Welcome

Founded in 1923, the Kentucky Ornithological Society (KOS) strives to create and increase interest in Kentucky birds, and to support bird conservation.

KOS members participate in field trips and bird counts, attend spring and fall meetings, and report sightings online. Members receive the quarterly publication, The Kentucky Warbler.

We invite you to explore this website to find out about our many resources and activities for Kentucky birders.

Become A KOS Member

If you are not already a member, please consider supporting KOS by becoming a member today. Benefits include:

Your membership helps KOS with its mission to support birds, birding and conservation in Kentucky.
Members receive four issues of our newsletter The Kentucky Warbler each year.
Two KOS meetings are held each year a year at a prime Kentucky birding location and all members are invited to attend.

And best of all, being a KOS member is fun! KOS is an inclusive organization and we welcome all people as members and guests. Please join us!!

Donate to KOS

Please consider donating to one or more of our endowment funds for ornithology-related research, conservation and education. Donations to KOS support our mission of promoting birds, birding and conservation in Kentucky.

Your donation can be directed to the area of most need — we will apply your donation where it is needed — or you can select specific funds that you want to support.

Donate now!

Apply for a grant from KOS

KOS offers grants from four endowment funds. Grants are avalable to help fund:

Educational programs (Stamm Fund)
Basic scientific research (Monroe Fund)
Publication of research (Wilson Fund)
Fellowships and scholarships (Wilson Fund)
Support for young birders wanting to attend ABA Camps (Kingsolver Fund)

Do you want to learn more about KOS Funds and how to apply for a KOS grant? Start here!

Contact Us

For general inquiries, send an email to kos@birdky.org. If possible, your email will be directed to the appropriate party.

For communications about this website, contact webmaster@birdky.org.

More specific contact information can be found on our Contact Us page.

Updates

KOS 2025 Spring Meeting Update

Details for the next KOS spring meeting have been finalized. To find out more about the timing, location, accommodations, and group reservation code, please visit the Upcoming Meetings page.

KOS 2024 Fall Meeting Recap

The KOS Annual Meeting is complete. It took place at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park in September 2024, and a recap of the event is ready and available for perusing. The recap offers the usual highlights, including the bird quiz, the weekend bird list, and the photo album of photos taken during the weekend.

You can read the recap on the Past Meetings page.

Gordon Wilson Fund Appeal - Please Support The Kentucky Warbler

Our KOS journal, The Kentucky Warbler, costs more to produce and mail than it did when it was first created around 100 years ago! That shouldn't surprise anyone, but did you know that in most cases membership dues are not enough to cover the costs of printing and mailing copies to members? The Gordon Wilson Fund is designated to help KOS with these expenses, but funds are currently very low and donations are needed!

Please read this Gordon Wilson Fund Appeal and please consider donating if you can.

For more information:

Help Fund KOS with your Kroger Plus Card

KOS is partnering with Kroger through their Community Rewards program, to earn some extra income for our group. Anyone who shops at Kroger and has a card can register to be affiliated with KOS; they will send us a check quarterly, based on what our registered members spend in their stores.

Please visit the Donate page for more information.

Featured

Annotated Checklist of Birds

The Third Edition is available for purchase. Annotated Checklist of Birds

Eastern Crane Bulletin

The latest bulletin and archived issues are available for review. You can also visit the KY Coalition for Sandhill Cranes website for more information. Eastern Crane Bulletin