• New York birds are busy and so are New York bird clubs. One hosts an eco-cruise to watch winter seals and waterbirds in New York Harbor. Another holds an annual event to count the birds in the New York Botanic Garden. A look through the binoculars on that day might reveal great blue heron, sharp-shinned hawks, and great horned owls. The city has well-established bird clubs with deep historical roots and new vision. They offer a full roster of birding and conservation activities devoted equally to pleasure and science.
  
  

New York City Audubon Society

• The Audubon Society's mission is to study birds and advocate for the preservation of their habitats. The club is proactive in protecting the wild birds in the city. NYC Audubon's Harbor Herons program has paired volunteers and professional ornithologists to preserve the areas where egrets nest in marshlands and on the city's islands. Project Safe Flight has worked to solve the urban problem of birds flying into window glass. The Natural Areas Initiative battles to save 12,000 acres of bird habitat in New York and surrounding areas.
  
  New York City Audubon Society
  71 West 23rd Street
  Suite 1523
  New York, NY 10010
  (212) 691-7483
  nycaudubon.org
  
  

The Linnaean Society of New York

• The oldest of New York City's bird clubs, the Linnaean Society was founded in 1878 by a group of amateurs interested in ornithology and nature science. The club is named for Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus, who created a system for naming, ranking and classifying organisms. The Linnaean Society activities, for amateurs and professionals alike, focus on resident and migratory birds. Lectures and workshops are organized, and three publications are produced. Local birding walks are on the roster with field trips and field projects sponsored in the area.
  
  The Linnaean Society of New York
  15 West 77th St.
  New York, NY 10024
  info@linnaeannewyork.org
  linnaeannewyork.org
  
  

New York Bird Club

• The New York Bird Club offers bird and nature walks throughout the year in the metropolitan New York area. A newcomer among New York bird clubs, it was founded in 2003. It is committed to reducing the harm caused by holding birds in captivity, believing they should live in their natural wild state. The club runs a bird rescue and adoption service. Conserving the natural habitat for birds is also part of the mission. Toward that end, the club has organized National Pigeon Day (June 14).
  
  New York Bird Club
  P.O. Box 6231
  New York, NY 10128
  (212) 369-1293
  manhattanbirdclub.com