Birds Tell Us to Act on Climate
Pledge to stand with Audubon to call on elected officials to listen to science and work towards climate solutions.
Articles by Asher Elbein
Culture
'Prehistoric Planet,' a Stunning New Series, Depicts Dinosaurs Like Never Before
May 23, 2022 — Drawing from science that connects modern birds and ancient dinosaurs, the David Attenborough-narrated Apple TV+ show was influenced by avian biology and behavior at every step.
Science
Newly Recorded Condor ‘Virgin Birth’ Is Another Way Birds Are Like Reptiles
November 10, 2021 — Zoo researchers discovered that two female California Condors had reproduced without males, a phenomenon known as parthenogenesis.
Conservation
Is the Attwater's Prairie-Chicken Starting to Make a Comeback?
June 23, 2021 — The endangered subspecies has been in trouble for two decades, but recent data suggests the bird's population is booming in the wild.
Culture
This Producer's Joyful Bird Beats Are Wowing TikTok
April 16, 2021 — So Wylie learned last year that owl calls are "kind of fire." Now she is expanding her catchy avian collection.
News
In Praise of the Great-tailed Grackle, a Bird That Doesn't Need Your Respect
January 11, 2021 — Few species are as polarizing as these urbanites, but one thing is indisputable: Their ubiquity is a sign of their adaptability and success.
News
‘It’s a Bird’ Is a New Comic Written by Central Park Birder Christian Cooper
September 14, 2020 — The story, which is loosely inspired by Cooper's racist encounter in the park, is the first in the digital "Represent!" series from DC Comics.
News
The Bird World Is Grappling With Its Own Confederate Relic: McCown's Longspur
July 2, 2020 — A grassland species named for an ornithologist who later became a Confederate general, the longspur has sparked a fiery debate over which honorific bird names should be reconsidered. Some say all of them.
News
"What's the Deal With Birds?" a New Paper Asks—While Making a Point
April 22, 2020 — In the world of academia, predatory journals with almost no vetting process abound. One researcher had enough.
COVID-19
Canceled Birding Festivals Deal Host Towns a Major Economic Blow
April 1, 2020 — As event organizers are forced to make tough decisions over coronavirus concerns, local businesses and nonprofits brace for the fallout.