About ABA

Mission Statement

ABA Board & Staff

History

ABOUT THE AMERICAN BIRDING ASSOCIATION

The ABA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides leadership to birders by increasing their knowledge, skills, and enjoyment of birding. We are the only organization in North America that specifically caters to recreational birders. We also contribute to bird and bird habitat conservation through our varied programs.

Learn more about birds

The ABA represents a whole range of birding interests, from identification and education to listing and conservation. We actively promote the economic and environmental values of birding, and we encourage the conservation of birds and their habitats. If it's about birding, it involves ABA.

Extend your view with ABA

• Concern for the welfare of birds lies at the core of ABA and touches everything we do. ABA is an organization that will help you to learn more about birds, develop your birding skills, and bring you together with other birders.

• Contribute to bird conservation by joining a network of people and organizations that are making a difference.

• With Institute for Field Ornithology workshops, our ABA Code of Birding Ethics, Volunteer Directory, and our involvement in habitat protection programs, ABA is working to insure that birds and birding have the future they deserve.

• Won't you join us? Birding, Winging It and the other publications and opportunities will be yours as a fellow member. We would like to increase your enjoyment of birding, and we are excited about your participation and our future together.

• Our mission is to bring even more of birding's excitement, challenge, and wonder to you.

Expand your knowledge of birds

Publications

• Birding – our full color magazine featuring articles about birdfinding, identification, conservation, and more. You'll receive six issues per year.

• Winging It – our monthly newsletter with the latest birding news, rare species page, events, and classified ads.

• North American Birds – the quarterly journal available through separate subscription, bringing you a complete overview of the changing trends in North America's birdlife.

• Big Day and List Report Supplement – a voluntary compilation of birding achievements and member life lists.

• A Bird's-Eye View – our student newsletter, mailed quarterly, has articles and artwork produced by our young members.

• ABA/Lane Birdfinding Guide Series – considered to be the best of this kind of site guide with clear, accurate directions to birding sites, excellent maps, seasonal occurrence/relative abundance bar-graphs, and specialties section.

ABA Sales

• The Birder's Catalog – Spring and Fall issues of the sales catalog feature a wide range of field guides, site guides, bird family studies, optics, tripods, birdsong recordings, videos, and birding accessories. ABA Sales is the largest mail-order business of its kind in the country. After years of working with birders in the field we have a first-hand appreciation of which scopes, binoculars, books, and other birding equipment you need. Check out the ABA Sales Online Birding Store.

Conferences and Conventions

• ABA Conventions – every year we organize a convention in an exciting birding area. Interesting workshops and field trips will help you to sharpen your birding skills.

• ABA Regional Conferences – every year we schedule a smaller conference providing opportunities for you to meet with other birders and see regions that may be new to you.