Ornithology, << `awr` nuh THOL uh jee, >> is the scientific study of birds. It includes the description, history, and classification of birds; and their distribution, numbers, activities, ecological importance, and economic value to people. The activities of birds that ornithologists study include mating, nesting, rearing of young, feeding, flight, navigation, migration, and communication. Photography often is used to document the activities of birds, and recordings are made of their songs.
People have valued birds throughout history because of their beauty, their interesting habits, and their importance as a source of food and clothing. Many people belong to bird clubs, and a large number of amateurs participate in ornithological research. The American Ornithologists’ Union, a nonprofit educational organization, was established in 1883.
See also Bird (Bird study and protection); Audubon, John James; Audubon Society, National.
