American Birding Association

American Birding Association
Abbreviation	ABA
Formation	1968
Purpose	"Inspiring all people to enjoy and protect wild birds"
Headquarters	Colorado Springs, CO
President	Jeffrey A. Gordon
Website	ABA.org

The American Birding Association (ABA) is a non-profit organization of people interested in birding. Membership is open to all. Originally, many of its publications and programs were aimed at birders who like making difficult field identifications and finding rare species, but in more recent years, the ABA membership has drawn more broadly from the entire range of birders. Reflecting this, the topics in its publications are equally diverse.

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 maintains a multi-authored blog.

ABA's youth program encourages young birders by sponsoring youth teams in birding competitions, providing scholarships to birding camps, and hosting The Eyrie, a youth-oriented blog.

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 young people. Its for-profit ABA Sales partners sell such things as bird guides and binoculars. In recent years, it has widened its mission to include conservation.

The ABA produces an annual publication of interested members' birding lists. The annual Big Day and List Report includes rankings of the total number of species ever recorded by an individual (a lifelist), as well as the number recorded over one calendar year (a big year), in one day (a big day), or for various regions.

The Ludlow Griscom Award, presented by the ABA, is considered birding's highest honor.^{[citation needed]}

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