 He joined the British Ornithologists' Union in 1899, serving on the committee including as vice-President in 1934, joined the British Ornithologists' Club in 1905, was a member of the British List Committee for many years and was a founding member of the British Oological Association, of which he was president from 1932–39.He was also a member of the International Ornithological Committee, an Honorary Fellow of the American Ornithologists' Union and an Honorary Member of the ornithological societies of France, Germany, Holland and Hungary.He led the first Oxford University Expedition to Spitzbergen and travelled extensively in Europe and North Africa.