One of the best ways for you to begin birding is to find other enthusiasts that can help you along as you start out. Birders are almost always willing to help you out and share their knowledge and tricks of the trade. If you don't personally know anyone who is into birding there are many resources available to help you find local birders. You can first see if there is a local Audubon society nearby, this can be done by visiting their web site at audubon or calling. It's very likely that there a local chapter in your area. If you don't find one through the Audubon Society you can also try local bird clubs or nature centers or visit birding.com to see if there are any organizations in your area.



The National Audubon Society

The National Audubon Society is a non-profit organization whose mission is to "conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity." The Audubon Society is over 100 years old with its origins dating to the 1900's being one of the oldest organizations of the kind. The Audubon Society has not only helped preserve many habitats, but has also been a guiding influence in legislation throughout the years.

Many acts have been brought to the attention of legislation as well as passed due to the influence of the Audubon Society. In 1918 the Migratory Bird Treaty act was passed by President Wilson which put in place the protection of migratory birds. In 1964 President Lyndon Johnson passed the Wilderness Act that set aside 9 million acres of protected wilderness. This was a major factor to protect wildlife habitats from the increasing population that threatened such areas. In 1973 the Endangered Species Act was passed by President Nixon. The Endangered Species Act allowed for the conservation of species on the brink of extinction. All these acts passed were a telling of the efforts put forth by the Audubon Society. Without their continuous determination throughout the last 100 years, many of the species we enjoy today would have tragically disappeared from the earth.

Preservation of animal habitats is not an easy task to accomplish, especially with the ever growing population and destruction of many natural habitats around the world. The Audubon Society recognized the need to rally their efforts into the protection of all animal species. In 1947 the Everglades National Park was established encompassing thousands of miles in the central Florida area. Protecting the Everglades has been a continuous battle for the Audubon. In 1974 the Lillian Annette Rowe Bird Sanctuary was opened in south central Nebraska becoming a home to many migratory birds such as the beautiful Whooping Crane. This sanctuary is actually owned and operated by the National Audubon Society. These are just a few of the victories of the Audubon in establishing habitats for our wildlife to continue on and prosper in; they continue in their fight for wildlife daily.