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
OFO Merchandise
Bird of the Year and more
Check out the variety of merchandise at OFO Redbubble store showcasing current and past Bird of the Year artwork, OFO’s classic Pileated Woodpecker and the Birding Buddies Red-breasted Nuthatch.
Statement on Safety
OFO is committed to fostering a safe and welcoming organization that is free of discrimination and harassment.
OFO’s 2023 statement on safety in the Ontario birding community can be found on the EDI webpage.
OFO Birding Buddies
We are excited to introduce OFO Birding Buddies! Do you ever travel to parts of the province that you are not familiar with and wish that you could talk to local birders to get their advice on how to bird the area? Or even better, find someone local to go birding with? OFO Birding Buddies will provide you with contact info for OFO members across Ontario who are willing to provide you with that advice or take you out birding. When you join or renew your OFO membership this year, you’ll have the option being a part of OFO Birding Buddies by providing your general location, contact info, and a short description of the assistance you’re able to provide for other OFO members that are visiting your area.
Login here to find your OFO Birding Buddies, update your profile, donate, and register for field trips.
Cheat Sheets for Birding I.D.
After taking a 101 Birding course in 2019 with Anthony Kaduck, newbie bird nerd Jenny Newton initially had difficulty identifying small birds because she just didn’t know the differences between sparrows, warblers and others.
So she decided to create a Perch Bird Cheat Sheet for Ontario birds sorted by colour and size. It worked for her!! Today, there are 17 cheat sheets of Ontario birds (e.g. ducks, owls) all with photos sourced from Macaulay Library available for both learning and as a refresher.
Just follow this link to download them.
Enabled Birding
Help make birding for EveryBody!
Ontario Field Ornithologists and Birds Canada, with the help of Toronto Ornithological Club, and have teamed up to create an interactive map featuring the accessibility details of nine great Ontario birding sites.
Click here for more detail and the latest update.
Upcoming Trips and Webinars
January 1, 2000: OFO Rare Bird Ambassador Sign Up
February 14, 2026: Public Event: Winter Birds in Smooth Rock Falls
February 21, 2026: Haldimand and Norfolk Counties
February 22, 2026: Amherst Island
March 4, 2026: A Sampling of Birding Destinations in Ontario -- Online Meeting
Recent Photos
There are new photos of Rough-legged Hawk, Snowy Owl, Barred Owl, Northern Hawk Owl and Great Gray Owl in the current gallery.
There are new photos of Trumpeter Swan, American Coot, Rough-legged Hawk, Snowy Owl, Barred Owl, Northern Hawk Owl and Great Gray Owl in the checklist gallery.
Recent Trips
There are recent trips reports for Detroit River, Toronto Lakeshore Winter Trip, Peterborough County, Toronto Lakeshore and Toronto Lakeshore on the current trip reports page.
OFO is generously sponsored by
Ontario Field Ornithologists © 1984. All photographs on the site © the photographer.