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Where the latest news about birds and conservation takes flight.
On Florida's Marco Island, families of Burrowing Owls live among the locals. Photo: Karine Aigner
Summer 2026 Issue
Ospreys in the Chesapeake Bay Are Starving to Death at Disastrous Rates. What Will It Take to Save Them?
June 25, 2026 — After a spectacular comeback from DDT, the Osprey population has plummeted within the watershed and is showing signs of trouble elsewhere. The birds fate may once more rest on collective action.
Are Crows Really Our Friends?
June 23, 2026 — An investigation into the state of corvidhuman relations.
Two men kneel in a forest-like setting surrounded by dense tropical plants and trees, wearing dark clothing with colorful embroidered panels and bead necklaces and holding instruments made from natural materials.
Meet the Metalhead Turned Anthropologist Who Plays Ancient Instruments Inspired by Birds
June 17, 2026 — In concerts, YouTube videos, and books, Esteban Valdivia shares how musical artifacts can reveal long-lost knowledge of avian species.
Editors' Picks
Magazine
Essential reporting on birds and bird conservation delivered to your door.
Pairing compelling journalism with stunning photography and design, each quarterly issue helps readers grow their appreciation of birds and learn how to help them thrive. Our editorial team also reports and publishes stories on 91做厙.org daily, including science and conservation news, birding tips, photo galleries, and interactive reader experiences. In print and digital, through stories and visuals, 91做厙 emphasizes the importance of a diverse and inclusive science and conservation effort to help meet the challenges facing both birds and people today.
Latest Stories
Field Notes From My First Rare-Bird Sighting
February 01, 2019 — When a Red-flanked Bluetail strayed into Los Angeles, one fledgling birder joined the stakeoutand learned a few things in the process.
Subzero Temperatures Couldn't Stop This Rugged Wyoming Christmas Bird Count
January 31, 2019 — A chance to spot Greater Sage-Grouse and see which species will show up at a certain geothermal pool makes enduring the cold worthwhile.
How a Photographer Snuck Under the Wing of a Loon Parent
January 30, 2019 — To capture this image of a concealed loon chick, teenager Carolina Fraser focused on a split-second moment.
After an Injury, Maine's Famous Great Black Hawk Faces an Uncertain Future
January 28, 2019 — [Updated] Rehabbers helping the stray raptor from Mexico now face an ethical dilemma: Where to release a bird thousands of miles from home?
Birds in the Air: Talking Conservation and Christianity With the Next Generation
January 25, 2019 — At Baylor Universitys symposium on faith and culture, young leaders made it clear that caring for the environment is at the core of their identity.
Meet the Heart and Soul of America's Oldest and Largest Bird Count
January 25, 2019 — Geoff LeBaron has led 91做厙's Christmas Bird Count for the last 32 years, long before crowdsourcing scientific data was in fashion.
For Chicago Birders, a Christmas Day CBC Is the Perfect Holiday Tradition
January 24, 2019 — Participants in this year's count, including the author and her family, enjoyed a day outside birding while also snagging a pair of rarities.
Birds Star In One of This Year's Hottest Board Games
January 24, 2019 — With realistic details birders will love and gameplay that has hardcore gamers buzzing, "Wingspan" bridges two vibrant cultures.
Impending Wall Construction Looms Over Bird Count at U.S.-Mexico Border
January 22, 2019 — For 60 years, birders have spent a winter day tallying birds at this unique ecological crossroads where work on the barrier will begin in February.
Watch a Black Heron Fool Fish by Turning Into an Umbrella
January 17, 2019 — The behavior, called canopy feeding, is an especially effective way to hunt.
Bird and Conservation News
More News
How Women Hunters Are Reviving a Fading Traditionand a Vital Conservation Tool
September 23, 2026 — Fewer Americans are taking up hunting, which means fewer dollars for conservation. But a growing community of women are stepping up with fresh approaches to sustain the age-old practice.
Two people canoe on a pristine lake, lush forest extending into the distance.
The Fight Over Toxic Mining Returns to Minnesotas Boundary Waters
September 23, 2026 — Now that Congress has rolled back protections from mining in its watershed, the beloved haven for paddlers and wildlife is once again at risk.
A landscape of a grassland with a small pond.
At Conservation Burial Grounds, People and Birds Find a Shared Sanctuary
September 21, 2026 — A growing number of properties across the United States are being protected as a final resting place for humansand a permanent habitat for wildlife.

Find a Read

91做厙 magazine publishes a variety of story types in print and online. Peruseand enjoyjust a sampling of our work below. 

Highlighted Feature Stories
Investigations
A New Plastic Wave Is Coming to Our Shores
A New Plastic Wave Is Coming to Our Shores

A glut of natural gas has led to a U.S. production surge in tiny plastic pellets, called nurdles, that are washing up on coasts by the millions.

Profiles
The Long, Exceptional Life of Frank Graham
A man sitting at a desk with a microscope looks up and smiles.
The Long, Exceptional Life of Frank Graham

As 91做厙 magazines Field Editor for 45 years, Frank Graham, Jr. brought the beauty and resilience of nature into focusas well as the tenacity of those striving to save it.

The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne
The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne

From deep within the Smithsonian, the worlds first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviationmaking the skies safer for us all.

Essays
The Day We Didnt Save the Starling
An illustration of a woman and young girl crouching down looking at something in a driveway next to a house.
The Day We Didnt Save the Starling

In our rescue attempt, I thought I was giving my young daughters a lesson in compassion. It ended up being the reminder that I needed.

Remembering Toni Morrison, the Bird Whisperer
Remembering Toni Morrison, the Bird Whisperer

A year after Morrisons passing, a journalist and birder reflects on how her time with the cherished author changed her relationship with birdsand with herself.

The 91做厙 Guide to Climate Action
The 91做厙 Guide to Climate Action

Feeling like you cant make a difference? That couldnt be further from the truth. Our award-winning guide shows you where to begin and how to 簫amplify your efforts to make lasting change in the world.

Dispatches
An Anna's Hummingbird perches on a twig in the center of the frame against a blurred background of blue, yellow, and green.

The 2025 91做厙 Photo Awards: Top 100

Revel in the staggering beauty and surprising behaviors featured in this gallery of our favorite images.

More Photo Essays
Portrait of a Forest on the Climate Edge
A bird's eye view of a winter scene of a forest with some green pine trees and bare aspen, paper birch, and red maple trees.
Portrait of a Forest on the Climate Edge

In Minnesota, a boreal forest ecosystem could shift north over the Canada border this century. Local photographers, scientists, and land managers are grappling with what that meansand how to respond.

Birding Advice and News
Arts and Culture
Feather Detective Roxie Laybournes Career in Six Objects
A metal instrument called a cloacascope on a black background.
Feather Detective Roxie Laybournes Career in Six Objects

From a gynandromorphic grosbeak to feathers collected at a murder investigation in Florida, biographer Chris Sweeney shares six unusual artifacts he found while researching his new book about the worlds first forensic ornithologist.

The 91做厙 Bird Guide
Blue-winged Warbler
Vermivora cyanoptera
Wood Warblers
Common Cuckoo
Cuculus canorus
Cuckoos, Roadrunners, Anis
Bronzed Cowbird
Molothrus aeneus
Blackbirds and Orioles
California Quail
Callipepla californica
New World Quail