How Tribes Are Reclaiming and Protecting Their Ancestral Lands From Coast to Coast
From Audubon MagazineThree recent examples address historic wrongs and showcase a conservation vision guided by Indigenous values.
Highlighted Features
The Weedkiller Dicamba Is Poisoning Wildlife Habitat. Will the EPA Finally Act?
NewsBlamed for destroying crops and fraying community ties, the widely used herbicide also poses a threat to the plants birds need, experts say.
At Last, a Real Possibility to Avoid Catastrophic Climate Change
ClimateAfter decades of minimal action, Congress passed the largest and most comprehensive piece of climate legislation in U.S. history. Will we make the most of this opportunity?
It’s the Moment of Truth for Saving the Northern Spotted Owl
NewsPreventing the Pacific Northwest icon’s extinction calls for aggressive intervention, including killing another owl species. Will we act fast enough?
This Tiny Brazilian Island Could Hold the Key to the Purple Martin’s Future
NewsVast numbers of the swallows pass through one roost in the heart of the Amazon before winging their way to North American birdhouses. Studying it could provide clues to the species’ decades-long decline.
A Global Antenna Network Is the Next Frontier of Migration Science
From Audubon MagazineMotus stations across the landscape pick up ‘pings’ from any radio-tagged birds that fly past. The data, open to everyone, are painting a fuller picture of the journeys the creatures make.
Recent Stories
Letter From The Editor
A Familiar Ring
By Jennifer Bogo
Even though the themes we explore don’t always change, through our reporting we can see forward movement.
Audubon View
Reflecting on a Year of Success
By Elizabeth Gray
Audubon’s work in science, policy, advocacy, and conservation has helped create lasting change for birds and has set us up for greater impact in 2023.
News
Stylish and Social, Winter Waxwings Provide a Wonderful ID Challenge
By Ryan F. Mandelbaum
Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings look very similar and are more likely to intermingle in the colder months. Here’s how to tell them apart.
Investigations
The Internet Has a Rat Poison Problem
From Audubon MagazineHow online sales of highly regulated, super-toxic rodenticides exploit gaps in the law and imperil wildlife.
A New Plastic Wave Is Coming to Our Shores
From Audubon MagazineA glut of natural gas has led to a U.S. production surge in tiny plastic pellets, called nurdles, that are washing up on coasts by the millions.
This Brutal Pesticide Creates a 'Circle of Death.' So Why Is It Making a Comeback?
NewsCarbofuran, a century-old chemical, is increasingly being weaponized against birds and other wildlife, decimating entire food webs.
Profiles
Best-Selling Author Jeff VanderMeer Finds That Nature Is Stranger Than Fiction
From Audubon MagazineThe novelist attained fame with gripping works of eco-fiction. How hard could it be to rewild his own backyard?
Seventy Never Looked So Good: The Long, Wondrous Life of Wisdom the Albatross
NewsThe Laysan Albatross is the oldest known wild bird on the planet, an international icon, and still hatching eggs. This year she had her 39th chick.
How an Acclaimed Composer Found His Musical Voice Through Birdsong
CultureDecades after a songbird's whirling melody set him on a new artistic path, John Luther Adams is more determined than ever to help us hear the planet's power and wild beauty—and fight to protect it.
Audubon Magazine
Explore Our Archives
Find new and old issues of Audubon magazine from the past decade.
Essays
How Migrating Snow Geese Helped Stretch My Perspective
From Audubon MagazineThe seasonal movements of birds have captivated humans for millennia. Now we know enough about their flights to make surprising connections.
Seeking Home Aboard the Night Heron
COVID-19The pandemic prodded me to fulfill a lifelong dream of living on a boat. I’m learning the ropes surrounded by the birds of my North Carolina childhood.
What a Songbird Lost at Sea Taught Me About Survival
COVID-19Aboard a mission to explore the alien life of the deep ocean, a chance encounter with a migratory bird offered a point of connection—one that has felt poignant this past year.
In Quarantine, I Finally Understood the Magic of Birds
COVID-19It took a pandemic for me to see what my mother had been trying to show me my whole life.
Remembering Toni Morrison, the Bird Whisperer
CultureA year after Morrison’s passing, a journalist and birder reflects on how her time with the cherished author changed her relationship with birds—and with herself.
