Reverse the Rollback of the MBTA
Speak out to reinstate critical bird protections under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Articles by Asher Elbein
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.
News
What’s the Difference Between a ‘Borb’ and a ‘Floof’?
March 10, 2020 — Now that we know what constitutes a birb, it's time to break down the internet's other two nicknames for birds.
News
When Is a Bird a ‘Birb’? An Extremely Important Guide
December 12, 2019 — The internet meme has been around for seven years now, so it's high time we establish some ground rules.
Conservation
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.
News
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.