Conservation Challenges

Closeup of a Kirtland's Warbler perched on a thin branch.
Inbreeding Poses Another Challenge to the Rebounding Kirtland’s Warbler
April 14, 2025 — Whole-genome analysis raises concerns about the rare songbird, the authors of a recent study say, but could also help with recovering vulnerable species.
A bright yellow meadowlark perched in a sagebrush plant.
A Sweeping New Report Shows U.S. Birds Declining Sharply Across a Range of Habitats
March 13, 2025 — Scientists checked in on species all over the country for the latest State of the Birds report. Nearly everywhere they looked, birds were struggling—including some that have been resilient in the past.
A small dead bird lying on its back on the pavement.
Window Strikes Are Even Deadlier for Birds Than We Thought
August 14, 2024 — A new study suggests the true avian toll of building collisions in the United States reaches well over 1 billion deaths annually.
Conservation News
A Eurasian Eagle-Owl sits on a tree branch looking off to his right, with a squirrel on the branch behind him.
City Life is Hard for Raptors. Can Removing Rat Poison Make it Easier?
June 06, 2024 — Birds of prey have long been casualties in the war on rodents. In the wake of celebrity bird deaths like Flaco the Owl's, advocates are pushing for us to be better neighbors.
Conservation News
A Golden Eagle standing on a frozen river looks back over its shoulder at the camera.
The East Has Its Own Golden Eagles, and Advocates Say They Need Help
May 16, 2024 — Though apparently stable, the eastern population faces evolving threats, experts say. One group is asking the federal government to list the birds as threatened.
Conservation News
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.
Conservation News
An Osprey in flight against a blue sky holding a fish in its talon.
Researchers Sound the Alarm Over the Chesapeake Bay’s Ospreys
May 13, 2024 — In the world’s largest population of the fish-eating raptors, reproductive rates have fallen below DDT-era lows. Scientists say overfishing by one company is to blame.
Conservation News
A large flock of shorebirds sit in muddy vegetation in a lagoon.
As Coastal Habitat Shrinks, Scientists Take Inspiration from Surfing Shorebirds
April 19, 2024 — Birds rest on rafts of eelgrass when they can't find a safe space to roost onshore. Now conservationists are mimicking the behavior to give them more places of respite.
Conservation News
A blue Pinyon Jay stands in a juniper tree.
To Protect Two Declining Western Birds, Scientists Seek a Tricky Balance
March 20, 2024 — Both Pinyon Jays and Greater Sage-Grouse face significant declines in distinct Western habitats. Can conservationists meet the needs of both?
Conservation News
Huge expanse of plastic and garbage floats on water.
Will the World Unite to Curb the Global Disaster That Is Plastic Pollution?
October 12, 2023 — With negotiations coming up this fall, experts say that a proposed treaty must rein in production and consider the most vulnerable populations.
Conservation News