British Ornithologists' Union
The British Ornithologists' Union (BOU) aims to encourage the study of birds ("ornithology") around the world in order to understand their biology and aid their conservation. The BOU was founded in 1858 by Professor Alfred Newton, Henry Baker Tristram and other scientists. Its quarterly journal, Ibis, has been published continuously since 1859. The Records Committee (BOURC) is a committee of the BOU established to maintain the British List, the official list of birds recorded in Great Britain. BOU is headquartered in Peterborough and is a registered charity in England & Wales and Scotland. Objectives and activities Publishes Ibis as a leading international journal of ornithological science. Organizes a program of meetings and conferences. Awards grants and bursaries for ornithological research. Encourages liaison between those actively engaged in ornithological research. Provides a representative body of the scientific community able to provide ornithological information and advice to the government and other policy makers. Maintains and publishes the official list of birds recorded in Britain – The British List. Records committee The British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee (BOURC) is the recognized national bird records committee for Britain. It maintains a list of birds in Britain. Its findings are published in Ibis, the house