A small center with a wide field of view

What the Center does

The Center works through a simple model. It supports people who know a place, helps them answer a focused question, and then shares what they learn. That has meant small grants for field researchers, a base for visiting scientists at Salineno, and publications that turn workshop notes into a lasting record.

Its subject is the birdlife of the New World tropics, from the Rio Grande borderlands to forests and coasts farther south. The Center's public record names work in Mexico, Trinidad, and Colombia, alongside its Texas field station.

How it began

The organization was incorporated in Texas in 1987. Its early public pages describe a mission built around collaborative research and education, with an emphasis on neotropical birds. Texas is its home state, and it holds 501(c)(3) status as a charitable corporation.

Over time the Center has used different addresses and different web pages. This site gathers the stable facts from that record and presents them in one place. It does not invent details where the record is silent.

How it works

• Field presence. A small station at Salineno gives researchers a base on the Rio Grande.
• Small grants. The Clark Frazier program has helped field projects with modest awards and a preference for local involvement.
• Publications. Workshop proceedings and natural history studies put project results into circulation.
• Education. Posters, a coloring book, and community events have carried conservation ideas beyond research circles.

Leadership

Jack Clinton Eitniear is recorded as the Center's Director and President. Michael Gartside is recorded as Secretary and Treasurer. The Center's public materials also name directors, advisors, and field associates who have contributed across the Americas. The people page lists that roster with a note on how it was assembled.

For questions about the Center's current programs, use the contact page.