Good-bye AOU. Hello, SFO?

via North American Birding Blog

The splits and lumps weren’t the only pressing issues voted on during the most recent American Ornithologists’ Union (AOU) meeting this past July.  A sweeping reorganization, which would in essence eliminate the AOU in name and combine the organization with a number of other pre-eminant ornithological groups, was overwhelmingly approved.  The new group, tentatively called the Society for Ornithology (SFO), would have a more hemispheric scope, focusing on not only the cutting edge research, systemics and descriptive ornithology for with the AOU was famous, but taking a greater role to promote research in bird conservation and management throughout North and South America.

The illustrious journal, The Auk, would sadly go the way of its namesake, but will be replaced by four new journals, housed at a single editorial office and appearing online monthly and in paper form quarterly.  Invitation is open to other Ornithological Society of North America members and it remains to be seen how many take the opportunity to merge with the AOU, or if this big move even makes it out of the planning stages.

No doubt for many, the potential loss of some venerable old organizations and publications conjures up the same wistful feelings as the AOU’s recent axing of beloved Dendroica, but the possibility of better coordinating research and conservation initiatives for birds of the hemisphere, seems a fascinating opportunity.

Bird people across the world will certainly be watching closely.