News - Wisconsin Society for Ornithology

The Feminist Bird Club: An Inclusive Space for Birding

WSO’s Membership Committee is highlighting its members. If you would like the WSO membership to know about a bird-related activity or project you’re involved in, please email Membership Chair Mary Murrell at membership@wsobirds.org WSO member Jenn Schneiderman is a co-leader of the Madison chapter of the Feminist Bird Club. Jenn is a masters student in wildlife ecology at UW-Madison,... Read More

A Salute to the 2019 BIGBY Birding Champions

-By Wendy Schultz (WSO BIGBY Birding Coordinator)- WSO would like to congratulate ALL of Wisconsin’s BIGBY birders for the many MILES they put on their bikes and their feet, and for the birds they found, photographed and eBirded. They can be proud of their accomplishments. Here are the 2019 Champion BIGBY birders and their stories: Our 2019 FIRST PLACE CHAMPION is Steve Thiessen from... Read More

Golden-crowned Sparrow Makes Rare Appearance in Wisc.

-By Mark Korducki- The mild weather continued through February but it was snowier than January. A snowfall early in the month produced a rare visit from a Golden-crowned Sparrow at a Richland County feeder. This bird was seen on two occasions during a week but was very shy. There are only a handful of previous records of this colorful western sparrow. Susan Reed of Richland County... Read More

World Migratory Bird Day focuses on bird-tracking technologies

By Susan Bonfield Director, Environment for the Americas In 2009, scientists captured a Whimbrel in coastal Virginia, an important stopover site for the species. When the bird, a female nicknamed Hope, was released, she carried a satellite transmitter that provided details about her future travels. Shuttling between breeding grounds in northwestern Canada and a wintering site in the Virgin... Read More

New name, logo, energy and IBA project for bird partnership

A state bird organization is entering 2020 with new energy, a new name, a new logo, a new hire and a major new project – all aimed at recapturing its role as one of the nation’s leaders in mobilizing statewide bird conservation. The Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative (WBCI) is now the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Partnership (WBCP), highlighting its structure and the mission it... Read More

Time to submit 2019 Checklist Totals

WSO annually invites its members to update their Wisconsin year and life totals, their ABA Area life totals, their BIGBY total and all of their county life totals.

But you have only until March 1 to submit them.

Submissions are now closed for 2019.

WSO invites student poster submissions for May convention

Call for Undergraduate and Graduate Student Poster Submissions WSO Annual Convention May 14-17, 2020 Two Rivers, Wisconsin The Wisconsin Society for Ornithology (WSO) invites current undergraduate and graduate students to submit poster abstracts to be considered for presentation at our 2020 WSO Convention. The convention will offer students the opportunity... Read More

Buena Vista and Necedah Field Trip Report – January 26, 2020

Tom Schultz, Field Trips co-chair As our group gathered near the Buena Vista kiosk around 8:00 AM, the temperature was fairly mild for January – about 27 degrees. There was a moderate wind out of the northwest, which brought a bit of a wind chill, but at least we weren’t dealing with severe cold. The skies were overcast, and our group numbered about 20, with... Read More

The atlasing revolution began in Wisconsin -- and Cornell and eBird say thanks

By Ian Davies eBird Project Coordinator Cornell Lab of Ornithology Five years ago, the Wisconsin birding community went out on a limb — and forever changed bird atlasing. Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas II, the first dedicated eBird atlas portal, has led the way for the next generation of bird atlases. The efforts of Wisconsin birders have shown how an integrated online atlas platform can make... Read More

Milwaukee Lakeshore Field Trip Report – January 19, 2020

Tom Schultz, Field Trips co-chair Following two weather cancellations due to forecasted snow events, we finally got this field trip off! Unfortunately, the eventual date brought much colder weather, with a strong northwest wind producing a nasty, subzero wind chill. Despite the 8 degree morning temperatures, a number of us gathered at South Shore Yacht Club at 8:00 AM –... Read More

Avian cholera killed 3,800+ cormorants this fall on Green Bay

The bacterial disease avian cholera has been linked to the die-off of thousands of Double-crested Cormorants in Green Bay, according to the Wisconsin DNR. In late September, avian cholera was confirmed in cormorants submitted for necropsy to the USGS-National Wildlife Health Center in Madison. These cormorants were collected from the Cat Island causeway in Green Bay. Avian cholera is a common... Read More

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