Science

A male and female Canvasback duck face each other in the water, the male looking back with a vibrant red eye.
Bird Eyes Come In an Amazing Array of Colors—but Why Is a Mystery
February 07, 2023 — A recent study analyzing what scientists know about avian eye color finds that there are numerous questions left to solve.
Bird Science
A chickadee perched on a pine branch with a blue background.
In the Rockies, Human Activity Paves the Way for a Hybrid Bird Boom
January 12, 2023 — Black-capped and Mountain Chickadees mate more often than previously believed, research shows—especially where people disturb their habitat.
Bird Science
A Global Antenna Network Is the Next Frontier of Migration Science
September 21, 2022 — Motus stations across the landscape pick up ‘pings’ from any radio-tagged birds that fly past. The data, open to everyone, are painting a fuller picture of the journeys the creatures make.
From Audubon Magazine
A close-up image shows a Yellow Warbler’s feather in great detail: yellow barbs photographed against a black background, with a brownish shaft running through the center of the feather.
The Bird Genoscape Project Aims to Unlock the Secrets in Birds’ Feathers
April 14, 2022 — Recent breakthroughs have allowed researchers from across the Western Hemisphere to begin building a DNA library filled with insights about where birds migrate and their resilience to mounting pressures.
News
A colorful illustration shows a phenology wheel—a scientific diagram that uses a series of concentric circles to show the alignment of sunlight, plant growth, and insect emergence. In this illustration, birds are flying chaotically around the wheel, showing their struggle to keep up with the advancement of spring.
A Matter of Timing: Can Birds Keep Up With Earlier and Earlier Springs?
April 13, 2022 — The seasons are changing as the planet warms. Some migratory species may break under the strain—but others could surprise us.
News
Two smiling children look at a small yellow bird, a Wilson's Warbler, held carefully by a scientist. One of the children gently touches the bird.
To Experience Migration in a New Way, Check Out a Bird Banding Station
April 13, 2022 — Visiting or volunteering at one of these sites can provide up-close avian encounters and a chance to contribute to valuable data collection.
News
A Magnetic ‘Stop Sign’ Tells These Birds Where to Nest
January 27, 2022 — Nearly eight decades of banding data help dissect how songbirds return to the same breeding territory year after year.
Bird Science
The ‘Big Boom Theory’ That Could Help Conserve Common Nighthawks
January 14, 2022 — New research confirms that males’ wing-boom sound marks hard-to-find nesting sites—a boon for efforts to save these mysterious, declining birds.
Bird Science
Newly Recorded Condor ‘Virgin Birth’ Is Another Way Birds Are Like Reptiles
November 10, 2021 — Zoo researchers discovered that two female California Condors had reproduced without males, a phenomenon known as parthenogenesis.
Another Reason to Stop Global Warming: Save Millions from Air Pollution
November 10, 2021 — A new study underscores the scale of disease and death industrialized societies have accepted in exchange for fossil fuel energy.
Climate