The Scissortail Award

Previous Recipients

The Oklahoma Ornithological Society annually recognizes individuals and groups demonstrating outstanding accomplishments in the field of Birds, Nature, and Wildlife Conservation in Oklahoma to ensure that future generations may always appreciate and protect our natural resources (This award was previously known as the Certificate of Merit).

The Award can be in one of three categories:

Youth, age 18 and under, demonstrating outstanding accomplishments for the conservation of Birds, Nature, and Wildlife.
Persons demonstrating outstanding accomplishments for the conservation of Birds, Nature, and Wildlife.
Groups demonstrating outstanding accomplishments for the conservation of Birds, Nature, and Wildlife.

If you want to nominate someone for this Award, please print and fill out the OOS Certificate of Merit Nomination Form. Email form to Dr. Mia Revels, revels@nsuok.edu

Download the OOS Certificate of Merit Nomination Form (PDF)

PrevCertsMerit

Previous Certificate of Merit Recipients

On a mobile device swipe table left or right to see all columns

Year	Recipient	Location	Accomplishment
2022	Dr. Tim O'Connell	Stillwater
2019	John Kennington	Bixby	Leadership of Tulsa Audubon and Oklahoma Audubon Council
2019	Susie Ruby	Sperry	Conservation education at Oxley
2018	Dan Reinking	Bartlesville	Oklahoma Winter Bird Atlas
2018	Doug Wood	Durant	Extensive teaching and research
2017	No Award
2016	Rebecca Renfro	Bartlesville	For serving as OOS President and other volunteer work
2016	Suzy Harris	Bartlesville	For serving as OOS President and current Scissortail editor.
2015	Spring Creek Coalition	Peggs	For Preservation and restoration of valuable bird friendly habitat in the Spring Creek watershed.
2015	Sue Selman	Woodward	For tireless efforts protecting habitat for grassland birds, especially Lesser Prairie Chickens.
2014	Don Glass	Claremore	For volunteer work on breeding bird surveys, excellence in teachng, and board member in various capacities
2014	Dr. Claudia Glass	Claremore	For providing educational opportunities for all ages and excellence in teaching and service as a board member in various capacities
2014	Mark Howery	Norman	For non game conservation work as Wildlife Diversity Biologist for ODWC and as board member and Conservation Chair
2013	Jona Tucker	Ada	For being instrumental in the acquisition of Oka' Yanahli Preserve, and manager of Pontotoc Ridge and Boehler Seeps Preserves.
2013	Todd Humphrey	Jenks	For founding and teaching high school level ornithology classes and for the Flycatcher Trails nature study area.
2012	Bonnie Gall	Bartlesville	Scissortail Editor, Bird Records Committee, many research and conservation projects
2012	Charlotte Jernigan	Wagoner	Past Pres. North American Bluebird Society, founder Oklahoma Bluebird Society
2011	Dr. Mia Revels	Tahlequah	Important contributions to study of Swainson's Warblers and conservation education
2011	Ellie Womack	Grove	Hummingbird bander and innovator for banding tools and procedures
2010	Jeri McMahon	Fort Gibson	has served in several offices of OOS, published several important papers and active in local clubs
2010	Jo Loyd	Tulsa	has served in several offices of OOS, published several important papers and active in local clubs
2009	No Award
2008	No Award
2007	Richard Stuart	Claremore	Special Recognition for service to the Society as editor of "The Scissortail" from March 1997 thru June 2007
2007	TREES		Friends of Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, presented to Dr. Douglas R. Wood, TREES president
2006	Lou and Mary Truex	Lawton	Volunteer work and contribution to the knowledge of birds at Hackberry Flat WMA
2005	No Known Award
2004	No Known Award
2003	No Known Award
2002	No Known Award
2001	Berlin A. Heck	Broken Bow	for contributions to knowledge and conservation of birds and other wildlife and special work at Red Slough WMA
2001	David Arbour	DeQueen, AR	for contributions to knowledge and conservation of birds and other wildlife and special work at Red Slough WMA
2000	No Award
1999	No Award
1998	Dr. Joseph A. Grzybowski	Norman	Special Recognition for work to establish the Oklahoma Bird Records Committee and its procedures, and development of the "Date Guide" and serving as Chair of the OBRC (1985-1998)
1998	Mr. & Mrs Buddy Smith		for gift of land for The Nature Conservancy Pontotoc Ridge Preserve
1998	Mr. Jim Herndon	Ada	facilitator for the gift of land (Pontotoc Ridge) and many hours of service to the preserve
1998	Rene Smith Hardin		for gift of land for The Nature Conservancy Pontotoc Ridge Preserve
1997	Dr. Jack D. Tyler	Lawton	Special Recognition for longtime service as editor of the "Bulletin of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society"
1996	Jim Harman	Fort Gibson
1995	James Calaway	Lawton	McArthur Junior High Science Instructor (Oklahoma State Conservation Teacher of the Year) work with youth in conservation
1994	No Award
1993	Vicki Byer	Norman	work to protect and preserve Interior Least Tern on the Least Tern Preserve on Canadian River south of Norman and other bird research
1992	Bob Jennings	Tulsa
1992	Dr. William A. Carter	Ada	Special Recognition for work on the ad hoc Bird Book Committee and Chairing the Committee during its final years
1992	Oxley Nature Center	Tulsa
1991	Sutton Avian Research Center	Bartlesville	Reintroduction of Bald Eagles
1990	Don & Joyce Varner	Welling
1990	Tim O'Halloran	Tulsa	Holland Hall Science Instructor, established Ecology Club
1989	OSU Student Chapter for Project Wild
1988	Fred Pianalto	Tulsa	Least Tern protection on Arkansas River
1988	Lawrence & Carrie Regnier	Kenton	Special Recognition & framed print of "Golden Eagle in the Mesa Country" for their many years of hospitality to researchers and birders at their ranch in the Mesa Country.
1988	Luann Sewell Waters	Oklahoma City	Coordinator for Project Wild
1987	James C. Hoffman	Tulsa	Extensive work on birds in NE Oklahoma
1987	John S. Shackford	Oklahoma City	Special Recognition for work on George M. Sutton's "Birds Worth Watching"
1987	Randall Porter	Bartlesville	Conservation work with children
1986	Joseph A Grzybowski	Norman
1986	Nancy Krosey	Oklahoma City	Helped establish Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge
1986	Neil Garrison	Oklahoma City	Director, Martin Park Nature Center,worked on Mississippi Kites
1986	Robert and Susan Carl	Shawnee
1985	Albert & Gail Harris	Tahlequah
1985	Jimmie Pigg	Moore	Science Instructor
1984	Friends of Little Lewis Nature Center	Jay
1984	Warren Harden	Norman	Outstanding accomplishments in the study of birds, nature and wildlife.
1983	Gary Sallee	Tulsa
1983	Paul Wilson	Fairland&CusterCity	Picher-Cardin Science Instructor
1983	Picher-Cardin Science Club
1982	Dr. Doris J. Watt	Norman
1982	Dr. Jack D. Tyler	Lawton
1982	John Galley	Kerrville, TX	Formerly Tulsa
1982	Maurice Bebb	Muskogee
1982	Wallace Hughes	Tallahassee, FL
1981	No Award
1980	Drs. Fred & Marguerite Baumgartner	Stevens Point, WI	Formerly Stillwater
1980	Howard & Dotty Goard	Bartlesville
1980	John & Moryne Craythorne	Duncan
1980	John S. Tomer	Tulsa
1980	Paul Grover, Jr.	Stillwater
1980	Robert (Bob) Farris	Tulsa
1980	Tulsa Audubon Society	Tulsa
1979	Charlotte Edwards	Tulsa
1979	Drs. Connie & R. John Taylor	Durant
1979	Eleanor Sieg	Tulsa
1979	Ella Delap	Dewey
1978	Dr. Everett Grigsby	Tahlequah
1978	Dr. William A. Carter	Ada
1977	Janet & Louis McGee	Lawton
1976	Emma Messerly	Bartlesville
1976	James L. Norman	Muskogee
1976	Mary Price Williams	Okmulgee/OK City
1975	Ida Brown	Elk City
1975	Jim Smith	Muskogee
1975	John G. Newell	Oklahoma City
1975	Oneta Puckette	Ada (Jay. Poteau)
1975	Paul Hefty	Bartlesville
1975	Yula Thomas	Tulsa
1974	Dr. George M. Sutton	Norman
1973	Doris Gingrich	Tonkawa
1973	Ruth Gooden	Kingfisher	Longtime OOS Treasurer
1972	Harold W. Smith	Bartlesville
1972	Lovie Whitaker	Norman
1972	Sophia Mery	Bartlesville
1971	No Award
1970	David Strickland	Muskogee	Director, Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Association
1970	Forrest & Aline Romero	Tulsa
1970	Troy & Ella Stone	Durant
1969	Dorothy Eireton	Guthrie
1969	Imogene (Mrs. William) McCrory	Bartlesville
1969	M. E. Dobbins	Durant
1969	Odie (Mrs. Leo) McReynolds	Bartlesville
1968	Ethel Getgood	Tulsa
1968	Hilda Berger	Henryetta
1967	Julian B. Fite	Muskogee
1966	Bertha Barnett	Norman
1966	Mary Avolyn Johns	Norman
1965	Jo Allen Lowe	Bartlesville
1964	Irene Huey	Norman
1963	Hazel Badger	Durant
1963	Mrs. D. J. Isted	Cushing
1963	Mrs. F. T. Barber	Bartlesville
1963	Mrs. F. W. Wilson	Bartlesville
1962	Clate F. Marshall	Ponca City
1962	Esther (Colly) Hitt	Stillwater
1962	Faye (Mrs. R. A. Ellis	Snyder
1962	Lillian Swale	Oklahoma City
1962	Ruby Ray	Harrah
1961	Jack & Lea (Mr./Mrs. J. P.) Barrett	Ponca City
1960	Carolyn Forsythe	Edmond
1960	Grace Hendrix	Weatherford
1960	Ima Hofacket	Oklahoma City
1960	Lillian Burris	Yale
1960	Marie Mackey	Oklahoma City
1960	Mrs. Paul Kratz	Okeene
1960	Virgie Fly	Tishomingo
1959	Agnes Pearson	Oklahoma City
1959	Bernard Williams	Choctaw
1959	Betty (Mrs. Ernest) Hickcok	Oklahoma City
1959	Hazel Cobb	Oklahoma City
1959	Lyle Byfield	Wakita
1959	Myra Lamb	Frederick
1959	Vaud A. Travis, Jr.	Muskogee
1959	Victor J. Vacin	Oklahoma City
1958	Bonnie Ratcliffe	Oklahoma City
1958	Dr. Milton Baumgartner	Stillwater
1958	Dr. Viola Johnson	Norman
1958	Elliot H. Stanley	Oklahoma City
1958	Ida Yandel	Tishomingo
1958	Mrs. Raymond Wyatt	El Reno
1958	Zella Moorman	Perkins
1957	Alice Winburn	Southard
1957	Betty Frank	Norman
1957	Henriette Pitchford	Okmulgee
1957	J. L. Carter	El Reno
1957	Mary Jane Spradlin	Ponca City
1957	Mrs. A. J. Hilty	Guymond