Audubon MagazineNovember-December 2012

Photographs that Blend Reality with Fantasy

Simen Johan uses old and new photo techniques to get haunting and beautiful images.

Thirteen Fun Facts About Water

The water we have and how much we use--from making a pair of jeans to producing a pound of corn.

Seeing the Familiar in Our Nonhuman Counterparts

By Tim Flach
December 17, 2012 — A new book of captivating portraits explores the relationship between people and animals.

Review: 'Mr. Hornaday's War'

By Frank Graham Jr.
December 11, 2012 — An early conservationist’s unusual approach to saving embattled wildlife.

How Reindeer Keep Their Cool

By Michele Berger
December 10, 2012 — Scientists found out how these mammals avoid getting too hot.

Earth Almanac

By Ted Williams
December 06, 2012 — Beyond Donner and Blitzen; decking the woods; a partridge in an...apple tree?

Sloths Like Chocolate

By Nancy Averett
December 04, 2012 — Shade-grown crops like cacao are a boon for sloths.

International Campaign Aims to Combat Ocean Acidification

By Michele Berger
November 29, 2012 — A new international collaboration seeks to save the seas.

Should You Buy a Real or Fake Christmas Tree?

By Susan Cosier
November 29, 2012 — When it comes to the environment, choose your tree wisely.

Pulling Up Stakes in the West

By Jane Braxton Little
November 27, 2012 — Audubon groups are saving birds from open-ended PVC mining stakes.

Young Gorillas Outwit Poachers

By Rene Ebersole
November 27, 2012 — A pair of wild gorillas dismantle a hunter's snare.

Editor's Note

By David Seideman
November 25, 2012 — At Audubon, we try to focus on solutions rather than problems.

Audubon View

By David Yarnold
November 21, 2012 — The Christmas Bird Count isn't just fun—it provides crucial information about our country's birds, too.

Giant Strip Mine Threatens Alaska's Iconic Bristol Bay

By Ted Williams
November 20, 2012 — Pick the worst place on the planet for a giant strip mine, in the heart of America’s wildest and most productive ecosystem. That’s exactly where one is planned.

Connecticut River Watershed Named America's First National Blueway

By Julie Leibach
November 19, 2012 — A huge watershed crossing four states earns a title worth fighting for.

A Kitschy New Book and Video Take Audiences On Safari

By Review by Julie Leibach/Video by Mike Fernandez
November 14, 2012 — A new twist on an old technology brings Africa's wildlife to you.

Fighting to Protect Panama Bay

By Susan Cosier
November 09, 2012 — Critical bird habitat in Central America is at risk.

Scrapped Plans for Power Lines Protect Habitats from Energy Development

By Susan Cosier
November 06, 2012 — Thousands of acres are saved when plans for two transmission lines meet their end.
Birding

How To Draw A Bird

By Julie Leibach
October 30, 2012 — A new guide to bird drawing inspires a deeper connection with nature.
International

Solving the Piping Plover Puzzle

By Don Stap
October 12, 2012 — Piping plovers are famous summer residents of beaches and lakeshores--the most adorable argument against development and reckless recreation. Yet where many spend the winter has long been a mystery. Until now.

South American Cowboys Cook Up Bird-Friendly Beef

By Bruce Barcott
September 27, 2012 — Legendary gauchos are teaming up with grassland conservationists to maintain a way of life and help save millions of grassland birds.

Fighting to Save the Spoon-billed Sandpiper From Extinction In Five Years

By Scott Weidensaul
September 14, 2012 — So rare and cute. The spoon-billed sandpiper blends fantasy with tragedy. In a scramble to get the word out, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology captured the first-ever high-definition video of the bird, which numbers barely 300. Audubon has the story.

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