Memphis Chapter
Tennessee Ornithological Society
The Memphis Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society was organized in January 1930. Learn more about the history of MTOS and view a documentary about TOS which features members of the Memphis chapter past and present.
Chapter meetings are held September through May at 7:00 pm on the third Wednesday of the month at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Germantown. Meetings feature interesting programs, reports of unusual sightings, announcements of field trips and birding opportunities, plus social time. Chapter members range from the backyard birder to the professional ornithologist. Visitors and new members are always welcome! Check our monthly newsletter for more details about upcoming meetings and programs, field trips, special events, and recent bird observations.
Photo by Jay Walko
Birding field trips are scheduled several times a month to nearby areas. Favorite birding sites include the forests and fields of Shelby Farms Park in east Memphis; the upland and bottomland hardwood forests of Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park; and the sludge ponds, fields and forest of Ensley Bottoms/EARTH Complex. Scheduled trips are subject to change. Contact Martha Waldron at Martha.waldron@gmail.com for more information. Click here for Seasonal Occurrences of Shelby County Tennessee Birds.
Memphis Chapter members participate in Christmas Bird Counts and Breeding Bird Surveys, as well as several special birding and related events in the region. The Chapter has created checklists for all the major birding areas in west Tennessee, including state parks, refuges, and wildlife management areas. Over the years we have hacked bald eagles, osprey, and peregrine falcons. The Memphis Chapter has provided funding and secured grants for the acquisition of major natural areas in west Tennessee, including the more than 4,000 acre Wolf River Wildlife Management Area.
MTOS is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization whose mission includes the study of birds, conservation of habitat, and public education. Your membership donation supports these activities and is tax-deductible to the extent the law allows. Please also consider MTOS in your planned giving and estate planning.