Maddie Burakoff

Associate Editor, Audubon magazine

Articles by Maddie Burakoff

A crowd of people stand in the foreground watching a huge flock of birds fly around a brick chimney.
Where Do Vaux’s Swifts Spend the Night? A Community Science Effort Is Mapping Their Roost Sites
March 30, 2026 — For nearly 20 years, volunteers have counted up swarms of birds as part of a project to find, and protect, their short-term homes along the Pacific Flyway.
Conservation News
Meet the Musical Artists Who Are Paying Royalties to Nature
March 30, 2026 — A lot of musicians use wild sounds in their work. Some are now splitting their profits with the planet.
Arts & Culture
A woman walks through a field holding a goshawk perched on her falconer's glove.
How the New ‘H Is for Hawk’ Movie Brought its Goshawk Stars to the Screen
February 04, 2026 — In the film adaptation of Helen Macdonald’s memoir, the bond between falconer and hawk takes center stage. On set, everything revolved around the avian actors.
Movies & TV
3 Ways Street-Smart Birds Hacked Human Infrastructure in 2025
December 17, 2025 — Recent studies have uncovered some of the clever ways our avian neighbors are making the most of the urban environment.
Bird Behavior
A collage of illustrations showing natural disasters, clean energy sources, healthy habitats, and a ballot box.
To Weather the Growing Costs of Climate Disasters, Some States Are Getting Creative
September 19, 2025 — From tourist taxes to polluter fees, states seek funding solutions to deal with the massive price tag of a warming world.
Climate
A group of people with binoculars in a rocky desert landscape.
On Public Lands, Federal Staffing Chaos Threatens Fragile Ecosystems
June 04, 2025 — Layoffs and uncertainty across the already weakened workforce could cause lasting damage to wildlife.
Conservation News
A male Anna's Hummingbird perches on a red hummingbird feeder.
This Hummingbird Rapidly Evolved a Longer Beak to Slurp More Nectar from Feeders, New Study Finds
May 29, 2025 — The 20th century expansion of nectar feeders drove Anna’s Hummingbirds to spread across California—and transformed the birds along the way.
Bird Science
Four researchers kneeling in sand secure a Brown Pelican by its beak and prepare to swab its mouth.
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a ‘Forever Chemical’ Hotspot—What Does That Mean for Its Birds and People?
March 25, 2025 — 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.
Feature Stories
Ayana Johnson on a stage in front of a video wall featuring colorful fish and coral.
Meet the Climate Leader Who Wants You to Abandon Hope—and Get to Work
March 24, 2025 — Marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, “a breath of fresh air” for the climate movement, is helping people envision and build a brighter future.
Climate
A bright yellow meadowlark perched in a sagebrush plant.
A Sweeping New Report Shows U.S. Birds Declining Sharply Across a Range of Habitats
March 13, 2025 — Scientists checked in on species all over the country for the latest State of the Birds report. Nearly everywhere they looked, birds were struggling—including some that have been resilient in the past.
Conservation Challenges