The Chemung Valley Audubon Society would like to welcome all of you to our online home. Since 1950, we have offered many opportunities and programs for people of all ages to experience, enjoy, and learn about birding in our local area. Our monthly member meetings offer bird identification workshops to help all birders learn how to better identify birds in the field. We also continue to invite a wide variety of speakers that educate the public on the many issues concerning birds and other wildlife. CVAS is committed to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in our conservation and education programs and to welcoming all who wish to work and learn with us. Any person, regardless of age, race, religion, ability, or gender identity, who is interested in wild life study, protection, and conservation may be enrolled as a member upon receipt of the first payment of dues.

Chemung Valley Audubon Society's local Saturday morning bird walks, that are lead by our statistician Bill Ostrander, are for beginners and advanced birders. All of these walks are extremely enjoyable and educational. We also take several day trips during the year such as watching songbird and raptor banding at Braddock Bay in the spring and our late summer day trip to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, where we look for a variety of gorgeous birds.

The Chemung Valley Audubon Society offers the Nature Strollers program, an engaging and fun walk for families, to nurture children’s awareness and wonder of the natural world.

Hiking and wildlife watching are good for our bodies and our sense of well-being. CVAS invites people to use the trails and to enjoy the beauty and spectacle of wild nature in the Southern Tier. “Birding is an inexpensive, healthful, always entertaining outdoor activity that heightens one’s awareness and understanding of the environment and can be done anytime, anywhere,” noted Bill Ostrander. A lifelong birder and Chemung County resident, Ostrander leads Audubon walks that help people learn about and enjoy our area’s birds.

Why do Audubon volunteers invest their time and labor to create and maintain the trails? “When working at the properties, I keep in mind our chapter’s mission to promote the study, enjoyment, and protection of birds and other wildlife,” says Conservation Chairman Brian Dugan. CVAS President Gail Norwood sums it up this way: “Audubon has a passion for education and conservation. We want to invite you, the nature-loving public, to join us and enjoy the many opportunities that we offer.”

Thank you and good birding!

Our History

The Chemung Valley Audubon Society was founded March 27, 1950, and became a member of the Federation of New York State Bird Clubs, which is now the New York State Ornithological Association. It is a chapter of the National Audubon Society and is one of 27 chapters affiliated with Audubon New York. Members of the Chemung Valley Audubon Society are fortunate to be located central to the 132 Audubon NY designated Important Bird Areas (IBA) across New York State.

Since its inception, CVAS has conducted the Annual Christmas Bird Count and monitored bird populations in the Chemung Valley of New York. From 1980 to 1985 and since 2000, CVAS has conducted the New York Breeding Bird Atlas Project for Chemung and Steuben Counties, in conjunction with the New York State Ornithological Association and the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation. The Society purchased the Gleason Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary in 1989. Today the Chapter boasts more than 800 members throughout the Southern Finger Lakes Region of New York and continues its active participation in conservation efforts.

Our Mission

Our mission is to conserve and restore the natural ecosystems within New York and the Southern Finger Lakes Region through education, conservation, policy, advocacy, and scientific investigation, with the goal of furthering the study, enjoyment, awareness, and protection of birds, other wildlife, and their habitats.

Our Board

Service Area

Chemung Valley Audubon Society is a National Audubon Chapter. Members are from the 148## and 149## zip code areas. This includes parts of Allegany, Livingston, Steuben, Yates, Schuyler, Chemung, Seneca, Tioga, and Tompkins Counties.