The Ornithological Society of the Middle East (OSME) is a British-based ornithological

Ornithology

Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...

 and birdwatching

Birdwatching

Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...

 club for people interested in the birds of the Middle East

Middle East

The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...

, the Caucasus

Caucasus

The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...

 and Central Asia

Central Asia

Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...

. It was established in April 1978 as a successor organisation to the Ornithological Society of Turkey, and in 2001 was expanded to cover central Asia and the Caucasus.

Its aims are, with regard to its area of interest, to collect, collate and publish ornithological data, encourage an interest in and conservation of the birds of the region, and to assist regional environmental and conservation organisations and natural history societies with ornithological studies and activities.