South Australian Ornithological Association

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The South Australian Ornithological Association (SAOA), also known as Birds SA, is an Australian birding organisation based in Adelaide, South Australia. It was founded in Adelaide in 1899 and is the oldest birding association in Australasia, pre-dating the founding of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union by two years.

In the late 1950s a schism in the membership became apparent. On one side were those who urged for greater legislative protection for rare avicultural species, such as parrots and finches. On the other were people, including many aviculturists, who felt threatened by a proposal they saw would bring greater control over their hobby - and for those in the avicultural trade, their livelihoods. Eventually, after three stacked meetings in which control of the Association swung between one side and the other, a poll of the membership reflected the mood for enhanced protection and the avicultural lobby was defeated. Subsequently, some members broke away from the SAOA and formed the Adelaide Ornithologists Club in 1960.

The SAOA publishes a journal, the South Australian Ornithologist as well as the Birds SA Newsletter. It holds regular monthly meetings and conducts field trips for members. The logo of the SAOA is the Chestnut-breasted Whiteface, a rare and localised species which is endemic to South Australia.

[edit] References

Collier, Roger; Hatch, John; Matheson, Bill; & Russell, Tony. (Eds). (2000). Birds, Birders and Birdwatching. A celebration of one hundred years of the South Australian Ornithological Association. SAOA: Adelaide. ISBN 0959514228
Robin, Libby. (2001). The Flight of the Emu: a hundred years of Australian ornithology 1901-2001. Melbourne University Press: Carlton. ISBN 0-522-84987-3