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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
Vote Your 91做厙 Values This November
July 12, 2020 — If you want a country where birds and people thrive, support candidates who will deliver on their promises for a better futurefor everyone.
How to Snap Amazing Photos of Birds Under the Water
July 08, 2020 — Birds dive, swim, and wadeand so can you with the proper gear. The winner of the 2020 91做厙 Photography Award explains how to expand your wildlife photography this summer.
How a White-throated Sparrow's New Tune Went Viral
July 02, 2020 — A modified dialect of male song began in a local population in western Canada and, in two decades, traveled to birds more than 1,800 miles away.
Ask Kenn Kaufman: Which Birds Are Most Like Their Dinosaur Ancestors?
June 30, 2020 — Also this month: Why do birds sing more in the early morning? And why does North America have so many birds with crests?
Meet the Harvard Ornithology Professor Biking Across the Country
June 26, 2020 — With school out due to COVID-19, Scott Edwards decided to make a lifelong dream a reality. Now his ride has taken on even more meaning.
Hiking Trails and Maps Often Exclude People With Disabilities. This Group Is Changing That.
June 19, 2020 — Started by Syren Nagakyrie, Disabled Hikers aims to make the outdoors more accessible for a diversity of people and marginalized communities.
Pandemic-fueled Surge in Wild Turkey Hunting Tests Declining Populations
June 18, 2020 — Turkey hunters with extra time on their hands are behind a harvest spike that could have lasting impacts, biologists warn.
It's Time to Build a Truly Inclusive Outdoors
June 16, 2020 — As the nation continues to confront racism, the birding community must embrace difficult conversations.
House Sparrow. George McKenzie Jr.
Birds Led Me Through Uncertainty and Outrage to an Oasis in New York City
June 11, 2020 — A photographer was well acquainted with the city's pigeons and rats. Now he's gained a new appreciation for other urban wildlife.
Black Birders Week: An Ode to Our Allies
June 05, 2020 — #BlackBirdersWeek, which began on May 31, has been a week-long event aimed to amplify Black people in every field and their experiences while outdoors.
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
Aztec Thrush
Ridgwayia pinicola
Thrushes
Slaty-backed Gull
Larus schistisagus
Gulls and Terns
Brown-capped Rosy-Finch
Leucosticte australis
Finches
Bachman's Sparrow
Peucaea aestivalis
New World Sparrows