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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
Storm clouds darken an orange sunset over a mountain range.
The Surprises We Find In Pursuit of Truth
December 16, 2021 — Our latest issue offers a reminder that, even when we think we know where stories are going, they often take us to unexpected places.
The invention of early home answering machines, such as the PhoneMate, helped birding hotlines take off in the 1950s to 1970s.
Where Have All the Rare Bird Alerts Gone?
December 16, 2021 — Long before eBird, birders simply called up an avian hotline to learn where to chase unusual birds. Today these phone services are themselves sliding toward extinctionwith one notable exception.
Standing in profile close to the camera, a bright red Northern Cardinal spreads the feathers on its wing so that each individual feather is visible. Snow is on the ground, and is lightly falling against a dark night sky.
These Scrappy Photos Capture the Action-Packed World Beneath a Bird Feeder
December 16, 2021 — A photographer pursues common yard wildlife from a different perspective.
In the bottom right of this photo stands a three-foot-tall white stork, its orange bill and feet nearly the same shade as the cord running along the ground in front of it. The white feathers of the bird are covered in an a dark, oily substance. The bird is walking on the street, where a white car is parked, and crossing in front of a sandstone building.
Behind the Mystery of Armenia's Oil-Covered White Storks
December 16, 2021 — In the half decade since oiled birds were first spotted, volunteers and conservationists have raced to care for the iconic animalsand pushed the government to address pollution sources.
A bird is depicted with wings and tail outstretched, its head pointing straight up. The wings feature a splash of vibrant orange extending from its shoulders that fades to a soft blue-purple, and the tips of the wings and tail feathers are an inky black.
Reimagining the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
December 16, 2021 — Artist John Paul Brammer finds inspiration in Oklahomas expansive skies and Native American regalia.
A woman wearing a face mask, black shirt, and a red backpack holds up a cardboard sign that says "Our Planet, Our Future" and the word "planet" is a painting of the Earth.
5 New Climate Books to Empower Teens and Help Turn Anxiety into Action
December 15, 2021 — Climate change is happeningand it's scary. But these nonfiction reads prove people all over can come together for a brighter future.
The Private Race to Space Has Fallout for Protected Lands on Earth
December 10, 2021 — An imminent FAA decision could send rockets over Georgias Cumberland Island National Seashore, while in Texas, coastal stewards are alarmed about the growing impacts of SpaceXs mission to Mars.
Take a Virtual Gallery Tour of the 2021 91做厙 Photography Awards Winners
December 03, 2021 — Instead of our annual traveling exhibit, this year we're going digital.
10 Fun Facts About the Red-tailed Hawk
December 03, 2021 — Theres a lot to love about this familiar raptor, from its courtship acrobatics to its masterful hunting.
An aerial view of the Seal River Watershed.
An Indigenous Alliance Rallies to Conserve the Summer Home of Millions of Birds
November 30, 2021 — The Sayisi Dene and their Cree, Dene, and Inuit neighbors are surveying the remote avian habitats of the Seal River Watershed to help support their case for permanent protection.
Bird and Conservation News
More News
Flocks of Purple Martins fly over an urban scene at dusk.
Nearly Half of U.S. Bird Migration Hotspots Are in CitiesHere's Why That Matters
September 16, 2026 — A surprising number of migrating birds are choosing to stop in metropolitan areas, researchers found, raising the stakes for urban conservation efforts.
Smoke from Wildfires Is a Growing Health Threat to Both People and Birds
September 15, 2026 — Catastrophic wildfires are stalling decades of clean air progress. Now scientists are asking: How can we help birds navigate a hazier future?
Moss hangs from old-growth trees in a dense forest.
A Plan to Repeal the Roadless Rule Threatens Prime Habitat in National Forests
September 09, 2026 — Public lands advocates urge Americans to speak out against a proposal to open millions of acres to new roads and logging.

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
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
New World Sparrows
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutus
Gulls and Terns
Thick-billed Kingbird
Tyrannus crassirostris
Tyrant Flycatchers
Common Goldeneye
Bucephala clangula
Ducks and Geese