Alice Sun

About

Alice Sun is a science writer, visual storyteller, and birder based in Brooklyn. See more of her work at alicesun.ca

Articles by Alice Sun

A crowd gathers in a parking lot taking pictures of a huge flock of Purple Martins flying overhead.

Across the South, Purple Martin Parties Are the Hottest Ticket in Town

September 25, 2026 — Every summer, hundreds of thousands of roosting swallows draw eager crowds to urban parking lots for an unforgettable spectacle.

Bird Migration

A Cactus Wren hovers with its wings outstretched near a cholla cactus with pink flowers, holding bits of dry plants in its beak.

14 Charming Photos That Showcase the Beautiful Bonds Between Birds and Native Plants

May 28, 2026 — Bask in some of our favorite images from the Plants for Birds category in the 2025 Audubon Photography Awards.

Audubon Photography Awards

Aerial landscape of an elevated boardwalk zigzagging through a lush green wetland.

7 Canopy Walks Where You Can Get a Bird’s-Eye View of Spring Migration

March 27, 2026 — Save your neck by getting up to tree level at elevated walks around North America.

Destinations

A fuzzy great horned owl chick snuggles up against its parent in their nest, both with their eyes closed, with wispy spanish moss hanging around them like a curtain.

These Precious Photos of Baby Birds Are Just What You Need

February 24, 2026 — Our favorite chick pics from the 2025 Audubon Photo Awards will improve anyone's day.

Audubon Photography Awards

With a lab coat and gloves on Maria Ortega inspects multiple trays of nest materials in her lab.

Scientists Are Now Finding Microplastics in Backyard Birds

December 17, 2025 — The tiny particles are widespread in waterbirds around the world. New research is finding them in neighborhood songbirds, too.

Bird Science

An aerial view of a concrete wall in a mangrove-surrounded bay.

Oysters Are ‘Nature’s Architects’—and Coastal Conservation’s Secret Weapon

June 20, 2025 — To give new life to shoreline habitats, a growing number of projects are harnessing the reef-building power of oysters.

Conservation News

Colorful leaves float on the surface of a pool of shallow water on the forest floor.

Vernal Pools Are the Place to Be for Woodland Critters—as Long as They Last

March 25, 2025 — Researchers and community scientists have teamed up to map and protect these ephemeral biodiversity hotspots before they disappear for good.

Conservation News

An adult Eared Grebe swimming with two chicks on her back, turns her head around with food in her beak to feed one of the chicks reaching to take it from her.

Get Ready to Melt Over These Sweet Photos of Baby Birds

February 28, 2025 — From fluffy penguins to gawky cranes, here are some of our favorite baby bird pics from the 2024 Audubon Photography Awards.

Audubon Photography Awards

Long Before Pantone, This Bird-Based System for Describing Color Was a Hit

December 17, 2024 — In the early 20th century, ornithologist Robert Ridgway published a massive dictionary to categorize birds’ hues, from Peacock Blue to Duck Green. His work still resonates for artists and designers today.

Arts & Culture