Audubon

Asher Elbein

Reporter, Audubon Magazine

Articles by Asher Elbein

Proposed Pipeline Would Cut Through Golden-cheeked Warbler Habitat
News

Proposed Pipeline Would Cut Through Golden-cheeked Warbler Habitat

June 28, 2019 — The Permian Highway gas project plans to use eminent domain to seize and raze swaths of Texas Hill Country—home to the endangered songbird.
Did Neanderthals Catch and Kill Golden Eagles for Their Feathers and Talons?
Culture

Did Neanderthals Catch and Kill Golden Eagles for Their Feathers and Talons?

June 21, 2019 — New evidence suggests that the ancient hominids held raptors in high esteem—and might have even passed that practice to us.
Is the Mothman of West Virginia an Owl?
Culture

Is the Mothman of West Virginia an Owl?

October 26, 2018 — More than 50 years after the first sighting, the best explanation for the infamous cryptid might be a nocturnal bird of prey. Audubon investigates.
This Fossil Is Probably the First to Preserve Ancient Bird Lungs
Science

This Fossil Is Probably the First to Preserve Ancient Bird Lungs

October 25, 2018 — If so, the similarity of the 120-million-year-old organs to those in modern birds sheds new light on avian evolution.
Boom or Bust: The Last Stand of the Attwater's Prairie-Chicken
Conservation

Boom or Bust: The Last Stand of the Attwater's Prairie-Chicken

August 6, 2018 — Each summer captive breeders release hundreds of the birds into Texan prairies—but few survive. Maybe, just maybe, this year they'll get lucky.
Sirens of Greek Myth Were Bird-Women, Not Mermaids
Culture

Sirens of Greek Myth Were Bird-Women, Not Mermaids

April 6, 2018 — A new translation of Homer’s Odyssey corrects the record: The Sirens' seductive power lies with their otherworldly, avian knowledge.
This Newly Discovered Dino-Bird Sported Flashy, Iridescent Feathers
Dino-Birds

This Newly Discovered Dino-Bird Sported Flashy, Iridescent Feathers

January 23, 2018 — A Chinese fossil suggests that some feathered dinosaurs flaunted glamorous getups to rival the colorful displays of modern birds.
New Aquatic Dinosaur Find Is a Strange and Startling Avian Hodgepodge
Science

New Aquatic Dinosaur Find Is a Strange and Startling Avian Hodgepodge

December 6, 2017 — A swan-like neck, penguin-like flippers, and a duck-like posture combine to make a bizarre new addition to the world of dinosaurs.
Stretching Their Wings
Flock Together

Stretching Their Wings

September 29, 2017 — Lauren McGough became a falconer as a teenager. Now her compassionate training with Miles, a troubled Golden Eagle, has given him a new life.