Effective Date: July 31, 2026
Last Updated: July 31, 2026

Western Field Ornithologists, Inc., a California nonprofit public benefit corporation (“Organization,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), is committed to protecting the privacy of our members, donors, visitors, and all individuals who interact with our website located at https://www.westernfieldornithologists.org (the “Site”) and the services, features, and content we provide (collectively, the “Services”).

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information, and describes the rights available to individuals under applicable privacy laws.

By accessing or using the Site or Services, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. NOTICE AT COLLECTION

We collect the following categories of personal information for the purposes described below. We retain each category of personal information for no longer than necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, comply with legal obligations, or protect our legitimate interests.

Categories of Personal Information Collected

• Identifiers (name, email address, postal address, phone number)
• Account information (username, password)
• Donation and payment information (billing address; payment method processed by third‑party processors)
• Membership information
• Demographic information
• Device and browsing information (IP address, browser type, pages viewed, time on site)
• Communications and correspondence
• Event registration information
• User‑submitted content (comments, photos, testimonials)

Sensitive Personal Information

We do not collect or use Sensitive Personal Information for purposes that require a right to limit under the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA).

Purposes of Collection

• Operating, maintaining, and improving the Site and Services
• Processing donations, memberships, and event registrations
• Communicating with you
• Providing newsletters, updates, and organizational information
• Preventing fraud and ensuring security
• Complying with legal obligations
• Understanding usage patterns and improving user experience

Sale or Sharing of Personal Information

We do not sell or share personal information, including for cross‑context behavioral advertising.

2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

Information You Provide

We collect personal information you voluntarily provide, including when you:

• Create an account
• Make a donation
• Register for events
• Subscribe to newsletters
• Submit content or correspondence
• Complete forms or surveys

Payment information is processed by third‑party payment processors; we do not store full credit card numbers.

Information Automatically Collected

We automatically collect:

• Device information
• IP address
• Browser type and settings
• Pages viewed and time spent
• Referring URLs
• Interaction data

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, pixels, tags, and similar technologies to:

• Enable site functionality
• Understand usage patterns
• Improve user experience

Where required by law (e.g., EU/UK), we provide a cookie consent mechanism allowing users to accept or reject non‑essential cookies.

Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from:

• Payment processors
• Event platforms
• Social media platforms
• Analytics providers

3. HOW WE USE PERSONAL INFORMATION

We use personal information to:

• Provide and improve the Site and Services
• Process donations, memberships, and event registrations
• Communicate with you
• Send newsletters, updates, and organizational information
• Respond to inquiries
• Prevent fraud and ensure security
• Comply with legal obligations
• Analyze usage and improve functionality

4. HOW WE DISCLOSE PERSONAL INFORMATION

We may disclose personal information to:

• Service providers (payment processors, email platforms, event systems, IT providers)
• Professional advisors (legal, accounting)
• Government authorities when required by law
• Other parties with your consent

We do not sell or share personal information for cross‑context behavioral advertising.

We may disclose aggregated or de‑identified information that cannot reasonably identify an individual.

5. DATA RETENTION

We retain personal information only as long as necessary to:

• Provide Services
• Maintain membership and donation records
• Comply with legal, tax, and accounting obligations
• Resolve disputes
• Protect our rights

When information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.

6. SECURITY

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information. However, no system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY (COPPA)

The Site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that such information has been collected, we will delete it promptly.

8. YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

California (CPRA)

• Right to know
• Right to access
• Right to delete
• Right to correct
• Right to opt‑out of sale or sharing (we do not sell/share)
• Right to limit use of Sensitive Personal Information (not applicable)
• Right to non‑discrimination

Other U.S. State Laws (CO, VA, CT, UT, OR, TX, MT, DE, TN)

• Right to access
• Right to delete
• Right to correct
• Right to data portability
• Right to opt‑out of:
  • targeted advertising
  • sale of personal data
  • profiling in furtherance of decisions with legal effects
  • Right to appeal a rights request decision

GDPR (EEA/UK)

• Right to access
• Right to rectification
• Right to erasure
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to object
• Right to data portability
• Right to withdraw consent
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

PIPEDA (Canada)

• Right to access
• Right to correct
• Right to withdraw consent

Australia

• Access and correction rights under the Australian Privacy Principles

How to Exercise Rights

Submit requests to:
Email: contact@westernfieldornithologists.org 
Mail: Western Field Ornithologists, Inc., 793A East Foothill Blvd., #134, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405

We may verify your identity before responding.

9. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

We are based in the United States. If you access the Site from outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to and processed in the U.S.

For EEA/UK users, transfers rely on:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
• UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA)
• Other lawful transfer mechanisms

10. NEVADA PRIVACY RIGHTS

Nevada residents may request to be notified if we begin selling covered information. We do not sell such information.

11. CONTACT INFORMATION

For questions, concerns, or privacy requests:

Email: contact@westernfieldornithologists.org 
Mail: Western Field Ornithologists, Inc.
793A East Foothill Blvd., #134
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405

12. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes are effective upon posting. Material changes will be communicated via the Site or email when appropriate.