At the state level, independent Audubon societies in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and several other states have similar programs and job opportunities. Scattered across the country are a few hundred relatively small, local and regional organizations that operate nature centers and sanctuaries, oriented toward public education in natural history. Two of the better known examples are the nature centers in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Kalamazoo, Michigan. Positions at these nature centers may involve research, but rarely as a primary responsibility. The Conservation Directory, published by the National Wildlife Federation in Washington, D.C., is the best single source for information about private conservation organizations in the United States.
Several organizations publish regular newsletters listing job opportunities.
There are a handful of year-round and seasonal bird observatories in the United States and Canada. These are described below in the section on amateur involvement. Positions for ornithologists in private companies are growing in number. Responsibilities in the private sector include preparing environmental impact statements, leading natural history tours, or directing the conservation policies of companies that deal with mining, timber, or power production.