Rachel Nuwer

Reporter, Audubon Magazine

Freelancer Rachel Nuwer wrote "Setting Free the Birds," in the January-February issue.

Articles by Rachel Nuwer

People birding on the side of a road with under-constructions cones in the center.

Travel in the Time of Climate Crisis

March 29, 2023 — As climate-related disasters ramp up, how can travelers minimize the harms and maximize the benefits they bring to recovering destinations?

What Is Killing Wisconsin's Bald Eagles?

December 16, 2020 — For 25 years researchers struggled to find the culprit behind a mysterious illness plaguing eagles around the Wisconsin River. Finally, a clue emerges.

A Mysterious Illegal Egg Trade Imperils Kenya’s Owls

December 14, 2018 — The raptors are already some of the most persecuted birds in Africa. Now their eggs are being stolen for witchcraft—but few seem to know or care.

What Would Happen If We Brought Birds Back From The Dead?

May 04, 2016 — Scientists are striving to resurrect extinct species, but if it works, they may not come back to the same habitat they left.

Watch a Biodegradable Chemical Clean Up Spilt Oil

July 20, 2015 — The new creation may make sucking up the toxic substance safer for the environment.

Cracking the Code on Egg Coloration

June 15, 2015 — Just two pigments account for the remarkable spectrum of bird eggshell hue and patterns.

High Altitude Exposure

April 26, 2015 — An artist goes airborne to reveal the beautiful scars we’ve left on the earth.

Three Generations of Citizen Science: The Futurist

December 18, 2014 — Jessica Zelt's database of bird sightings helps us understand how climate change is affecting North American bird populations.

Chernobyl’s Radiation Seems to Be Robbing Birds of Their Sperm

June 25, 2014 — New study could shed light on how nuclear disasters affect birds.

A Buddhist Ritual Gets an Ecologically Correct Update

January 21, 2014 — "Release life," the practice of freeing caged animals into the wild to generate good karma, is now an environmentally friendly act of kindness.