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Conservation News

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 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?
A bright green kakapo emerges from a bag on the ground held open by a person's hands.
On Mainland New Zealand, Crafty Kākāpō Are Thwarting Reintroduction Efforts
March 13, 2024 — Ten of the critically endangered parrots were released into a sanctuary in 2023 with hopes of eventually establishing a wild population. The only problem? The birds keep escaping.
Nine white geese on open water
Hope in the (Decreasing) Dark
March 11, 2024 — From America’s Arctic to the Tongass National Forest, we have big plans for the coming year. Alaska’s diverse ecosystems, cultures, and politics require unique and creative solutions for both nature and people—and that’s what we’ll continue to bring to the table.
ALASKA
Close up portrait of a Harpy Eagle turning its head to the side.
After Years in Captivity, These Rescued Harpy Eagles Are Flourishing in the Wild
February 16, 2024 — The successful rehabilitation of the majestic raptors is the first in Bolivia, and a ray of hope for a species that has lost vast stretches of its historical habitat.
A group of male and female Wild Turkeys foraging close together.
Native Americans Domesticated Turkeys Long Before the Pilgrims Arrived
November 15, 2023 — Indigenous societies in the Americas valued the birds so highly that they tamed them at least twice, including in the U.S. Southwest. Turkey feathers still have abundant uses to tribes there today.
Birds and History
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.
A mottled brown whip-poor-will with squinty eyes sits perfectly camouflaged on a tree branch.
Revealing the Mysteries of Whip-poor-wills—and What It Might Take to Save Them
September 29, 2023 — Recently uncovered secrets long held by species in the elusive nightjar family, and those still waiting to be unraveled, could provide information vital to curtailing their recent losses.
Green leaves with irregular dark bands on a tree branch.
A Fast-Spreading Disease Threatens a Foundational Tree of Eastern Forests
September 27, 2023 — Beech leaf disease is bad news for birds, which also may be spreading it.
Elderly man with black and blue checkered shirt scans a landscape of dead tress with his binoculars. There are snow capped peaks in the background.
Meet the 88-Year-Old ‘Unlikely Birder’ On a Quest to Link Two Famed National Parks
September 18, 2023 — A youthful spirit has powered Lowell Young’s decades of advocacy on behalf of birds and habitats, including his contributions to a campaign to create the proposed Range of Light National Monument.
Profiles