News

Illustration of a prairie chicken walking on a farm with cows, a tractor, and an oil well in the background.
From Audubon Magazine

How to Fortify the Endangered Species Act for the Next 50 Years

By Rene Ebersole
November 17, 2023 — In the years ahead, flora, fauna, and the ecosystems they depend on will face many hazards, both old and new. These actions could strengthen the act’s ability to meet evolving challenges.
From Audubon Magazine

A Force of Conservation, the Endangered Species Act Faces a Fraught Future

By Rene Ebersole
November 17, 2023 — Fifty years after its passage, the powerful policy has proven effective at preventing wildlife from going extinct. Only with innovation and advocacy can it continue to do so for decades to come.
The Aviary

A Surreal Spin on An Abundant Sparrow

By Jessica McKenzie
November 16, 2023 — In “Spotted Towhee” artist Phyllis Shafer depicts a widespread bird of the West in a rapidly changing landscape.
A Ridgway’s Rail swims in a wetland, reeds and tall grass reflected in the water.
Western Water News

Cocopah Indian Tribe Secures $5.5 Million for Habitat Restoration in the Colorado River Delta

By Julia Morton
November 15, 2023 — Audubon partners with Cocopah Tribe to bring more resources to key riparian area.
Field Notes

A Beloved Winter Finch Is In Decline—and Scientists Want to Know Why

By Zoe Grueskin
November 15, 2023 — Feeder visits from Evening Grosbeaks are rarer than in the past, and a new initiative is trying to understand the root causes.
Coasts

Tufted Puffins are Getting a Boost in the Pacific Northwest

By Katherine Luscher
November 15, 2023 — Audubon and partners are launching new efforts to save this declining seabird.
Culture

Native Americans Domesticated Turkeys Long Before the Pilgrims Arrived

By Asher Elbein
November 15, 2023 — Indigenous societies in the Americas valued the birds so highly that they tamed them at least twice, including in the U.S. Southwest. Turkey feathers still have abundant uses to tribes there today.
Field Notes

This New App Looks to the Birds to Bolster Southeast Alaska’s Economy

By J. Besl
November 15, 2023 — A birding trail developed by Audubon Alaska and partners seeks to shift the region away from reliance on extractive industries.
Field Notes

How Do Birds Respond to Extreme Wildfire Haze? Project Phoenix Aims to Find Out 

By Alice Sun
November 15, 2023 — Harnessing the power of community science can help birds as smoke pollution from blazes becomes more extreme.
Field Notes

Why Bird Advocates Want to Double Down on Conservation Across the Americas

By María Paula Rubiano A.
November 08, 2023 — A bipartisan U.S. bill would ramp up funding for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, an under-the-radar program with a long reach.