffed professionally rather than being a club of distinguished scientists, and that will engage a broad spectrum of young avian biologists using the new social media and electronic publication tools now available to us.” |