New York State
Ornithological Association

For the birders and birds of the Empire State

About NYSOA Last Updated 10/19/23


Annual MeetingArchiveAwardsBylawsCode of EthicsContact UsHistory
Meeting ScheduleNominating CommitteeOfficers & DirectorsSpeaker's Bureau
Volunteer ProfilesDecals & ChecklistsMembership

 

Objectives
 

The objectives of NYSOA are:

- to document the ornithology of New York State.

- to foster interest in and appreciation of birds.

- to protect birds and their habitats.

Short-eared Owl, photo by Greg Lawrence
 
Short-eared Owl - photo © Greg Lawrence

 

Membership

NYSOA has two types of members: Member Clubs/Organizations and Individual Members:
 

  • Member Clubs/Organizations include bird clubs, Audubon Societies, and nature organizations in New York State who have joined forces, pooling their efforts, skills and influence in order to carry out large statewide projects, such as a state bird book and a state Atlas project, publishing a quarterly state bird journal and newsletter, and maintaining an official state bird list through a state records committee. The Member Clubs/Organizations send delegates to an annual meeting to make decisions on NYSOA matters and to reach consensus on statewide conservation issues.

  • Individual Members are those who want to receive their own copies of NYSOA publications The Kingbird and New York Birders, to support the aims and activities of NYSOA, and to strengthen the voice of NYSOA for bird conservation.  Individual members may also subscribe to Birds of North America Online at a 20% discounted rate.
     

NYSOA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Beyond the first $30/year, NYSOA membership dues are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

 


 


Purchase Decals & Official Checklists

Decal
 
Window Decal

(static cling)
3.5" x 4.5"
$2.00 each

Let everyone see that you support our organization by displaying the NYSOA logo on a static cling window decal.
At $2 each, these attractive decals are a great buy.

 

Our handy, pocket-sized booklet version of the official Checklist of Birds of New York State costs only $3 per copy or $22 for a pack of ten. The checklist includes all bird species recorded in New York State and accepted by the New York State Avian Records Committee (NYSARC).

Checklist
 
Checklist
of the Birds of
New York State

(2023 ed.)
1-9 copies $3.00 each
10-packs $22.00 ea.

Order checklists and decals safely online from this website!

Alternatively, you may order them by sending a note with a check (payable to NYSOA Inc.) to:

NYSOA Inc.
P.O. Box 25
Long Lake, NY 12847


 
 

NYSOA Annual Meeting

NYSOA's annual business meeting is held during a weekend conference that is open to the public and hosted by a NYSOA member club. This annual event brings together birders from across the state and beyond who come to develop new birding friendships, renew old ones, hear excellent speakers, and explore birding opportunities away from their home turf. The weekend offers attendees a variety of social, educational, and birding activities. The business meeting segment of the weekend is attended by delegates of member clubs/organizations and includes elections and new club/organization membership approvals, as well as committee reports and other matters.

 

Looking ahead    UPDATED 9/25/23

    

77th Annual Meeting (2024) Check back for the upcoming announcement!

 

Past Annual Meetings     UPDATED 9/25/23
    

76th Annual Meeting (2023):  The conference was hosted in Westchester by Saw Mill River Audubon September 22-24, 2023 and set a new record for number of attendees. In spite of the rainy weather, 330 people enjoyed a broad range of activities, many even braving the "rain or shine" field trips!

    

75th Annual Meeting (2022) Our first in-person conference since the COVID-19 pandemic began, it was hosted in Oswego by the Onondaga Audubon Society September 30 - October 2, 2022. Kudos and thanks to our hosts for pulling us out of COVID zoom mode -- it was great to see real faces again!

     Draft minutes of the 2022 Annual Meeting  UPDATED 6/23/23
     (for review and approval by member clubs/organizations at the 2023 Annual Meeting)
 

Chronology: List of all FNYSBC/NYSOA Annual Meetings since the beginning    UPDATED 9/25/23

 

Awards

Among the activities of NYSOA are a number of awards given in recognition of service, accomplishment and assistance in furthering the goals of NYSOA and ornithology in NY State.

  Gordon M. Meade Distinguished Service Award for service to NYSOA
  Emanuel Levine Memorial Award for the best Kingbird article of the yea
     Lillian C. Stoner Award to help selected students attend the NYSOA Annual Meeting/Conference
DOWNLOAD NOMINATION FORM
  Certificates of Appreciation
  Member Club/Organization Grants in support of small projects

Read the details of the awards available, nomination rules, contact information, and the latest winners.
                                       

Please consider nominating or suggesting suitable individuals for these awards and help us recognize and show our appreciation for those who support NYSOA and NY’s birds.  The deadline for nominations for all awards to be given at the 2023 Annual Meeting is July 15, 2023.


People at NYSOA: Our Volunteers

NYSOA is a 100% volunteer organization. The people who work for NYSOA do it because they are passionately committed to protecting birds and their habitats, and because they enjoy working with others who share their passion.  We've added a new section to our website to recognize all who have generously given, or who currently give, of their time and talents to help NYSOA carry out its important mission. Learn more about People at NYSOA.


History

Did you know NYSOA is more than 70 years old?  For a summary chronology and interesting excerpts about NYSOA's origins and evolution from the 1998 Golden Anniversary issue of The Kingbird, see our History page.

 
NYSOA Archive    

The NYSOA Archive is housed at Cornell University Library in the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections under the title Federation of New York State Bird Clubs, which was the original name of NYSOA.

The archive is a collection of materials relating to the organization's history and ongoing business, including minutes of meetings, membership rosters, announcements, and programs of annual meetings, photographs, news clippings, New York Birders from 1971, The Kingbird from 1950, correspondence and special projects such as the New York State Avian Records Committee, and the New York State Bird Book Committee.

The online Finding aid to the collection is available at rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/RMM04860.html. The guide will let you see what documents are in the collection, and give you the box and folder numbers helping to you to access the items you need when visiting the library. It is best to go prepared. Staff will bring the requested folders to you, rather than you being able to browse the collection.


Speaker's Bureau

As a service to our members, NYSOA publishes a list of speakers willing to do programs for groups. If you would like to be included on the Speaker’s Bureau list, please contact the editor of our newsletter, NY Birders, as soon as possible to provide information about the program(s) that you would like to present, whether you charge a fee, how far you are willing to travel, and what arrangements you might need for accommodations. Please include a contact address, phone number, and e-mail (if applicable). Participants in the Speaker’s Bureau are presented in the January issue of NYSOA's newsletter, New York Birders.

 

Code of Birding Ethics

NYSOA strongly supports the American Birding Association's Code of Birding Ethics.

 

 

Officers & Directors
Note:  Officers' one-year terms begin at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting where they are elected and end at the conclusion of the next Annual Meeting. Two-year terms for Director positions begin at the conclusion of one Annual Meeting and end at the close of the Annual Meeting two years later.

  Officers  (One-year terms ending Fall 2024)

President
 
Anne Swaim   NEW 9/24/23

Vice President
 
Sean Camillieri  NEW 9/24/23
 
Recording Secretary
 
Alison Kocek
 
Treasurer
 
Mary Jane Dugan  
  Directors  (Two-year terms)      

Term Ends
Fall of

Pat Aitken   NEW 9/24/23
2025
Craig Braack
2025
Brian Dugan
2025
Mary Jane Dugan
2024
Timothy Healy   NEW 9/24/23
2024
Alison Kocek
2024
Carena Pooth
2024
Steve Rappaport
2024
Charles Scheim
2025

 

 Elected Committees     (One-year terms ending Fall 2023)

 

Nominating Committee
    Anne Swaim, Chair

    Bob Adamo

    Charlie Scheim

Auditing Committee
    Stephen Chang, Chair

    Tom Burke

    Peter Capainolo

 

Board Meeting Schedule 2023          UPDATED 10/19/23

Usually the first Tuesday of odd-numbered months

  January 17
  March 7
  May 2
  July 13
  September 5
  November 15

  

Contact Us

 
  E-mail:    
 
President    Anne Swaim
Awards Jerry Thurn
Conservation Andy Mason
The Kingbird Shai Mitra
Membership Pat Aitken / Joan Collins
Nominations Anne Swaim (Chair)
Bob Adamo
Charlie Scheim
   
NY Birders Dan Miller
NYSARC
(Avian Records Comm.)
Mike McBrien
NYSYBC
(Young Birders Club)
Rosanne Vinson
Publicity Brian Dugan
Research Greg Lawrence
Subscriptions Pat Aitken
Website Carena Pooth
 

 

USPS:

NYSOA, Inc.
P.O. Box 25
Long Lake, NY 12847 


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