Founded in 1993, the Asociación Ornitológica de Costa Rica is a non-profit organizetion whose main objective is to contribute to the study, reseach and conservation of wild birds and their habitats, helping to orient public and private policies in this field. It is also a priority of the AOCR to collaborate in disseminating knowledge about the more than 850 species of birds that are found in Costa Rica. In 1999, our organization was declared by the govenment of Costa Rica to be "in the public interest".

Among the principal activities of the organization are:

• A monthly meeting with presentations on ornithological topics
• A monthy field trip to observe birds
• The magazine Zeledonia, published twice a year
• The web sites in English and Spanish La gira mensual de observación de aves
  AvesdeCostaRica.org
  BirdsofCostaRica.org
  

Research projects supported by the AOCR include:

• The determination of the Important Bird Areas (IBA)
• Support of graduate-level theses in Ornithology, Biology and Zoology.
  

The AOCR counts among its members professional ornithologists and biologists, and of other disciplines, students, envirnomentalists, photographers, tour guides, and birdwatchers in general, all sharing a passion for birds.

The AOCR honors the late Dr. Alexander Skutch as a prominent founding member and honorary president, recognized for his outstanding leadership in the study and conservation of neotropical avifauna, especially that found in Costa Rica. A fund has been established in his name to assist in funding ornithological research.