COG is active in promoting birds and their appreciation in the ACT at all levels, from the casual birdwatcher to serious ornithological research and conservation. Our activities and services include…
Monthly meetings
COG at the coast – on a recent pelagic trip
All our meetings include informative and entertaining talks by experts: local, national and from overseas. Meetings are friendly and informal, providing excellent opportunities for members to exchange information and seek advice from the more expert or experienced.
Field trips
Regular outings are held in places of birding interest in and around the Canberra region. These are ideal opportunities for beginners to share the bird watching experience and to learn from others in the field. Weekend (or longer) expeditions to more remote destinations are held at least twice a year.
Publications
COG members receive our journal, Canberra Bird Notes, which contains contributions by COG members on the local bird scene. Gang-gang, our monthly newsletter, keeps members up to date with meetings, outings and other news. Other irregular publications include a CD of bird calls and song and the well known book, Birds of Canberra Gardens.
Surveys and data collation
COG conducts a wide variety of surveys covering birds of Canberra’s gardens, and lakes and bushland in the Canberra region. Surveys not only provide a useful focus for bird watching, but produce important information on which conservation policies can be based. The preservation of Mulligan’s Flat nature reserve is a good example of how survey information has influenced government policy.
COG maintains a database of bird sightings which is used by researchers and club members.
Website
The website you are looking at provides members with a wealth of information about birds in our local area, the places you might find them, and how to find and identify birds. A large photo gallery is a popular source of information and identification assistance to members. Details of COG’s conservation work and most of COG’s publications are also available here.
Email Discussion List
COG is represented at local festivals and open days
COG has an email announcement and discussion list for members and friends of COG: ‘Canberra Birds’, sometimes referred to as the ‘Chatline‘. As a forum for general bird discussion it complements other communication channels and can be used for anything bird or COG-related: to share interesting birding observations; bird identification or other requests for information; quick feedback on Good Ideas; news from the Committee; comments on birding books or referral to interesting web items; and so on.
Specific conservation work
COG actively promotes the conservation of woodland birds and their habitats. COG provides its bird data for conservation related purposes, responds to draft government strategies, policies and plans, makes submissions on development matters such as environmental assessments, and works through the Conservation Council for the SE Region and Canberra which lobbies governments for better environmental outcomes.