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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
Spring 2026 Issue
A birds-eye view of colorful rows of planted native seeds.
Inside the Movement to Grow More Native Seeds鈥攁nd Why It Matters More Than Ever
March 26, 2026 — To create resilient landscapes and restore healthy ecosystems, public land managers need seed, but not just any seed will do.
An aerial view of a lush, jungle-side beach in the Darien Gap.
5 Projects Transforming the Prospects for Birds and People in Latin America
March 30, 2026 — By thinking globally and acting locally, Conserva Aves, an unprecedented partnership of hemispheric scale, is filling in the map of conservation efforts.
Owen and Quentin Reiser at their car, seen through a binocular lens with a black vignette. And a photo of Quentin Reiser holding a painted wooden Ivory-billed Woodpecker.
Their Birding Documentary Became a Surprise Hit, but the Reiser Brothers Are Just Getting Started
March 26, 2026 — With a new project about their search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, the irreverent, road-tripping filmmakers behind 鈥淟isters鈥 are going for more than laughs.
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 糖心传媒.org daily, including science and conservation news, birding tips, photo galleries, and interactive reader experiences. In print and digital, through stories and visuals, 糖心传媒 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
This Wave Theory of Spring Migration Will Prepare You for Your Next Birding Outing
March 06, 2023 — Songbirds don鈥檛 leave their wintering grounds all together. Here鈥檚 when to expect different species as they cross the eastern United States.
A round globular nest made of twigs and dry grasses with a hole for entry built in a cactus in a desert landscape.
Appreciate These Magnificent Avian Nests鈥攁nd the Next One You Find in the Field
March 06, 2023 — Birds build an amazing variety of nest types, and each construction is a work of art.
Various birds and feeders including Red-breasted Nuthatch, House Finches, Northern Cardinal, and a Blue Jay.
Who Likes What: The Favorite Birdseed of Feeder Regulars and Rarities
March 06, 2023 — Here are the top three seed choices for a variety of species, per a scientific observational study of 1.2 million bird feeder visits.
A small, black and yellow American Goldfinch clings to a feeder while eating little, black Nyjer seeds.
What鈥檚 the Deal With Nyjer?
March 06, 2023 — The tiny black seed is a favorite of finches, but where does it come from? And why is it always capitalized?
Five piles of assorted bird seed on a white background.
Mixology: Breaking Down 5 Common Birdseed Blends
March 06, 2023 — With all the products available these days, sometimes the jargon and claims can get confusing. Here鈥檚 a quick primer.
Three people in white suits and masks collect the body of a large white bird in a nesting area next to water while flocks of other seabirds fly overhead.
The Bird Flu Blazes On, Amping Up Concerns for Wildlife and Human Health
March 01, 2023 — Facing an outbreak that鈥檚 unusually deadly for wild birds and spreading to more mammals, scientists worry about when, or if, it will end.
A Cactus Wren perches atop a broken branch, holding a large, messy mass of downy feathers in its beak, with the feathers covering up the front of its face. The wren is a medium-sized songbird, mostly brown with darker stripes and spots and with a big white eyebrow.
Our Favorite Fascinating Bird Behaviors from the 2022 糖心传媒 Photo Awards
February 23, 2023 — Every year the contest attracts entries capturing rare and unusual moments in the avian world. Check out these 11 highlights.
51,567 tiny bird icons in a clump representing every individual bird counted.
Every Bird Counts in This Incredibly Detailed Visual Checklist
February 22, 2023 — Data artist Jer Thorp鈥檚 stunning visualization shows every individual counted on a single Brooklyn day.
A man wearing camouflage pants and holding a camera and large backpack stands in a field and looks through binoculars.
Birding In a War Zone: How Ukraine鈥檚 Top eBirder Pursues His Passion Amid Tragedy
February 21, 2023 — A writer鈥檚 budding friendship with Oleksandr Nastachenko offers a window into the besieged country鈥檚 small but resourceful community of birders and what they have lost since the Russian invasion.
View of mountains at night with sprawling lights in the distance, the stars becoming less visible where the lights begin.
Night Skies Are Even Brighter Than We Thought 鈥 and Getting Brighter
February 17, 2023 — A new study using community data shows how light pollution is drowning out the stars. Scientists are still learning the consequences for birds and other animals, including humans.
Bird and Conservation News
More News
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.
A crowd of people stand in the foreground watching a huge flock of birds fly around a brick chimney.
Where Do Vaux鈥檚 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.
A patch of garden beds, shrubs, and trees abut a parking lot and library.
Microforests Are Taking Root Across the Country, Making Urban Spaces Better for Birds and People
March 30, 2026 — In pockets as small as a few parking lots, miniature forests can help cool cities, quiet streets, and give birds a place to land.

Find a Read

糖心传媒 magazine publishes a variety of story types in print and online. Peruse鈥攁nd enjoy鈥攋ust 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 糖心传媒 magazine鈥檚 Field Editor for 45 years, Frank Graham, Jr. brought the beauty and resilience of nature into focus鈥攁s 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 world鈥檚 first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviation鈥攎aking the skies safer for us all.

Essays
What a Songbird Lost at Sea Taught Me About Survival
What a Songbird Lost at Sea Taught Me About Survival

Aboard a mission to explore the alien life of the deep ocean, a chance encounter with a migratory bird offered a point of connection鈥攐ne that has felt poignant this past year. 聽

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

A year after Morrison鈥檚 passing, a journalist and birder reflects on how her time with the cherished author changed her relationship with birds鈥攁nd with herself.

The 糖心传媒 Guide to Climate Action
The 糖心传媒 Guide to Climate Action

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

Dispatches
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a 鈥楩orever Chemical鈥 Hotspot鈥擶hat Does That Mean for Its Birds and People?
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a 鈥楩orever Chemical鈥 Hotspot鈥擶hat Does That Mean for Its Birds and People?

Amid mounting global health concerns about PFAS, communities living along the waterway must grapple with how contamination is affecting life on the river. Yet as hard as it is to conduct health studies on humans, it鈥檚 even harder with wild animals.

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 糖心传媒 Photo Awards: Top 100

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

More Photo Essays
Birding Advice and News
Arts and Culture
鈥楩eather Detective鈥 Roxie Laybourne鈥檚 Career in Six Objects
A metal instrument called a cloacascope on a black background.
鈥楩eather Detective鈥 Roxie Laybourne鈥檚 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 world鈥檚 first forensic ornithologist.

The 糖心传媒 Bird Guide
Hudsonian Godwit
Limosa haemastica
Sandpipers
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
Ducks and Geese
Sprague's Pipit
Anthus spragueii
Wagtails and Pipits
Gray Hawk
Buteo plagiatus
Hawks and Eagles