Culture

Two young siblings with red hair stand outside on a boardwalk smiling and laughing.
News

These Twins Hope to Become Their Own Duck Stamp Dynasty

By Freda Kreier
August 28, 2023 — Kira Sabin went viral in 2021 after making a TikTok video about their entry for the annual art competition. Two years later, they're still going for a win—and hoping partnering with their sibling helps.
A young woman outside near a river holds a tripod and spotting scope and looks at the camera.
Books

Mya-Rose Craig’s Search for Family Amid an Extraordinary Life of World Birding

By Nicholas Cannariato
August 15, 2023 — Birdgirl, a memoir by the 21-year-old birder and activist, is an affecting story of a daughter seeking her parents as they, together, seek birds.
Waterfowl on a pond seen through tall grass, the end of a gun visible in the foreground.
Books

Two New Books By Unlikely Advocates Make the Conservation Case for Hunting

By Andy McGlashen
May 09, 2023 — A birder and a Brooklynite examine their opposition to hunting, give it a try, and—finding a deeper sense of stewardship—urge others to reconsider.
An illustration of a robot reaching up with one arm towards a hovering red bird.
News

Can New AI Chatbots Like ChatGPT Help You Identify Birds?

By Nicholas Lund
April 04, 2023 — ‘Audubon’ magazine’s intrepid AI expert pushed the cutting-edge technology to its limits on field marks, native plants, and ... Mr. Bean?
Field Notes

Yes, Birding Does Change Your Brain

By Joanna Thompson
March 29, 2023 — Neuroscientists puzzling over how human memory and learning function often turn to birdwatchers to connect the dots.
A flock of Sandhill Cranes fly in a line against a blue sky, the moon in the background.
Books

‘Flight Paths’ Unfurls the Wondrous History of Migration Science

By Philip Kiefer
March 10, 2023 — A new book details how amateur birders and bird-loving scientists pieced together the true story of avian migration.
Books

A New Book Explores Our Disdain for Pests

By Kharishar Kahfi
February 09, 2023 — Journalist Bethany Brookshire argues that the idea of a “pest” is more about humans’ view of unwanted animals than the critters themselves.
Essay

Everyone Should Have a Mother's Day Birding Tradition Like This

By Melissa Scott Sinclair
January 30, 2023 — Mother, daughter, and granddaughter take joy in learning the spring migrant birds who show up to their annual May ritual.
Climate

Javier Caletrío Says It’s Time for Birders to Move Away from High-Carbon Birding

By Jenny McKee
January 09, 2023 — A new book ‘Low-Carbon Birding’ challenges birders to give up air travel and twitching and instead enjoy their local species.
The Aviary

An Abundance of American Robins

By Jessica McKenzie
December 13, 2022 — Mayuko Fujino’s flock in flight celebrates a common species threatened by climate change.