Ornithology Courses

Given that there are many tens of millions of birders worldwide, it’s really quite surprising that there are so few university undergraduate ornithology degree courses. A number of American universities, including, of course, the wonderful Cornell Lab of Ornithology, offer degree courses and beyond. In most places, ornithology will be an adjunct to a basic vertebrate zoology course. However, there are some Degree and Diploma courses and a great many certificate courses that can be taken as distant learning. An increasing focus is general environmental science, along with which conservation is taught, often focusing on birds at the top of food change or as key indicator species.

For birders, there are even fewer opportunities to learn about birds and birding in a less formal and academic way. However, very many local bird clubs, groups of the RSPB or Audubon, etc. engage speakers on a regular basis who will talk to members on an ornithological subject, and that is one way of learning as well as from one’s fellow birders. Some bird observatories offer such talks and also short courses over a number of weeks, focusing on a particular aspect of birds, birdwatching. Many also offer field trips letd by expert ornithologists.

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Those courses I know about with Websites are listed below – please let me know of any I have missed.