Science

News

Birds of a Feather Do Indeed Flock Together, According to New Research

By Paige Curtis
August 29, 2023 — A decade-long bird monitoring program shows Golden-crowned Sparrows are more likely to live and travel with their friends.
Migratory Bird Initiative

How the Breeding Season Teaches Us More About Migratory Birds

By Chad Witko
August 23, 2023 — During the brief windows when migratory birds are busy breeding and relatively stationary, migration researchers leap into action to unravel the mysteries of their journeys.
News

Apparently Magpies and Crows Are Using "Anti-Bird Spikes" to Make Their Nests

By Lauren Leffer
July 13, 2023 — Birds often incorporate human-made materials while nest building, but a new study shows European corvids are taking the idea to the extreme.
Migratory Bird Initiative

Audubon Determines Method for Choosing the Best Places for Bird Conservation Efforts 

By National Audubon Society
June 23, 2023 — A new study proposes a conservation methodology that incorporates factors such as habitat type, migratory routes, and interest and capacity from local communities.
News

Drab but Fab: Woodcocks Wear the Whitest Whites in the Avian Wardrobe

By Kharishar Kahfi
April 28, 2023 — Though mostly camouflaged, Eurasian Woodcocks have brilliant patches much whiter than any feathers previously measured, a recent study finds.
A close up portrait of a small, streaky, brown and white bird looking at the camera.
News

Migrating Birds Change Their Scenery—and Their Gut Bacteria

By Zoe Grueskin
April 20, 2023 — A new study using birds killed in window collisions finds avian microbiomes, unlike those of mammals including humans, vary as they travel, changing with the surrounding environments.
Climate

Using Science to Craft Conservation Policy that Emphasizes Biodiversity in a Changing Climate

By Sarah Saunders and Mariah Meek
April 18, 2023 — As the Biden Administration implements the America the Beautiful initiative, a new study identifies areas most likely to provide refuge for plants and wildlife as temperatures warm.
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.
Seas & Shores

Mangroves, much more than meeting points of land and sea

By Julio Montes de Oca
March 08, 2023 — During the 8th Our Ocean Conference, Audubon Americas, and Conservation International showcased two leading projects in Panama and Colombia, supported by the UK-Blue Carbon Fund, and administered by the Inter-American Development Bank.
News

This Wave Theory of Spring Migration Will Prepare You for Your Next Birding Outing

By Hannah Waters
March 06, 2023 — Songbirds don’t leave their wintering grounds all together. Here’s when to expect different species as they cross the eastern United States.