RT27: Ornithology education

¹University of California, Davis, USA, e-mail ehiversen@ucdavis.edu; ²Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation-Ornithology Section, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, e-mail jonb@rom.on.ca

Iversen, E. & Barlow, J.C. 1999. Ornithology education. In: Adams, N.J. & Slotow, R.H. (eds) Proc. 22 Int. Ornithol. Congr., Durban: 3211. Johannesburg: BirdLife South Africa.

Ornithology is taught in a large number of universities world-wide but is not often covered in primary or secondary schools when children are most likely to develop an interest in science. This round table will examine ways in which ornithology can be presented to both students and the general public by formal and non-formal methods. Non-formal methods include museum programs, displays at zoological gardens, television programs and display at public events such as fairs. The more exposure people of all ages have to the importance of birds the more they will appreciate them and be willing to take measures to conserve them.