Founded in 1858, the British Ornithologists' Union aims to promote the science of ornithology within the wider scientific and birdwatching communities. This email group is designed to encourage the discussion of scientific research amongst ornithologists of all kinds and to provide a noticeboard for meetings, jobs etc. within the ornithological community. It is not intended to provide a forum for rare bird sightings, there are many other excellent sites that already do this.