Ornithological Society of New Zealand
A New Zealand nonprofit organisation that advances bird study, observation, conservation knowledge, and public appreciation of birds and their habitats.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Ornithological Society of New Zealand (OSNZ), commonly known as Birds New Zealand or BirdsNZ, is a nonprofit organisation devoted to the study and enjoyment of birds, especially within New Zealand and the wider South Pacific region. Its membership spans professional ornithologists, researchers, conservation practitioners, experienced birdwatchers, and people with a general interest in native and migratory birds. The organisation combines scientific publishing, citizen science, field observation, public education, archival work, and collaboration with other bodies concerned with bird conservation. The society emerged from discussions held in 1938 and 1939 and was formally established at an inaugural general meeting on 24 May 1940. The meeting was chaired by ornithologist Robert Falla at Canterbury Museum. The organisation later became an incorporated body in January 1953, providing a formal institutional structure for its continuing publications, membership activities, and research programmes. OSNZ's work is built around recording and interpreting bird distribution, behaviour, habitat use, and population trends. It encourages members to observe birds systematically and to submit records that can support regional and national knowledge. A major expression of this role is the New Zealand Bird Atlas, a nationwide citizen-science programme that uses observations from participants across the country to document the presence and distribution of bird species. A project to produce the fourth update of the atlas was launched at the society's 2019 annual conference. Publishing has been central to the society since its early years. Its quarterly peer-reviewed journal, Notornis, has appeared since 1943 and focuses on ornithological research relating to New Zealand and the South Pacific. The society also publishes a quarterly member and public information magazine now called Birds New Zealand, formerly Southern Bird. In addition, it maintains and updates the Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand, a reference work whose first edition appeared in 1953 and whose fifth edition was published in 2022. The society provides a meeting point for amateur and professional ornithologists through an annual conference. The conference typically includes research presentations, discussion of current ornithological and conservation issues, and field trips that connect formal study with practical observation. OSNZ also supports the preservation and circulation of ornithological information through its library, publications, archives, and records of bird observations. Its stated objectives include promoting the study of birds and their habitats, increasing public knowledge and enjoyment of birds, disseminating observation and research results, cooperating with organisations with similar aims, and supplying information that can contribute to sound conservation and management decisions. The organisation is therefore positioned less as a commercial consumer brand than as a specialist scientific, educational, and membership-based institution. Its public identity increasingly uses Birds New Zealand and BirdsNZ, while the formal name Ornithological Society of New Zealand remains associated with its institutional history and legal identity.
History
The Ornithological Society of New Zealand was formed during a period when New Zealand bird study was becoming more organised and systematic. Preliminary discussions took place in 1938 and 1939 among people interested in creating a national body for ornithological research, observation, and communication. The society was formally established at an inaugural general meeting on 24 May 1940 at Canterbury Museum. Robert Falla chaired the meeting and became its founding president. Among the early participants were figures including Geoffrey Armstrong Buddle and Graham Turbott, who helped establish the society's place within New Zealand's developing ornithological community. From the beginning, the organisation was intended to serve more than a narrow professional membership. Its objectives included encouraging the study of birds and their habitat use, promoting public enjoyment and knowledge, circulating observations and research findings, and cooperating with organisations pursuing related objectives. This combination of scientific and participatory aims allowed the society to connect museum and academic ornithology with field observation by interested members throughout the country. The society became an incorporated body in January 1953. That formalisation supported the continuity of its publications, membership administration, library, archives, and national programmes. The same year also saw the first edition of the Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand, which developed into an important reference for species records and taxonomic information. The checklist has subsequently been revised, with the fifth edition appearing in 2022. Publication has remained one of the society's defining activities. Notornis, its quarterly peer-reviewed journal, has been published since 1943. The journal provides a specialist outlet for research on birds in New Zealand and the South Pacific. Alongside it, the society publishes a quarterly magazine for members and the wider birdwatching community. This publication was formerly titled Southern Bird and is now called Birds New Zealand, reflecting the organisation's public-facing identity as Birds New Zealand or BirdsNZ. The society's activities expanded beyond publishing into coordinated national recording. Its New Zealand Bird Atlas uses observations made by participants around the country to document bird presence and distribution. The programme exemplifies the society's role in citizen science: observations made by volunteers can be assembled into a structured national resource useful to researchers, conservation organisations, land managers, and public agencies. Work on the fourth update of the atlas was launched at the society's 2019 annual conference. Annual conferences have provided another continuing institution. They bring together amateur and professional ornithologists to present findings, discuss developments, and participate in field trips. Through these meetings, the society supports exchange between people with different levels of formal training but a shared interest in New Zealand birds. The organisation has also maintained recognition and community traditions. Its Robert Falla Memorial Award honours people who have made a significant contribution both to the society and to New Zealand ornithology. Former leaders and notable members have included Brian Douglas Bell and Kerry-Jayne Wilson, while Robert Falla remains associated with the society's founding history. Today, OSNZ operates as a nonprofit scientific and conservation-oriented membership organisation. Its activities encompass peer-reviewed research, public communication, bird recording, reference publishing, conferences, archives, and support for informed bird management. Although it is not a commercial brand in the conventional sense, Birds New Zealand and BirdsNZ function as public identities for an institution whose work links specialist ornithology with public participation and long-term conservation knowledge.
- 2022
Fifth checklist edition published
[1]The fifth edition of the national bird checklist was published.
- 2019
Fourth Bird Atlas update launched
[1]The fourth update of the New Zealand Bird Atlas was launched at the society's annual conference.
- 1953
Incorporation and first bird checklist
[1]The society became incorporated, and the first edition of the Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand was published.
- 1943
Notornis begins publication
[1]The society's quarterly peer-reviewed ornithological journal began publication.
- 1940
Society formally established
[1]The organisation was established at an inaugural meeting chaired by Robert Falla at Canterbury Museum on 24 May.
- 1938
Preliminary formation discussions begin
[1]Initial discussions were held about creating a national organisation devoted to New Zealand ornithology.
Products and positioning
A specialist, membership-based scientific and conservation organisation connecting professional ornithology with community birdwatching and citizen science in New Zealand.
Peer-reviewed journal · 1943
Notornis
Notornis is the society's quarterly peer-reviewed scientific journal. Published since 1943, it focuses on ornithological research concerning New Zealand and the South Pacific, providing a formal channel for studies, records, and analysis relating to regional bird biology and conservation.
Quarterly magazine
Birds New Zealand
Birds New Zealand is the society's quarterly news and membership magazine. Formerly known as Southern Bird, it communicates ornithological information and society activities to members and interested readers, complementing the more technical focus of Notornis.
Citizen-science programme
New Zealand Bird Atlas
The New Zealand Bird Atlas is a nationwide recording project that gathers observations from participants across the country to map bird presence and distribution. It mobilises both experienced observers and wider membership participation, creating a resource for research, monitoring, and conservation planning.
Reference publication · 1953
Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand
This reference series records the recognised birds of New Zealand and provides a standard resource for ornithological work. Its first edition was published in 1953, followed by later revisions including the fifth edition in 2022.
Recent events
- 2022
Fifth edition of the Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand published[1]
Other
The society published the fifth edition of its Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand, extending a reference series that began in 1953.
- 2019
Fourth New Zealand Bird Atlas project launched[1]
Other
The society launched work on the fourth update of the New Zealand Bird Atlas at its annual conference, continuing its long-running nationwide programme of bird-distribution recording through observer contributions.
Sources2 sources
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