We hope you will join us in May for Birding the Bluffs!
The Wisconsin Society for Ornithology is pleased to present our 83rd annual convention May 15-18 in La Crosse - Onalaska at the Stoney Creek Hotel. It includes the features we have all come to love: field trips, first-day social gathering, our awards ceremony, important discussions, and a banquet followed by an engaging keynote address....
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Committees
Annual Convention
The committee organizes the annual WSO convention each spring.
Chair: Vacant convention@wsobirds.org
Awards
Chair: Wendy Schultzawards@wsobirds.org
Badger Birder Newsletter
THE BADGER BIRDER is an 11-issue per year newsletter that covers WSO events and activities, conservation issues, and other bird-related news.
Chair & Editor: Carl Schwartz...
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History of WSO
In 2019, the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology (WSO) celebrated a major milestone – our 80th anniversary as an organization. For 80 years, WSO has been one of the largest and most active ornithological organizations in the nation, and our accomplishments have been impressive. Throughout our history, we have sponsored birding field trips, hosted annual conventions, published a quarterly journal...
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Documents and Reports
The WSO's bylaws are available to the public at this link:
WSO Bylaws
The WSO operates on a fiscal year beginning January 1. Our annual report highlights key accomplishments for the previous fiscal year and provides a financial summary for the organization.
Annual Report
2022 Annual Report
Form 990s
2022 Form 990
2021 Form 990
2020 Form 990
2019 Form...
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Code of Ethics
The WSO Code of Ethics encourages birders to protect wildlife, the natural environment, and the rights of others through a set of guidelines. Recent debates over posting rare bird locations, baiting, and the general question of harassment caused WSO to update these guidelines and address those concerns. Our hope is that this revised Code of Ethics helps the Wisconsin birding community make...
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Honey Creek Preserve
Harold and Carla Kruse Honey Creek Nature Preserve
The establishment of the Honey Creek Nature Preserve is largely attributed to one individual: Harold G. Kruse. After discovering the Honey Creek valley in the 1940s, Harold vowed to preserve the incredible natural beauty of this unique place. He acted as an ambassador to the Honey Creek valley and larger Baraboo Hills region by negotiating with...
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Strategic Plan
The WSO embarked on a planning process in July 2023 to set direction and hone priorities as it continues to evolve.
Stakeholder perspectives informed the process.
A stakeholder engagement process was initiated to gather perspectives from members, volunteers, related representatives, and interested parties. Interviews were conducted with about 20 stakeholders who represented like-missioned...
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Board Members
The Wisconsin Society for Ornithology has a Board of Directors composed of five officers and up to 20 directors. Members of the Board are elected for a term of three years and may serve more than one term. The President and Vice President are limited to two one-year terms each. All Board members serve on a volunteer basis and are not compensated for their contributions to the Society.
Officers...
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About WSO
The Wisconsin Society for Ornithology is a volunteer, nonprofit organization that was established in 1939. Our mission is to promote the enjoyment, study and conservation of Wisconsin’s birds. We provide opportunities for all people to enjoy resident and migratory birds, while being a leading steward of and ambassador for Wisconsin birds. WSO sponsors birding field trips throughout the year,...
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