The Hummingbird Society

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The Hummingbird Society is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the understanding and conservation of hummingbirds. It was founded in 1996 by Dr. H. Ross Hawkins, who continues today as its Executive Director. The Society's offices are currently at 6560 Highway 179, Suite 204, Sedona, Arizona USA. Members can be found in all U.S. states and over twenty other countries.

Currently the Society has partnership Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with Oikonos and The Hummingbird Conservancy for its efforts to protect the Juan Fernández Firecrown (JFF) Sephanoides fernandensis in Chile and the Colorful Puffleg Eriocnemis mirabilis in Colombia. A pending MOU will also establish a partnership with a nonprofit organization in Honduras to protect the Honduran Emerald, Amazilia luciae.

The Society is funded primarily by memberships (individual, business, and corporate) and donations. In 2006, however, a new avenue of funding was opened through one of its corporate sponsors, Clos LaChance Winery, of San Martin, California USA. Beginning that year, they introduced a new red wine in their Hummingbird Series, dedicating that year's vintage to a Critically Endangered hummingbird species. This raised nearly $20,000 for the JFF, the first species chosen. In 2007 they introduced the second wine, dedicated to the Honduran Emerald, which is still being sold as of 4 March 2008. This will be a continuing effort.

[edit] External links

• The home page of the Hummingbird Society
• the home page of The Hummingbird Conservancy
• the home page of Oikonos