Birds and Climate

A colorful male Painted Bunting perches on a vine.
A Decade of Watching Birds—and Watching Out for Them
May 06, 2025 — Celebrating a decade of Audubon’s Climate Watch
An owl sits on a tree branch in a dense, mossy forest.
Fire Is a Major Threat to California Spotted Owls—Could it Also Help Save Them?
July 15, 2024 — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could soon give the subspecies protection under the Endangered Species Act, and is calling for more beneficial fire to help the birds rebound.
A loon sits among plants at the edge of a pond.
Heavy Downpours Are a Growing Threat to Common Loons
May 15, 2024 — Last summer’s record rainfall flooded nests across the Northeast, an increasingly common hazard that is hampering loon reproduction. Protecting healthy habitat and providing artificial nest rafts can help, researchers say.
A brown bird perched in green leaves, looking up.
How Extreme Weather Tests Facilities Housing the Last of a Species
March 29, 2024 — Natural disasters fueled by climate change imperil critically endangered species under human care. Breeding centers must be more ready than ever to swing into action in an emergency.
A Black-throated Blue Warbler stands on a branch looking at the camera in front of an out-of-focus green background.
As Spring Shifts Earlier, Many Migrating Birds Are Struggling to Keep Up
March 07, 2024 — With the climate warming, leaves and blooms are popping out ahead of schedule. A wide-ranging new study shows why this trend is troubling for a variety of bird species.
Aerial landscape of a forest consumed by fire, a huge area of trees already burned and the sky filled with clouds of smoke.
How Do Wildfires in Canada’s Boreal Forest Affect Birds Across the Continent?
June 22, 2023 — Hundreds of fires continue to blaze in what officials say could become Canada’s worst fire season in recorded history.