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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
A small group gather in a forest all looking up. Some are looking through binoculars.
How Florence Merriam Bailey Helped Shape Modern Birdingand Remains an Inspiration 140 Years Later
June 02, 2026 — As a student at Smith College, Bailey founded one of the first 91做厙 societies in 1886. A recent graduate who led the schools modern-day 91做厙 on Campus chapter explores Bailey's pathbreaking work.
A Cactus Wren hovers with its wings outstretched near a cholla cactus with pink flowers, holding bits of dry plants in its beak.
14 Charming Photos That Showcase the Beautiful Bonds Between Birds and Native Plants
May 28, 2026 — Bask in some of our favorite images from the Plants for Birds category in the 2025 91做厙 Photography Awards.
A group of people hiking over a wooden bridge in a forest.
Texass First State Park in 25 Years Has Some Superb Birding
May 15, 2026 — To see species like Golden-cheeked Warbler, Painted Bunting, and Summer Tanager in one outing, head to Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, the first of several new Texas state parks slated for creation.
Two goldfinches perched on thin branches lean towards each other, touching beaks.
10 Fun Facts About the American Goldfinch
April 24, 2026 — This drop of sunshine is a much pickier eater than you might realizeand for good reason.
An American Oystercatcher walks along the shore in golden hour light.
Scott Weidensauls New Book Makes the Case for Hope and Resilience Amid a Dire Era of Bird Loss
April 22, 2026 — In The Return of the Oystercatcher, the celebrated naturalist and author looks beyond the staggering decline of North American birds to highlight the hard-won victories that prove recovery is possible.
A Mourning Dove perched outside the author's window was the first bird she connected with after being unceremoniously let go.
How My Backyard Birds Saved Me After Getting Laid Off
April 22, 2026 — Suffering from job search burnout in an AI-obsessed world, a veteran editor found reprieve in the steady presence of the Mourning Doves, mockingbirds, and scrub-jays outside her window.
Migration Mystery: Why Are These Rare Female Thrushes Disappearing?
April 20, 2026 — Scientists are unraveling the conservation risks to the elusive Bicknells Thrush.
A bright green parrot perches on a plant overlooking an out-of-focus landscape.
A New Microbiome Test Aims to Help Law Enforcement Trace Poached Parrots
April 14, 2026 — Scientists have developed a fecal-sampling method that can help identify illegally captured wild birds in Latin America that are being sold as captive-raised.
An American Robin bends down holding its head close to the grass.
How Do American Robins Find Worms? Behold the Rich Sensory World of Birds
April 09, 2026 — From robins to owls and woodcocks, birds have brilliant ways of locating food underground.
A crowd of people stand in the foreground watching a huge flock of birds fly around a brick chimney.
Where Do Vauxs Swifts Spend the Night? A Community Science Effort Is Mapping Their Roost Sites
March 30, 2026 — For nearly 20 years, volunteers have counted up swarms of birds as part of a project to find, and protect, their short-term homes along the Pacific Flyway.
Bird and Conservation News
More News
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.
A remote camera still showing a polar bear raiding a nest.
As the Arctic Warms, Hungry Polar Bears Are Eating More SeabirdsWiping Out Colonies
August 25, 2026 — In a new paper, researchers recorded bears in Alaska increasingly turning to eider and guillemot eggs and chicks as sea ice disappears, adding to climate-driven pressures on the species.

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
Gunnison Sage-Grouse
Centrocercus minimus
Pheasants and Grouse
Hammond's Flycatcher
Empidonax hammondii
Tyrant Flycatchers
Ruddy Quail-Dove
Geotrygon montana
Pigeons and Doves
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Psittacula krameri
Lovebirds and Australasian Parrots