OFO's Rare Bird Ambassadors
OFO’s Rare Bird Ambassador plan is about empowering Ontario birders with the tools and resources needed so that they can coordinate with property owners to ensure the best outcomes for all parties.
When a rare bird appears on private property or public property where access and/or crowd control may become an issue, careful planning is required to ensure that the owner/host/property manager, birders, photographers and the bird all have a positive experience.
The goal is to promote positive relations between landowners, birders, and photographers, ultimately resulting in happy people and happy birds. Birders can still decide if they want to share sightings or not; we just hope that this makes the decision easier and spreads out the workload related to managing rare bird observations.
Find out more about this exciting program at: Finding Birds / Rare Bird Ambassadors
What to do if you have found a rare bird? Instructions for landowners and birders
Want to be a Rare Bird Ambassador? You don’t have to belong to OFO.
Find out more about being a Rare Bird Ambassador
Register to be a Rare Bird Ambassador
Photo Credit: Marsh Sandpiper by Matt Parsons
Recent Photos
There are new photos of Redhead, Snow Goose, Red-necked Phalarope and Peregrine Falcon in the current gallery.
There are new photos of Redhead, Red-necked Phalarope, Mourning Dove, Peregrine Falcon, Eastern Screech-Owl and Merlin in the checklist gallery.
Recent Trips
There are recent trips reports for Thickson's Point, Colonel Sam Smith Park, Indian River Canoe Trip, Birding Basics at Evergreen Brick Works and Ojibway Pride Bird Walk on the current trip reports page.
Upcoming Trips and Webinars
April 13, 2022: OFO Rare Bird Ambassador Sign Up
Update on OFO’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) activities
OFO embarked on its EDI journey in the fall of 2020. If you’d like to learn what we’ve been working on, here’s an update.
Registration is open for the 2022 OFO Convention
September 23 - 25, 2022, Point Pelee
Registration is now open for the 2022 OFO Convention, September 23-25, at Point Pelee and surrounding destinations. Join OFO members and guests for three days of birding, celebration and enjoyment in Point Pelee National Park and surrounding birding destinations.
On Friday night, we will once again be hosting Birds and Beers, including the famous, or should that be infamous, Bird Quiz. The Saturday Banquet and AGM is not to be missed. This year's Keynote Speaker is Merilyn Simonds, authour of Woman, Watching, a biography of Louise de Kiriline Lawrence, an early citizen scientists who retreated in midlife to a log cabin in the bush to study songbirds.
You won't want to miss this chance to find great birds, reconnect with old friends, and meet new friends along the way.
Registration will be available until Septepmber 11, 2022
Register for the convention now!
If you prefer to pay by cheque, please print this registration form, and mail it, with cheque attached to Brian Gibbon, 3269 Dobson Rd, Springwater, ON L9X 1T6.
The 2022 OFO Convention is generously sponsored by Pelee Wings.
Free First-Year Membership Offer
For those who have faced barriers to birding
Ontario Field Ornithologists invites and welcomes birders of all backgrounds and experience levels to join us! New this this year, OFO is offering a Free First Year Membership to people who have faced barriers that have prevented them from joining OFO or participating in birding.
These barriers may relate to factors including but not limited to: Financial; Gender; Language; Religion; Race; Being a Newcomer to Canada; Sexual Orientation; Disability, etc.
OFO Members enjoy:
- Being part of an inclusive community of birders of all backgrounds and levels of experience
- Ontario Birds, our journal, published three times a year in April, August and December
- OFO NEWS, our newsletter, published three times a year in February, June and October
- Over 70 field trips each year to birding spots throughout Ontario
- The Annual Convention - three days of birding and fun
- Specialized workshops to build your birding skills
Please join us!
**Questions? **Email us at diversity@ofo,ca
OFO is generously sponsored by
Ontario Field Ornithologists © 1984. All photographs on the site © the photographer.