Field Notes

A floating grid abuts a building atop a vast plane of water. Fish are grown inside nets being held aloft in this grid.
Conservationists Urge Caution as the Federal Government Promotes Fish Farming
March 22, 2024 — Aquaculture comes in many forms and can be done sustainably, but a push for more offshore operations raises concerns, environmentalists say.
A woman is climbing up a crack in an otherwise solid red mountain, off in the distance are mesas and valleys in various shades red and rust.
Rock Climbers Rise to the Occasion to Protect Cliff-Nesting Raptors
March 22, 2024 — In Bears Ears National Monument and climbing areas around the country, adventurers are working with scientists and educating their peers to prevent harm to the majestic birds whose habitat they share.
A fisheye view from above a paraglider, the earth looks remote but the sky is filled with gliders.
To Understand How Birds Soar, a Scientist Looks to Paragliders
March 22, 2024 — Like vultures, the aerial athletes rely on thermals to power their flight. But how do they find these invisible updrafts?
Illustration of an adult and child smelling flowers outside next to a house.
New Laws Protect Bird-Friendly Yards From Neighborhood Rules
March 22, 2024 — A blossoming legislative trend prevents homeowners associations, which set landscaping rules for a growing number of Americans, from forbidding native plants.
Illustration of a house and building next to trees and birds.
Conservation Groups Retool Their Missions to Address the Affordable Housing Crisis
March 22, 2024 — Protecting green space can drive up local property costs, so land trusts are forming new partnerships to create homes for people and wildlife.
Portrait of Amy Tan sitting on a stone wall in a garden.
In Amy Tan's Newest Book, the Drama Is All About the Birds
March 22, 2024 — The acclaimed novelist recently started exploring a world of avian characters through nature journaling. The result is a work of art.
An Evening Grosbeak with a GPS tag on its back, held in someone's hand with a snowy forest behind it.
A Beloved Winter Finch Is In Decline—and Scientists Want to Know Why
November 15, 2023 — Feeder visits from Evening Grosbeaks are rarer than in the past, and a new initiative is trying to understand the root causes.
A kayaker paddles in a pristine lake, the clear water mirroring the forest on either side.
This New App Looks to the Birds to Bolster Southeast Alaska’s Economy
November 15, 2023 — A birding trail developed by Audubon Alaska and partners seeks to shift the region away from reliance on extractive industries.
A woman stands outside looking up at the trees overhead holding binoculars and a phone.
How Do Birds Respond to Extreme Wildfire Haze? Project Phoenix Aims to Find Out 
November 15, 2023 — Harnessing the power of community science can help birds as smoke pollution from blazes becomes more extreme.
group of teenagers with two adults standing on a trail with green mountains in the background
Why Bird Advocates Want to Double Down on Conservation Across the Americas
November 08, 2023 — A bipartisan U.S. bill would ramp up funding for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, an under-the-radar program with a long reach.