The Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) provides a forum for birders throughout the state to meet and share information on bird identification, biology, population status, and birding sites. Membership is open to all persons interested in birds and birding.
WOS is a non-profit organization under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code.
WOSNews
Our quarterly newsletter, WOSNews, is an online publication which features member profiles, field trip summaries, Washington Field Notes, and much more.
Washington Birds
WOS has published 13 editions of Washington Birds, a scholarly journal, every several years. No further editions are contemplated, but all 13 are available for reading or download on this website.
A Birder’s Guide to Washington
WOS members authored the authoritative 613-page bird-finding guide for Washington State. The revised second edition, published in 2015, is available for free online.
Monthly Meetings
WOS once held in-person monthly programs, open to all, not just WOS members. Since the COVID pandemic, however, most meetings are presented over Zoom; a few are in person at the Center for Urban Horticulture on the University of Washington Seattle Campus. . Meetings are on the first Monday of each month except July, August, and September, Please see the Monthly Meetings page for details.
Field Trips
Birding field trips for members are many months of the year to many different areas in the state.
Annual Conference
The WOS Annual Conference, open to all members, is held in a different part of the state each year and occasionally in Oregon. It includes speakers, workshops, and field trips.
Washington Bird Records Committee
WOS sponsors the Washington Bird Records Committee, which maintains the official state bird list and the birding records that substantiate it.
WOS Online
WOS has an online presence beyond this website, featuring social media, video presentations from our monthly meetings, archives of a Washington state birding listserve, and a free online version of a 613-page birding site guide for Washington State.
Tweeters Archives
WOS hosts the archives of the birding-related listserv for Washington State called Tweeters. The tens of thousands of messages since 1994 up to the year before the current year are searchable and browsable.