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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
The Man Behind the Brilliant Winter Finch Forecast Is Passing the Torch
September 17, 2020 — Ron Pittaway might be retiring, but fear not, finch fans: His collaborator Tyler Hoar will continue the highly anticipated reports.
John Luther Adams in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, 1999. Dennis Keeley
How an Acclaimed Composer Found His Musical Voice Through Birdsong
September 16, 2020 — Decades after a songbird's whirling melody set him on a new artistic path, John Luther Adams is more determined than ever to help us hear the planet's power and wild beautyand fight to protect it.
Its a Bird Is a New Comic Written by Central Park Birder Christian Cooper
September 14, 2020 — The story, which is loosely inspired by Cooper's racist encounter in the park, is the first in the digital "Represent!" series from DC Comics.
Youth Environmental Activists Strengthen Their Stand in the Climate Movement
September 14, 2020 — Student leaders proved age is trivial when taking actions on environmental issues at the first-ever virtual Youth Environmental Summit.
How Wildfires Affect Birds
September 11, 2020 — Big burns are natural, but climate change could make especially destructive fire seasons the new normal.
Forget the Roses, Give the White House a Native Plant Garden
September 09, 2020 — The dustup over First Lady Melania Trump's recent renovation misses a bigger problem with the Rose Garden: It's too heavy on introduced species.
Why the Northwestern Crow Vanished Overnight
September 04, 2020 — The loss of a species should always capture our attention, but it need not always demand our grief.
These Masters of the Sky Can Fly for Hours (or Days) While Barely Flapping
September 04, 2020 — Seven extraordinary examples of birds that figured out how to let the wind do the work for them.
Peregrine Falcons Finally Return to Nest at Their Most Famous U.S. Eyrie
September 03, 2020 — After a 74-year absence, this summer a pair of Peregrines raised three chicks at New York's Taughannock Gorgea hallowed destination for birders and the site of the falcon's first reintroduction attempt.
The McCown's Longspur Is No More, but the Debate Over Bird Names Continues
September 03, 2020 — In response to growing calls, the American Ornithological Society recently renamed the bird the Thick-billed Longspur. That's not enough for critics.
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
Western Bluebird
Sialia mexicana
Thrushes
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi
Tyrant Flycatchers
Chihuahuan Raven
Corvus cryptoleucus
Crows, Magpies, Jays
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotos
Sandpipers