American Birding Association
The American Birding Association (ABA) is a non-profit organization of people interested in birding. Membership is open to all, but many of its publications and programs have historically been aimed at birders who like making difficult field identifications and finding rare species. In more recent years, however, the ABA membership has drawn more broadly from the entire range of birders. The ABA supports competitive birding by, among other things, encouraging members to submit the numbers of species they've observed—in their lifetime, in the current year, or in one day, for various regions—and publishing the numbers annually.
The ABA publishes Birding, its bimonthly magazine; North American Birds, a seasonal "journal of record" for North American birdlife; Winging It, a bimonthly newsletter for members; and A Bird's-Eye View, a youth-oriented newsletter.
The ABA also promulgates a "Code of Birding Ethics" to protect birds, the environment, and property owners from over-eager birders. It offers educational programs for both young people and adults. Its for-profit subsidiary, ABA Sales, sells such things as bird guides and binoculars. In recent years, it has widened its mission to include conservation.