The International Ornithologists' Union (IOU) is an international organization for the promotion of ornithology. It links basic and applied research and nurtures education and outreach activities. Specifically, the IOU organizes and funds global congresses on ornithology at regular intervals, sets up and supports commissions and committees on various aspects of avian biology and conservation, and initiates and backs other international ornithological activities with specific aims consistent with its own mission and goal. It discloses the names and professional affiliations of its members on its website to encourage international collaboration and networking. The IOU acts as the Ornithology Section of the IUBS. The IOU has the objective of supporting, promoting, and advancing avian biology by disseminating ornithological knowledge to the scientific community and the public; interacting with other scientific organizations, foundations, and institutions that share similar interests and goals; stimulating and strengthening locally-based research that includes the participation of amateur ornithologists who contribute valuable data and insights; cultivating relationships...