Basic Course in Ornithology, 2026–2027
The course includes inaugural and wrap-up sessions, field visits around Mumbai and field camps to various bird habitats across India.
Participants of the Basic Course in Ornithology during the field camp at Bharatpur Chambal, 2025.
Highlights of the course
BNHS CEC is happy to announce the admissions for Basic Course in Ornithology (BCO) for the year 2026-2027.
• An online-cum-field (hybrid) course
• Duration - 11 months (August 2026 to June 2027)
• Study material covers basics of ornithology (in India)
• Project work
• Field camps, indoor sessions and field visits/webinars
• Certificate from BNHS after successful completion of the course
Who can enroll?
• Anyone with an interest in birds
• Basic qualification - Class 10 (any Board)
What are the course deliverables?
The course includes extensive notes, field visits with experts and online assignments.
• Chapters: Every month one chapter, written by BNHS experts, is emailed to the participants covering introduction to birds, evolution, morphology, anatomy, physiology, food and feeding habits, history of Indian ornithology and bird conservation.
• Field visits and reports: Eight half-day field visits near Mumbai (three compulsory).
• Field camps, indoor sessions and reports: One inaugural session, one wrap-up session and two field camps across India (both camps and inaugural session required).
• Project work: Monthly project reports culminating in a final presentation and practical action plan for your locality.
How to register
- 1
Fill in the registration form and select the course you wish to join. If you wish to join two courses, submit the form again for the second course.
- 2
Tell us whether you are a BNHS member — members pay the lower course fee.
- 3
Pay the course fee online by UPI, card or net banking. An NEFT bank transfer is also available.
- 4
Your payment receipt and registration confirmation are emailed to you immediately.
- 5
The CEC team confirms your place within five working days and sends the joining details.
It is compulsory to fill the online registration form. The course fee is payable at the end of the form; field camp fees are charged separately.
Free admission for underprivileged students
BNHS CEC Mumbai offers a few free seats in its online-cum-field (hybrid) courses for deserving students who are genuinely interested in learning these subjects from experts. Study material, webinars and the course completion certificate are included; fees for field visits and camps are not.
The certificate is awarded on the basis of active participation. BNHS reserves all rights to shortlist, select or reject applicants.
Apply for free admissionCriteria
- Below 30 years of age.
- Financially weak background / under-privileged / Non-creamy layer.
- Interested in the topic/subject of the course. Admission will be given for any one course.
Documents to submit
- Proof of age.
- Proof of being from a financially weak background / underprivileged.
- BPL or non-creamy layer certificates.
- Recommendation letter from a person of repute (school/college teacher, principal etc.).
General instructions
- The cancellation charges are 10% of course fee once the admission is done.
- Course fee is non refundable after 3 months of the commencement of the course.
- The course material should not be used for any commercial purpose, since it is a copyright of BNHS.
- Camps/visits conducted by BNHS are educational in nature and not tourist outings.
- BNHS has all the rights to postpone/reschedule any field visit/webinar or the camp when required.
- It is assumed that participants have read and agreed to all the rules and regulations of BNHS, while registering for any camps/visits, as well as the inaugural/wrap-up camps.
- Though utmost care is taken to avoid any mishap, BNHS and the course coordinators/management/experts will not be held responsible in case of any accident leading to injury or death and loss of property at and during any camp/visit. BNHS coordinators/management/camp leaders are authorized to take necessary action in case of emergency hospitalization/treatment and the participant shall bear the full cost thereof.
- BNHS coordinators/management/camp leaders are authorized to expel any participant from any camp/visit in case of any kind of misbehavior or breach of any rules/regulations.
- BNHS is authorized to change the course structure if required during the course period.
- Participants need to attend the required number of camps/visits, need to complete the required project work/assignments on time and need to participate in the required number of online activities to receive good grades.