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Where the latest news about birds and conservation takes flight.
On Florida's Marco Island, families of Burrowing Owls live among the locals. Photo: Karine Aigner
Winter 2025 Issue
A puffin scampers across the top of the water as it takes off with a fish in its beak.
Tufted Puffins Are Vanishing Across the Pacific Northwest—Can an Ambitious New Effort Save Them?
December 18, 2025 — Armed with enthusiasm, researchers and volunteers have joined forces to safeguard the flamboyant seabirds as climate change warms their ocean homes.
Two owl chicks sit in a nest as their much larger mother, with a rodent in her beak, comes in for a landing atop a broken tree snag.
Dead Trees Support a Bounty of Birdlife, but Preserving Them Isn’t Always Clear Cut
December 18, 2025 — By studying Great Gray Owls, scientists hope to help more people see that snags offer vital habitat.
Get to Know the Ancient Birds That Lived During the Age of Dinosaurs
December 18, 2025 — Tens of millions of years ago, a diverse array of bird species soared, swam, and thrived amid their scaly reptile cousins—and set the stage for modern birdlife.
Editors' Picks
Magazine
Essential reporting on birds and bird conservation delivered to your door.
Pairing compelling journalism with stunning photography and design, each quarterly issue helps readers grow their appreciation of birds and learn how to help them thrive. Our editorial team also reports and publishes stories on Audubon.org daily, including science and conservation news, birding tips, photo galleries, and interactive reader experiences. In print and digital, through stories and visuals, Audubon emphasizes the importance of a diverse and inclusive science and conservation effort to help meet the challenges facing both birds and people today.
Latest News and Articles
A colorful male Painted Bunting perched on a leafy vine.
See the Special Molting Locations of Three Migrating Bird Species
July 16, 2024 — Called molt-migrants, some birds take a detour on their annual trip south just to refresh their plumage.
Ring-billed Gull in flight in a blue sky.
Why (and How) to Look for Molting Birds This Summer
July 15, 2024 — Bolster your birding skills by observing this vital yet underappreciated phenomenon.
A large painting of a Northern Goshawk on the side of a brick building.
Bring the Audubon Mural Project to Your Town
July 15, 2024 — For the past decade, the initiative has used public art to showcase birds threatened by climate change. Now, communities are putting their own local spin on the effort—and yours could be next.
An Osprey perches on a bare branch against a blue sky background, looking to the left with its yellow eye.
Birders, Consider a Bridge Camera
July 15, 2024 — A field biologist explains how a superzoom camera can enhance your birding experience without weighing it down.
An owl sits on a tree branch in a dense, mossy forest.
Fire Is a Major Threat to California Spotted Owls—Could it Also Help Save Them?
July 15, 2024 — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could soon give the subspecies protection under the Endangered Species Act, and is calling for more beneficial fire to help the birds rebound.
A Canada Goose stands on a beach stretching its wings out, exposing blue sheaths from which feathers will grow.
Who Wore It Worst? Behold the Awkward Glory of Molting
July 11, 2024 — Replacing feathers can leave birds looking rough—but there's much to appreciate in their unsightly season.
Thick tree branches covered with cascading moss overlap across the frame, a Limpkin standing in the center.
Zoom Out: Tips for Photographing Birds in their Landscapes
July 02, 2024 — Put down the telephoto lens, and you might just enhance your art.
The 2024 Audubon Photo Awards: The Top 100
June 27, 2024 — Scroll through to get inspired by birds from around the world—and the achievements of bird photographers.
Black and white portrait of Aldo Leopold sitting in front of a wood shack looking off to his left.
From the Archives: Aldo Leopold's ‘Conservation Esthetic'
June 26, 2024 — What is the value of outdoor recreation—and how we do use it for the betterment of the environment and wildlife?
A Northern Flicker with bright orange feathers on the bottoms of its wings and tail perches on a thin branch with its wings open.
10 Fun Facts About the Northern Flicker
June 21, 2024 — Discover the quirks that make this weird woodpecker—whatever you want to call it—so distinctive.
Bird and Conservation News
More News
A puffin scampers across the top of the water as it takes off with a fish in its beak.
Tufted Puffins Are Vanishing Across the Pacific Northwest—Can an Ambitious New Effort Save Them?
December 18, 2025 — Armed with enthusiasm, researchers and volunteers have joined forces to safeguard the flamboyant seabirds as climate change warms their ocean homes.
Two owl chicks sit in a nest as their much larger mother, with a rodent in her beak, comes in for a landing atop a broken tree snag.
Dead Trees Support a Bounty of Birdlife, but Preserving Them Isn’t Always Clear Cut
December 18, 2025 — By studying Great Gray Owls, scientists hope to help more people see that snags offer vital habitat.
A Burrowing Owl stands on a concrete block outside a solar panel complex.
How Burrowing Owls Found a Home on an Arizona Solar Farm
December 18, 2025 — As development pushes these charismatic owls from their underground nesting sites, a solar project aims to show that habitat and renewable energy can coexist.

Find a Read

Audubon magazine publishes a variety of story types in print and online. Peruse—and enjoy—just a sampling of our work below. 

Highlighted Feature Stories
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a ‘Forever Chemical’ Hotspot—What Does That Mean for Its Birds and People?
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a ‘Forever Chemical’ Hotspot—What Does That Mean for Its Birds and People?

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.

Investigations
A New Plastic Wave Is Coming to Our Shores
A New Plastic Wave Is Coming to Our Shores

A glut of natural gas has led to a U.S. production surge in tiny plastic pellets, called nurdles, that are washing up on coasts by the millions.

Profiles
The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne
The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne

From deep within the Smithsonian, the world’s first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviation—making the skies safer for us all.

Essays
The Day We Didn’t Save the Starling
An illustration of a woman and young girl crouching down looking at something in a driveway next to a house.
The Day We Didn’t Save the Starling

In our rescue attempt, I thought I was giving my young daughters a lesson in compassion. It ended up being the reminder that I needed.

What a Songbird Lost at Sea Taught Me About Survival
What a Songbird Lost at Sea Taught Me About Survival

Aboard a mission to explore the alien life of the deep ocean, a chance encounter with a migratory bird offered a point of connection—one that has felt poignant this past year.  

Remembering Toni Morrison, the Bird Whisperer
Remembering Toni Morrison, the Bird Whisperer

A year after Morrison’s passing, a journalist and birder reflects on how her time with the cherished author changed her relationship with birds—and with herself.

The Audubon Guide to Climate Action
The Audubon Guide to Climate Action

Feeling like you can’t make a difference? That couldn’t be further from the truth. Our award-winning guide shows you where to begin and how to ­amplify your efforts to make lasting change in the world.

Dispatches
An Anna's Hummingbird perches on a twig in the center of the frame against a blurred background of blue, yellow, and green.

The 2025 Audubon Photo Awards: Top 100

Revel in the staggering beauty and surprising behaviors featured in this gallery of our favorite images.

Photo Essays
Portrait of a Forest on the Climate Edge
A bird's eye view of a winter scene of a forest with some green pine trees and bare aspen, paper birch, and red maple trees.
Portrait of a Forest on the Climate Edge

In Minnesota, a boreal forest ecosystem could shift north over the Canada border this century. Local photographers, scientists, and land managers are grappling with what that means—and how to respond.

Birding Advice and News
Bird Books and Culture
The Audubon Bird Guide
American Pipit
Wagtails and Pipits
California Gnatcatcher
Gnatcatchers
Emperor Goose
Ducks and Geese
Song Sparrow
New World Sparrows