About the Ornithology Exchange

The Ornithology Exchange (OE) is an online community of individuals and organizations interested in ornithology, the scientific study of birds, maintained and managed by the Ornithological Council. 

Mission

Our mission is to advance the field of ornithology by facilitating the timely sharing and discussion of information about basic and applied research, teaching, conservation, and the workings of the professional societies devoted to these activities.

Support

OE is a collaborative effort involving the support of many ornithological societies and related organizations. In 2023, OE is being supported by the Ornithological Council and the Wilson Ornithological Society. 

How the site works

Here at OE we figure the best way to accomplish our mission is to get out of the way and let our members decide what information is worth sharing. The result is a site full of content created by ornithologists, for ornithologists. The types of content on found OE include (but are not limited to):

• News & Announcements. Members, including representatives from many ornithological societies, post up-to-date news and announcements about everything from upcoming meetings to grants and awards.
• Advances in ornithology. Members discuss advances in the field
• Requests for information. Members ask their colleagues questions about field or lab methods, permits,
• Requests for assistance. Members ask for help resighting banded birds, obtaining PDFs of articles, etc. Students ask for help designing research projects or finding study sites.
• Job Announcements. Members post job announcements for positions involving work with birds.

The site offers a variety of means for sharing and discussion, including the following:

• Forums. Members post, follow, read, and reply to topics that interest them.
• Articles. Similar to forum topics, but longer and of more general interest to members. Interested members may write articles, and moderators can also promote forum topics to articles or copy articles posted on external websites.

Access to the site

Access to the site is built on a tiered system.

1. Anyone may browse the site, read the latest news or job announcements, or post a job.
2. Members (registration is free) can join Groups, edit their job posts, and browse the member list.
3. Members who are also members in a participating ornithological society can create and manage public or private groups with their own forums and other content.

The tiered access to the site is designed to encourage membership in the societies that fund the site, to protect the privacy of members, and to ensure that only relevant content is posted. For more information, see Join or Renew Your Society Membership.

Prohibited content

Advertising and other commercial content is prohibited. Product reviews and recommendations may be posted only by those who have no association, financial or otherwise, with the manufacturer or seller of the product or service.

Get involved

We rely on our members for generating content and maintaining the site. If you like the site and want to help us accomplish our mission, consider getting more involved in the site. It's a great way for aspiring ornithologists to connect with people and learn about the field, for early professionals to stay up-to-date on what's going on, and for established members to give back to the ornithological community. Consider volunteering to help maintain part of the site or moderate one of the forums. Contact a member of the administrative team today.