About the Tennessee Ornithological Society
The Tennessee Ornithological Society is an independent, non-profit, educational and scientific organization devoted to the study and conservation of birds. Our members encourage the study of bird life, to record such findings and to spread our interest among others. The TOS Constitution was last amended April 30, 2011.
History
The TOS was founded October 7, 1915
when six professional
men, all amateur
ornithologists, met at Faucon's French
Restaurant
in Nashville. A historical
marker commemorates the founding.
Click
image to enlarge.
Chapters
Our organization is a federation of eleven chapters which hold
regular
meeting and field trips.
Meetings
Statewide meetings of the society are held in early May and October or November.
The meetings are scheduled in various parts of the state, so that members may
become aquainted with the habitat and rich bird life of Tennessee as well as to
have an occasional meeting near home.
Activities
TOS members have been active as a society with regular events since the beginning.
Our annual efforts include the Summer Foray which is held in June, the annual
autumn hawk counts, spring and fall bird counts, winter raptor surveys, and the
annual Christmas counts.
Publications
Our quarterly journal of ornithology, The Migrant, was first published in
June 1930 to "record and encourage the study of birds in Tennessee."
It is on file in many libraries, museums, and educational institutions throughout
the world. It includes not only full-length articles about study projects and
findings, but also regular features. Some of the features include notes detailing
unusual bird sightings, seasonal reports, count results, and book reviews. The
Tennessee Warbler is a semi-annual newsletter with information about spring and
fall meetings, chapter news, and announcements of special projects. Local chapters
also publish newsletters with details of local meetings, field trips, and bird
sightings.
Projects
Each year our members take part in numerous projects. TOS members recently
carried out the Tennessee Breeding Bird Atlas Project, in which they systematically
surveyed breeding birds across Tennessee. That effort established a record of
the distribution and relative abundance of the breeding bird species in Tennessee
and is now available as The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Tennessee.
We cooperate with other organizations in various projects, including The Audubon Christmas Bird Count, the National Wildlife Federation Mid-Winter Eagle Survey, hawk migration monitoring in conjunction with the Hawk Migration Association of North America, and shorebird monitoring in association with Manomet Bird Observatory. Individual members also conduct annual roadside counts as part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Breeding Bird Survey; band birds under the North American bird banding program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; conduct point counts for the Partners in Flight avian monitoring project and establish and monitor Bluebird Trails and Purple Martin Colonies.
Membership
Our membership includes hundreds of people engaged in all aspects of bird
study at all levels - from back yard birders to professional biologists. TOS has
an "esprit de corps" which encompasses all ages. We have never endeavored
to become a large organization, but we do seek members who by reason of their
love of birds and nature, or through their scientific inclinations, can be expected
to sustain these interests through TOS.
To become a member of the Tennessee Ornithological Society and receive the quarterly
journal, The Migrant, and the three-times a year newsletter The Tennessee
Warbler, please contact a chapter in your area for affiliation or join as
an At Large member. State membership rates are as follows:
Individual $ 18
Family $ 22
Sustaining Member $ 30
U.S.
Library or Institution $ 25
Non-U.S. Library or Institution $ 35
Life
Member $ 450
If you wish to join as an At Large member, send a check for the
desired membership level to:
Tennessee Ornithological Society
Attn.:
N. P. McWhirter
P.O. Box 22682
Memphis, TN 38122
Inquiries about membership may be directed to:
Treasurer Mac McWhirter at treasurer@tnbirds.org
Questions about manuscripts for The Migrant may be directed to:
Editor David Aborn at David-Aborn@utc.edu.
Send subscriptions & address changes for The Migrant to:
Tennessee Ornithological
Society
Attn: N. P. McWhirter
P.O. Box 22682
Memphis, TN
38122
Request Back Issues of
The Migrant from:
Treasurer Mac McWhirter at treasurer@tnbirds.org
Address any other questions to President Ron Hoff. Please mention that you saw this on the Tennessee Ornithological Society's Website.
Officers
for 2011-2013
President:
Ron Hoff, 282 Hackworth Lane, Clinton, TN 37716; (865) 435-4547; email: aves7000@bellsouth.net.
Vice
Presidents:
East Tenn. - Richard P. Lewis, 407 V. I. Ranch Rd., Bristol, TN 37620; email: mountainbirds@gmail.com
Middle Tenn. - Danny Shelton, 705 Countrywood Dr. Franklin, TN 37064; email: dashell@comcast.net
West Tenn. - Van Harris, 7790 Deer Lake Dr. Millington, TN 38053; email: shelbyforester1223@bigrivernet
Directors-at-Large:
East Tenn. - Tony King, 110 Lee Drive, Lenoir City, Tn 37771; email: kingttony@aol.com
Middle Tenn. - Daniel Moss, 1028 Ironworkers Road, Clarksville, TN 37043; email: dmoss5@earthlink.net
West
Tenn. - Donna Ward, 220 Georgia Ave., McKenzie, TN 38201, (901)352-2391; email: wardd9@gmail.com
Curator: Charles (Chuck) P. Nicholson, P.O. Box 402, Norris, TN 37828-0402, (865) 405-7948; email: cpnicholson53@gmail.com
Assistant Curator: Ron Hoff, 282 Hackworth Lane, Clinton, TN 37716; (865) 435-4547; email: aves7000@bellsouth.net
Secretary: Cyndi Routledge, 1515 N. Willow Bend Ct. Clarksville, TN 37043; email: routledges@bellsouth.net
Treasurer: N. P. McWhirter, P.O. Box 22682, Memphis, TN 38122; (901)682-2355; email: treasurer@tnbirds.org
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