Rachel Nuwer

Reporter, Audubon Magazine
About

Freelancer Rachel Nuwer wrote "Setting Free the Birds," in the January-February issue.

Articles by Rachel Nuwer

Two people dressed in bright yellow cold-weather gear stand at the edge of a rocky shoreline, holding a large net and watching a crowded colony of penguins gathered along the coast.
Follow Scientists on a Daring Mission to the Danger Islands, a Penguin-Breeding Stronghold
March 27, 2026 — Home to the world’s largest known Adélie Penguin population, the Antarctic islands recently gained protected-area status. Now researchers say the seas around the archipelago also need protection to safeguard the breeding colony’s food supply.
Three people kneel on the floor holding fans made of Golden Eagle tail feathers in a dimly lit room filled with spiritual objects.
This Native-Run Raptor Center Is Safeguarding Sacred Birds, Feathers, and Practices
June 20, 2025 — A Comanche-led conservation project takes on an increasingly urgent mission: protecting the birds revered by many tribes while preserving traditions at the heart of their culture.
Brown goo coats several sticks with leaves and other debris trapped in it.
Poaching Birds Is Big Money for the Mafia in Cyprus—but a Brave Few Are Fighting Back
May 22, 2024 — The beautiful, politically complicated Mediterranean island continues to play an outsize role in Europe’s songbird-poaching problem. Despite numerous dangers and even threats against their lives, a group of dedicated conservationists are trying to turn things around.
People birding on the side of a road with under-constructions cones in the center.
Travel in the Time of Climate Crisis
March 29, 2023 — As climate-related disasters ramp up, how can travelers minimize the harms and maximize the benefits they bring to recovering destinations?
What Is Killing Wisconsin's Bald Eagles?
December 16, 2020 — For 25 years researchers struggled to find the culprit behind a mysterious illness plaguing eagles around the Wisconsin River. Finally, a clue emerges.
A Mysterious Illegal Egg Trade Imperils Kenya’s Owls
December 14, 2018 — The raptors are already some of the most persecuted birds in Africa. Now their eggs are being stolen for witchcraft—but few seem to know or care.
What Would Happen If We Brought Birds Back From The Dead?
May 04, 2016 — Scientists are striving to resurrect extinct species, but if it works, they may not come back to the same habitat they left.
Watch a Biodegradable Chemical Clean Up Spilt Oil
July 20, 2015 — The new creation may make sucking up the toxic substance safer for the environment.
Cracking the Code on Egg Coloration
June 15, 2015 — Just two pigments account for the remarkable spectrum of bird eggshell hue and patterns.
High Altitude Exposure
April 26, 2015 — An artist goes airborne to reveal the beautiful scars we’ve left on the earth.