The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is one of the world leaders in the study, appreciation, and conservation of birds. Cornell uses innovative techniques to advance the understanding of nature while also getting the community involved in protecting the planet.  Housing over 300 scientists, staff, and students, this organization overflows with passion and expertise.

Cornell offers a thriving interactive community for visitors and members. Every day, the lab works to collect observations from everyday birders. Bird watchers of all ages and skill levels enthusiastically gather data and images to contribute to the larger picture. The eBird database, housed on the Cornell site, allows birders to track over 10,000 bird species. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology also houses live streaming webcams of birding and nature sites like FeederWatch, NestWatch, and Celebrate Urban Birds.

Celestron is a proud sponsor of The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and its supporting programs. Outreach to children is a key component of the sponsorship. This is the second year Celestron has sponsored significant benefits for nature educators. The “Celestron Binocular Giveaway for Educators” invites teachers to enter to win classroom sets of binoculars. The model teachers receive is Celestron’s Nature DX 8x42, recently named the best binocular under $200 in the Cornell Lab’s binocular review. To be eligible, teachers submit science projects they are working on with their students to the website for the Lab’s BirdSleuth curriculum, www.birdsleuth.org. Celestron is also sponsoring professional development at conferences and teacher training.

“Through this partnership with the Cornell Lab, Celestron seeks to attract more people to the hobby of birding and the science of ornithology. The participation – especially by young people – in these activities and Cornell’s citizen science programs embodies the spirit of discovery and our hope for the future.” said Celestron CEO Dave Anderson.

Celestron has also provided 30 pairs of binoculars to support eco-tourism through birding in Papua New Guinea. The Cornell Lab has highlighted the region’s spectacular Birds-of- Paradise through scientific and documentary work.