The Ornithological Council is pleased to provide this bimonthly report covering activities in November and December 2023.
The Ornithological Council’s mission is to:
- Ensure that the best ornithological science is incorporated into legislative, regulatory, and management decisions that affect birds;
- Enhance the ability of ornithologists to pursue professional activities; and
- Promote the influence of ornithology in public affairs.
Our work focuses on animal welfare issues, permits, research funding, and other policies that affect ornithologists and ornithological societies. We greatly appreciate your support. Please contact Laura Bies with questions or concerns about this report or about any other matter of concern to your society or your society’s members.
In this time period, Ornithological Council staff:
Attended a two-day virtual workshop entitled “Effective Communication with the General Public about Scientific Research that Requires the Care and Use of Animals.” Information and materials from that workshop will be shared in the coming weeks.
Worked with USDA staff to better understand the new regulations governing the use and care of birds under the Animal Welfare Act.
Provided direct individual assistance to ornithologists who belong to OC societies regarding how to obtain the permits necessary to complete their research. During November and December, we assisted four individuals with permit issues and one individual with animal welfare issues. We also continued to assist several museums and institutions facing delays in getting their CITES COSEs renewed, after learning about these delays in August.
Posted articles and updates on the Ornithology Exchange regarding:
- COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: BLM seeking input on Gunnison Sage-grouse
- COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: Draft Barred Owl management plan released
- ABC petitions for Golden Eagle protection
- Straw-headed Bulbul moved to Appendix I of CITES
- ILAR becomes the Board on Animal Health Sciences, Conservation, and Research
- USFWS withdraws MBTA Incidental Take rule
- ABC and partners file additional claims over SpaceX launch
- U.S. Congress recesses for the holidays without a final federal budget
- APHIS completes transition to eFile system
All these updates, and more, are always available on the ‘News From the OC’ forum on Ornithological Exchange. Each time OC posts in the News from the OC forum, the link is sent to the OC society representatives to share with their networks. If your society would like these emails sent directly to someone else in your society, please let me know.
NewsBRIEF is sent to Ornithological Council member society secretaries and representatives to the OC board. We encourage you to share it with other leaders within your society. (If you received this email directly from the OC and are not a current society representative or secretary, please let me know so I can update our roster.)
Thanks for your support!
Laura Bies
Executive Director
Ornithological Council
202.905.9141
laurabiesoc@gmail.com
Providing Scientific Information about Birds
