# Cornell Lab of Ornithology

> nonprofit organization at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, that studies birds and other wildlife

**Wikidata**: [Q2997535](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2997535)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_Lab_of_Ornithology)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cornell-lab-of-ornithology

## Summary
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a nonprofit research institute at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, dedicated to the study of birds and other wildlife. Founded in 1915, it operates as a university research group focused on ornithology and is a member of Biodiversity Information Standards. The lab is headquartered at 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd. in Ithaca.

## Key Facts
- **Inception**: 1915
- **Founders**: Arthur Augustus Allen, Francis Harper, Louis Agassiz Fuertes
- **Location**: 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd., Ithaca, New York 14850, United States
- **Parent Organization**: Cornell University
- **Classification**: University research group; research institute; nonprofit organization
- **Field of Work**: Ornithology (birds and other wildlife)
- **DOI Prefix**: 10.2173
- **Member Of**: Biodiversity Information Standards
- **Website**: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/
- **Coordinates**: 42.48°N, 76.4511°W
- **Email**: cornellbirds@cornell.edu
- **Aliases**: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, 鳥学研究所 (Japanese), コーネル大学鳥類学研究所 (Japanese), 鳥類知識網站 (Chinese)
- **Social Media**: Twitter (@cornellbirds, since 2008), Instagram (@cornellbirds), Facebook (cornellbirds), YouTube (@cornell_lab, since 2008)
- **YouTube Channel ID**: UC5Lz88Rt3GT75YT2ORAmaMQ
- **YouTube Subscribers**: 391,000 (Aug 2021) → 493,000 (Jun 2025)
- **Twitter Followers**: 106,977 (May 2023)
- **Google Arts & Culture Partner**: cornell-lab-of-ornithology
- **ROR ID**: 00k86w020
- **Ringgold ID**: 171547
- **ISNI**: 0000000412194439
- **VIAF ID**: 147061781
- **GND ID**: 13657-8
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: n82006424
- **Freebase ID**: /m/07m_9h
- **KISTI ID**: K000216109
- **NUKAT ID**: n2004053630
- **BIBSYS ID**: 90397889
- **CANTIC ID**: 981058518737006706
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID**: 987007570642905171
- **Open Funder Registry ID**: 100017754
- **BHL Creator ID**: 259204
- **Wikipedia Languages**: 17 (ca, commons, de, en, eo, fa, fr, he, id, ja, nn, no, pt, ru, sv, uk, zh)

## FAQs
### Q: Where is the Cornell Lab of Ornithology located?
The lab is located at 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd. in Ithaca, New York, United States (ZIP 14850), at coordinates 42.48°N, 76.4511°W. It operates as part of Cornell University.

### Q: Who founded the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and when?
The lab was founded in 1915 by Arthur Augustus Allen, Francis Harper, and Louis Agassiz Fuertes.

### Q: How can I contact or follow the Cornell Lab of Ornithology?
The lab can be reached via email at cornellbirds@cornell.edu or through its website at birds.cornell.edu. It maintains active social media presences on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube all under the handle @cornellbirds or @cornell_lab.

### Q: What type of organization is the Cornell Lab of Ornithology?
It is classified as a nonprofit organization, a university research group, and a research institute. Its primary field of work is ornithology, the study of birds and other wildlife.

### Q: What professional memberships and standards does the lab hold?
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a member of Biodiversity Information Standards and holds DOI prefix 10.2173 for its publications. It is also recognized as an Open Funder Registry participant (ID: 100017754).

## Why It Matters
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology serves as a premier research institute dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of birds and wildlife. As a specialized unit within Cornell University, it combines the resources of a major research university with focused expertise in ornithology, enabling sustained, long-term research that might not be possible in more generalized academic departments. The lab's establishment in 1915 represents over a century of continuous contribution to wildlife science, making it one of the oldest and most respected ornithological research institutions in the world.

The lab's significance extends beyond pure research into public engagement and education. Its substantial social media presence—nearly half a million YouTube subscribers and over 100,000 Twitter followers—demonstrates its role in translating scientific knowledge for public consumption. As a partner of Google Arts & Culture, the lab makes ornithological knowledge accessible to global audiences. Its membership in Biodiversity Information Standards positions it as a key player in establishing data standards for biodiversity research worldwide.

## Notable For
- More than a century of continuous operation since 1915
- Specialized focus on ornithology within a major Ivy League university
- Substantial public engagement with 493,000 YouTube subscribers (as of June 2025)
- Member of Biodiversity Information Standards, influencing global biodiversity data practices
- Recognition across 17 Wikipedia language editions, indicating global scientific relevance
- Partnership with Google Arts & Culture for public education
- Multiple authoritative identifiers across library and research systems worldwide (ISNI, VIAF, GND, LoC, ROR, Ringgold)
- Listed in the Open Funder Registry, enabling standardized attribution of research funding

## Body

### Identity and Classification
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology operates as a nonprofit research institute and university research group under the parent organization Cornell University. Its primary field of work is ornithology, encompassing the study of birds and other wildlife. The organization holds multiple authoritative identifications across global knowledge systems, including ISNI 0000000412194439, VIAF 147061781, GND 13657-8, Library of Congress Authority ID n82006424, ROR ID 00k86w020, and Ringgold ID 171547. Additional regional identifiers include KISTI ID K000216109 (Korea), NUKAT ID n2004053630 (Poland), BIBSYS ID 90397889 (Norway), CANTIC ID 981058518737006706 (Catalonia), and National Library of Israel J9U ID 987007570642905171.

### Founding and History
The lab was established in 1915 through the efforts of three founders: Arthur Augustus Allen, Francis Harper, and Louis Agassiz Fuertes. Allen, Harper, and Fuertes created what would become one of the most enduring ornithological research institutions in the United States.

### Location and Facilities
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is physically located at 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd. in Ithaca, New York, United States, with ZIP code 14850. The geographic coordinates are 42.48°N latitude and 76.4511°W longitude. This location situates the lab within Tompkins County in the Finger Lakes region of New York State.

### Digital Presence and Public Engagement
The lab maintains a comprehensive digital footprint. Its primary website is accessible at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ (English language). Social media channels include Twitter (@cornellbirds, Twitter ID 16619709, active since October 6, 2008), Instagram (@cornellbirds), Facebook (facebook.com/cornellbirds), and YouTube (channel ID UC5Lz88Rt3GT75YT2ORAmaMQ, active since June 2, 2008, with 519 videos as of August 2021). The YouTube channel has grown from 391,000 subscribers in August 2021 to 441,000 in February 2023, reaching 470,000 in May 2024 and 493,000 by June 2025. Total YouTube views reached 102,842,888 by August 2021. The lab is also a Google Arts & Culture partner under the identifier cornell-lab-of-ornithology.

### Research Infrastructure
The lab holds DOI prefix 10.2173, assigned to "Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology," facilitating standardized citation of its research outputs. It is registered in the Open Funder Registry with ID 100017754, enabling consistent attribution of funding sources. As a member of Biodiversity Information Standards (verified February 24, 2020), the lab participates in establishing and maintaining international standards for biodiversity data. The Biodiversity Heritage Library recognizes the lab with creator ID 259204.

### Global Recognition
The organization appears in 17 Wikipedia language editions: Catalan, Wikimedia Commons, German, English, Esperanto, Persian, French, Hebrew, Indonesian, Japanese, Norwegian Nynorsk, Norwegian Bokmål, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Ukrainian, and Chinese. The Quora topic "Cornell-Lab-of-Ornithology" provides another avenue for public inquiry. Historical recognition includes Freebase ID /m/07m_9h (archived October 28, 2013) and Yale LUX ID group/654e0d08-e988-4713-9fd8-4fc3e07044f6.

### Contact and Employment
The lab provides public contact via email at cornellbirds@cornell.edu. Job opportunities are posted at birds.cornell.edu/home/jobs/. Terms of service for its digital resources are available at birds.cornell.edu/home/terms-of-use/.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.tdwg.org/about/membership/)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. [Source](https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/contact-us/)
4. [Cornell Lab (@CornellBirds) / Twitter](https://twitter.com/cornellbirds)
5. [Cornell Lab of Ornithology (@cornellbirds) • Instagram photos and videos](https://www.instagram.com/cornellbirds/)
6. [Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/cornellbirds/)
7. [Cornell Lab of Ornithology - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Lz88Rt3GT75YT2ORAmaMQ)
8. Quora
9. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
10. ROR release v1.29
11. [Terms of use | Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology](https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/terms-of-use/)
12. YouTube API
13. [Job Opportunities | Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology](https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/jobs/)
14. [Cornell Lab of Ornithology - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@cornell_lab/videos)