North American ornithology in transition.

There are a large number of ornithological societies in North America, some dating back to the 1880s. Although they differ in part by history, region, scientific approach and taxonomic focus, many of the memberships overlap and the societies are increasingly holding joint meetings. The largest of these is the North American Ornithological Conference (NAOC). Since 1994, NAOCs have convened roughly every 4 years in Missoula, St Louis, New Orleans and Veracruz. The most recent was the 5th North American Ornithological Conference (NAOC-V), a joint meeting of nine ornithological societies from Canada, the USA and Mexico, and the first NAOC to be held in Canada. With nearly 1500 registrants from 25 countries, the conference presented an opportunity for substantial exchange of ideas in research and in how to organize ornithological societies in the coming years. Several unifying elements were apparent throughout the sessions and workshops.