Audubon Receives $2 Million from Bezos Earth Fund to Harness AI for Bird Conservation in Latin America

(New York--October 23, 2025) The National Audubon Society has been selected as one of fifteen global organizations awarded funding through the Bezos Earth Fund’s AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge, receiving $2 million to develop artificial intelligence solutions that address the world’s most pressing environmental challenges—from habitat loss to climate change.

Audubon will use the award to deepen and extend its work combining community-based conservation with AI tools that identify birds by their songs. The project equips local partners with autonomous recording units (ARUs)—small devices that continuously record the natural soundscape, capturing bird songs and other wildlife calls. These recordings are analyzed using artificial intelligence in a process known as passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), which helps track species’ presence and abundance trends over time.

By listening to nature in this way, Audubon and its partners will gather vital information about how wildlife is responding to climate and habitat changes—helping communities better manage their lands and strengthen conservation across the Tropical Andes.

“We are deeply grateful to the Bezos Earth Fund for this investment, which allows us to bring the power of AI to Audubon’s strategic approach—working alongside communities across the Western Hemisphere to protect birds and the places they need,” said Dr. Elizabeth Gray, CEO of the National Audubon Society. “By linking advanced technology with the deep community partnerships and science that define Audubon’s work, we can transform how conservation happens across the Americas so it is faster, smarter, and built to last.”

“This award enables Audubon and our partners to put advanced AI tools directly in the hands of the people managing some of the world’s most important ecosystems,” said Dr. Chad Wilsey, Chief Scientist at the National Audubon Society. “By combining cutting-edge technology with community leadership, we can better understand biodiversity trends, strengthen local conservation capacity, and help ensure the health of ecosystems critical to both people and wildlife.”

The project is being implemented through Conserva Aves, a collaborative initiative led by Audubon, American Bird Conservancy, BirdLife International, Birds Canada, and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC). Conserva Aves aims to protect over two million hectares of bird habitat across Latin America by 2028, with 70 reserves already underway in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia.

The new AI-powered network will allow these communities to detect elusive species, measure conservation progress and explore new ways to finance protection efforts—such as bird-based ecotourism or biodiversity credits. The project also continues Audubon’s 125-year tradition of community science, from the Christmas Bird Count to modern digital monitoring.

“These projects show how AI, when developed responsibly and guided by science and local knowledge, can strengthen environmental action and ensure its overall impact on the planet is positive,” said Dr. Amen Ra Mashariki, Director of AI and Data Strategies at the Bezos Earth Fund.

Launched in 2024, the Bezos Earth Fund’s AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge is a $100 million initiative to harness the power of artificial intelligence to tackle the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. The program connects innovators with resources and mentorship from leading technology partners including Amazon Web Services, Google.org, Microsoft Research, NVIDIA, the Allen Institute for AI, and Esri.

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Media Contact: Jason Howe, jason.howe@audubon.org

About the National Audubon Society

The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come. Learn more at www.audubon.org and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @audubonsociety.