Speaking for Scientific Ornithology

The Ornithological Council's purposes are to:

• Link the scientific community with public and private decision-makers
• Provide timely information about birds to help ensure scientifically-based decisions, policies, and management actions
• Inform ornithologists of proposals and actions that affect birds or the study of birds
• Speak for scientific ornithology on public policy issues

We need your help to accomplish our mission.  This webpage will:

• Alert you to proposed legislation and regulations that will affect birds or ornithological research
• Give you an opportunity to provide scientific information relevant to these matters
• Carry full text of the comments the Ornithological Council has submitted on various matters
• Provide news of the outcomes of these issues
  

Pending or recent matters (scroll to bottom for archives)

Note DEADLINES.  (Address requests for additional information or comments to Ellen Paul, Executive Director, at ellen.paul@verizon.net , or call (301) 986-8568.  Materials can be sent by fax to (301) 986-5205 or by mail to 8722 Preston Place, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 USA).

          To receive immediate notices of pending matters of interest to                                ornithologists, please consider subscribing to one of two listservs
          where this information is posted as soon as it is published:

OCNET-L is another source of information about legislative and regulatory developments pertaining to birds and ornithology. More information

Ornith-L is a listserv owned and managed by Jeanette Bider. A wide variety of information that is valuable to ornithologists, including the policy information posted by the Ornithological Council, is posted to this listserv. More information

PERMITS

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues final rule increasing permit fees More... (updated 11 April 2005)

• USFWS decides against consolidation of migratory bird permit operations in one central office  More ... (Most recent update April 2005)

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permits -  "vision statement" for permits program, new permits website, consolidation of permitting offices, and   More ... (Updated 17 January 2005)

• U.S. Forest Service proposes to impose fees for processing permits and monitoring permitted activity  More... (updated 17 January 2005)
  

• U.S. Forest Service issues final rule regarding exemptions to special use permits More....(final update 17 January 2005)
  
  
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service final rule on refuge use will affect research permits More... (most recent update 17 January 2005)
  
  
• Changes and improvements at the Bird Banding Lab More... (updated 23 May 2005))
  
  
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announces plan to issue "general conservation permits"  More... (final update 17 January 2005)
  

ANIMAL WELFARE ACT AND RELATED ISSUES

• USDA APHIS considering definition of word "distress" in Animal Welfare Act regulations More... (Most recent update 17 January 2005)
  
  
• Potential regulation of birds under the Animal Welfare Act More... (Most recent update 17 January 2005)
  
  
• Proposed clarification of the term "field study" in the Animal Welfare Act regulations More... (final update 17 January 2005)

OTHER REGULATIONS AND POLICIES AFFECTING RESEARCH 

• First government open access policy More... (most recent update 17 January 2005)
  

• White House Office of Management and Budget proposes peer review guidelines More... (final update 17 January 2005)
  

• White House Office of Management and Budget, federal agencies issue data quality guidelines (final update 17 January 2005)
  

BIRD CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

• Department of Defense exemption from the Migratory Bird Treaty Act More...(most recent update 17 January 2005)
  

• All about Mute Swans and other non-native species: the legal seesaw More... (most recent update 15 March 2005)
  

• Clinton signs Executive Order detailing obligations of federal agencies to comply with bird conservation laws More... (Most recent update 17 January 2005) 

• Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act More... (most recent update 17 January 2005)

• Whatever happened to Teaming with Wildlife?   More... (most recent update 18 January 2005)

Archives

PERMITS

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes new permit for bird rehabilitation activities   More ...(final update 17 January 2005)

• National Park Service plans to consolidate and streamline research permit plans More... (updated 18 June 2004)

• U.S. Bird Banding Lab announces changes to banding permit policies More... (Most recent update 22 July 2000)

OTHER REGULATIONS AND POLICIES THAT AFFECTING RESEARCH

• Freedom of Information Act now applies to all federally-funded research (final update 17 January 2005)
  

• Final federal research misconduct policy announced More... (final update 9 December 2000)

• National Park Service issues Natural Resources Action Plan More... (final update 12 August 1999)

BIRD CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues draft strategic plan for migratory birds; seeks comments More ... (final update 19 September 2003)

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues final environmental impact statement and nationwide management plan for Double-crested Cormorant More... (final 23 September 2003)

• Supreme Court invalidates Clean Water Act "migratory bird rule" More... (final update 9 January 2001)

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to develop harvest, management plans for Peregrine Falcon More... (Draft Environmental Assessment of Take of Nestlings for Falconry published 25 July 2000)

• Actions proposed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reduce the population of mid-continent light geese (Snow Geese and Ross' Geese) More... (final update 29 November 1999)

OTHER NEWS OF INTEREST TO ORNITHOLOGISTS

• President Clinton signs Executive Order to establish interagency task force to address problem of invasive, exotic species More... (final update 16 November 2000)