Bird Science

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.

Photo Essay

Two featherless baby birds in a nest beg for food with their heads back and mouths open. One of them is bigger and is stretching its neck higher.

Brown-Headed Cowbird Necks Were Built for Begging

March 26, 2026 — The parasitic birds have evolved extra endurance to help them steal food from their host species, new research finds.

A bird sits on a tree branch looking to the left of the frame

Volunteers are Providing the Data Needed to Manage Florida’s Endemic Bird

March 23, 2026 — Jay Watch is a model of community science that guides habitat management and fosters advocates for a threatened species.

Community Science at Audubon

What’s a Northern Cardinal Doing at a Pile of Deer Guts? Chowing Down.

March 02, 2026 — A research project enlisting hunters as partners has revealed that the roll call of birds willing to feast on some organ meat is surprisingly diverse.

Two Pine Siskins perch on a bird feeder eating nyjer seeds.

What Do Pine Siskins Have to Do With Salmonella Outbreaks? A Lot, a New Study Finds

February 20, 2026 — Research linking climate, conifer seed production, and siskin irruptions could provide an early warning system for dangerous salmonella outbreaks at bird feeders and among people.

Close view of a hawk with avocado bits on its open beak.

Red-shouldered Hawks With a Taste for Avocado Join a Growing List of Fruit-Eating Raptors

February 05, 2026 — Until now the behavior had been undocumented in the species, but recent research has revealed that more birds of prey consume plants than we realized.

Bird Behavior

A Mallard walks along the frozen surface of icy water.

How Birds Keep Their Feet From Freezing in Frigid Temperatures

January 26, 2026 — Ever wonder how ducks can stand on ice for hours? The key is this clever physiological adaptation.

Mark Hauber inspects a nest in a tree using a telescopic mirror.

Got Beef With Cowbirds? This Researcher Wants to Change Your Mind

January 15, 2026 — The brood parasites get a bad rap for making other birds raise their young, but study by study, Mark Hauber and his “Cowbird Lab” have revealed a species worthy of respect.