People

Jessica McKenzie

Reporter, Audubon magazine

Jessica McKenzie is an associate editor at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Her work has been published in The New York Times, National Geographic, Backpacker, The Counter, and Grist, among other publications.

Articles by Jessica McKenzie

Ceramic sculpture of an American Oystercatcher on a circular base.
The Hidden World of the American Oystercatcher
September 18, 2025 — Inspired by ancient offering vessels, Rachel Frank’s sculpture captures the delicate cycle of a shorebird’s life in the intertidal zone.
The Aviary
A piñata with three Ivory-billed Woodpeckers perched on a branch, photographed outside under a flowering tree.
Layers of Paper—and Meaning—in Roberto Benavidez’s Ivory-billed Woodpecker Piñata
June 20, 2025 — With “Woodpecker Trinity,” the artist reimagines a famous Audubon watercolor to pay tribute to the long-debated woodpecker, while adding his own symbolic twists.
The Aviary
Three watercolor paintings depicting close ups of the wings of a Blue Jay, Northern Flicker, and Northern Cardinal.
A Close-Up Look at the Beauty of Backyard Birds
March 24, 2025 — In her watercolor triptych, Rosalie Haizlett celebrates the vibrant colors and details found in the feathers of common—and commonly overlooked—species.
Arts & Culture
A wooden Godwit decoy stands on the banks of a body of water with golden light cascading across a row of pine trees in the background.
This Bar-tailed Godwit Decoy Delivers Folk Art with a Contemporary Feel
December 13, 2024 — Wooden decoys long played a key role in hunting birds. Artist David Personius hopes his modern take can inspire conservation instead.
The Aviary
An embroidered scene in a round frame depicts birds perched on bamboo.
Capturing the Elusive White-bearded Antshrike—in Thread
September 20, 2024 — Artist and birdsong researcher Ana Luiza Catalano’s embroidered portrait brings a shy species—and its song—into feathery focus.
The Aviary
A painting of the Black-crowned Night Heron, surrounded by greens and blues with collaged buildings.
The Black-crowned Night-Heron’s Unlikely Refuge
July 16, 2024 — Artist Lauren Levato Coyne’s painted collage is a pointed commentary on how vulnerable the endangered bird is to habitat destruction.
The Aviary
A black and white print of a Hooded Merganser illustration next to awls on a printed table cloth.
A Printmaker Dives Into the Aquatic Domain of a Regal Duck
March 25, 2024 — Artist Meg T. Justice provides a fresh perspective on the habitat that sustains the Hooded Merganser.
The Aviary
A whimsical, surreal oil painting of a towhee perched on a branch in a snowy, mountainous landscape with a bright blue sky filled with swirling clouds.
A Surreal Spin on An Abundant Sparrow
November 16, 2023 — In "Spotted Towhee" artist Phyllis Shafer depicts a widespread bird of the West in a rapidly changing landscape.
The Aviary
Drawing of two black birds with yellow and white patches perched, mirroring each other, on grass blades against a star-spangled black backdrop and abstract lines.
A Celebration of the Bobolink’s Star-Guided Migration
September 29, 2023 — In her piece “I’ll See You When I Get There,” artist Kirsten Furlong uses ink and acrylic to capture the birds’ seemingly magical journeys.
The Aviary
A life-size sculpture of Black-necked Stilts in a cracked, dried up landscape.
A Sculpture Captures the Dry Reality for Black-necked Stilts
July 11, 2023 — Artist Sarah Conti situates life-size versions of the shorebirds in a disappearing habitat.
The Aviary