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Where the latest news about birds and conservation takes flight.
On Florida's Marco Island, families of Burrowing Owls live among the locals. Photo: Karine Aigner

Audubon delivers essential news, advice, and reporting on birds and bird conservation.

Pairing compelling journalism with stunning photography and design, each quarterly issue helps readers grow their appreciation of birds and learn how to help them thrive. Our editorial team also reports and publishes stories on Audubon.org daily, including science and conservation news, birding tips, photo galleries, and interactive reader experiences. In print and digital, through stories and visuals, Audubon emphasizes the importance of a diverse and inclusive science and conservation effort to help meet the challenges facing both birds and people today.

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Read the Entire Spring 2025 Issue
A young Brown Pelican sits in a nest surrounded by green shrubs, with other pelicans' heads blurred in the background.
Read the Entire Spring 2025 Issue

Inside: The hidden lives of vernal pools. How PFAS are taking a toll on birds and people. An Indigenous-led field guide from the remote Amazon. Meet the avian research assistants collecting crucial data. Landowners are investing in the Lesser Prairie-Chicken’s survival. Learn to lead your own bird walk—or bird sit. Read these stories and more.

Highlighted Feature Stories
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a ‘Forever Chemical’ Hotspot—What Does That Mean for Its Birds and People?
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a ‘Forever Chemical’ Hotspot—What Does That Mean for Its Birds and People?

Amid mounting global health concerns about PFAS, communities living along the waterway must grapple with how contamination is affecting life on the river. Yet as hard as it is to conduct health studies on humans, it’s even harder with wild animals.

Latest News and Articles
Cityscape seen through dotted glass in the foreground.
LEED’s Green Building Rules Are Becoming More Bird-Friendly—Do They Go Far Enough?
February 03, 2025 — The world’s top system for certifying environmentally conscious design is putting more emphasis on preventing bird-building collisions, but critics say it’s still too easy for builders to skip measures that could save avian lives.
Two people stand next to a truck in a hilly landscape, flying a drone over a landing pad.
Follow that Bird! How Drones Are Helping Scientists Track Wildlife
January 28, 2025 — A research project to keep tabs on Sharp-tailed Grouse shows the potential benefits of a promising but elusive technology.
Close up portrait of a crow with its beak wide open.
Long Overlooked and Understudied, the Fish Crow Is Worth Your Attention
January 27, 2025 — If you haven’t given these corvids much thought, you’re not alone—but you’re also missing out.
A person looks up at a hummingbird perched on a wire in a mesh enclosure.
A New Documentary About a Hummingbird Rehabber Peeks At Life on a Different Scale
January 23, 2025 — Terry Masear’s dedication to nursing hummingbirds back to health offers tidbits of wisdom about practicing empathy and living each moment to the fullest.
A hummingbird perched on a snowy, mossy branch flutters its wings.
Where Do Hummingbirds Go in the Winter? Do They Migrate?
January 17, 2025 — Some species migrate to far-off places while others keep it local. Here's a rundown of who goes where.
A group of coots huddled closely together in a pile, surrounded by a completely white background of snow.
Our Favorite Fascinating Bird Behaviors From the 2024 Audubon Photo Awards
January 14, 2025 — Birds are always up to something, and these entries captured an array of avians doing everything from impaling prey to drumming away.
A group of people with winter coats and binoculars in an urban park, looking up.
Titmice Galore and a Red-tailed Record: Tallying Central Park's 125th Christmas Bird Count
January 09, 2025 — The cherished annual bird survey has included Manhattan’s largest public space since the very first count on Christmas Day, 1900.
A fossil in rock of a bird skeleton.
Terror Birds, Giga-Geese, and the Oldest Birds of Prey? 2024’s Fascinating Avian Fossil Finds
December 20, 2024 — From mega leg bones to tiny, perfect skulls, fossils this year revealed crucial insights into bird evolution.
Long Before Pantone, This Bird-Based System for Describing Color Was a Hit
December 17, 2024 — In the early 20th century, ornithologist Robert Ridgway published a massive dictionary to categorize birds’ hues, from Peacock Blue to Duck Green. His work still resonates for artists and designers today.
Cook, in his eagle-adorned office, displays a rubber eagle mask in his hand.
The Bald Eagle Is Finally, Officially Our National Bird—Thanks to This Man
December 14, 2024 — Preston Cook’s love of the iconic raptor has led to a collection of 40,000 objects and, now, a quest to finally bring the bird the recognition that it deserves.

Find a Read

Audubon magazine publishes a variety of story types in print and online. Peruse—and enjoy—just a sampling of our work below. 

Investigations
A New Plastic Wave Is Coming to Our Shores
A New Plastic Wave Is Coming to Our Shores

A 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.

Profiles
The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne
The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne

From deep within the Smithsonian, the world’s first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviation—making the skies safer for us all.

Essays
The Day We Didn’t Save the Starling
An illustration of a woman and young girl crouching down looking at something in a driveway next to a house.
The Day We Didn’t Save the Starling

In our rescue attempt, I thought I was giving my young daughters a lesson in compassion. It ended up being the reminder that I needed.

Remembering Toni Morrison, the Bird Whisperer
Remembering Toni Morrison, the Bird Whisperer

A 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.

The Audubon Guide to Climate Action
The Audubon Guide to Climate Action

Feeling like you can’t make a difference? That couldn’t be further from the truth. Our award-winning guide shows you where to begin and how to ­amplify your efforts to make lasting change in the world.

Dispatches

The 2024 Audubon Photo Awards: Top 100

Revel in the staggering beauty and surprising behaviors featured in this gallery of our favorite images.

Hooded Merganser. Photo: Edwin Liu/Audubon Photography Awards
Photo Essays
Portrait of a Forest on the Climate Edge
A bird's eye view of a winter scene of a forest with some green pine trees and bare aspen, paper birch, and red maple trees.
Portrait of a Forest on the Climate Edge

In Minnesota, a boreal forest ecosystem could shift north over the Canada border this century. Local photographers, scientists, and land managers are grappling with what that means—and how to respond.

Birding Advice and News
Bird Books and Culture
A New Book Explores Our Disdain for Pests
A New Book Explores Our Disdain for Pests

Journalist Bethany Brookshire argues that the idea of a “pest” is more about humans’ view of unwanted animals than the critters themselves.

The Audubon Bird Guide
American Avocet
Stilts and Avocets
Guadalupe Murrelet
Auks, Murres, Puffins
Greater White-fronted Goose
Ducks and Geese
Great Kiskadee
Tyrant Flycatchers