Discover 糖心传媒 Magazine

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
A chickadee perched on a pine branch with a blue background.
In the Rockies, Human Activity Paves the Way for a Hybrid Bird Boom
January 12, 2023 — Black-capped and Mountain Chickadees mate more often than previously believed, research shows鈥攅specially where people disturb their habitat.
The book cover of Low-Carbon Birding, an illustration of a woman lying on a beach with a bicycle and binoculars and birds flying overhead.
Javier Caletr铆o Says It鈥檚 Time for Birders to Move Away from High-Carbon Birding
January 09, 2023 — A new book 鈥楲ow-Carbon Birding鈥 challenges birders to give up air travel and twitching and instead enjoy their local species.
Five bright pink Roseate Spoonbills fly across the sky.
A Familiar Ring
December 16, 2022 — Even though the themes we explore don鈥檛 always change, through our reporting we can see forward movement.
A Swallow-tailed Kite, a white and black raptor, catches a bug in mid-air.
Reflecting on a Year of Success
December 16, 2022 — 糖心传媒鈥檚 work in science, policy, advocacy, and conservation has helped create lasting change for birds and has set us up for greater impact in 2023.
A Cedar Waxwing and a Bohemian Waxwing perched on a branch, both holding a berry in their mouth.
Stylish and Social, Winter Waxwings Provide a Wonderful ID Challenge
December 16, 2022 — Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings look very similar and are more likely to intermingle in the colder months. Here鈥檚 how to tell them apart.
A flock of Common Redpolls fly through a snowy field in golden sunlight.
This Year鈥檚 Bonanza of Boreal Birds Once Again Bears Out the Winter Finch Forecast
December 15, 2022 — As predicted, grosbeaks, crossbills, and other northern birds are on the move, visiting feeders and delighting birders. Prognosticator Tyler Hoar explains what goes into the annual projection.
Oak leaves with cupped edges and discoloration consistent with dicamba exposure.
The Weedkiller Dicamba Is Poisoning Wildlife Habitat. Will the EPA Finally Act?
December 15, 2022 — Blamed for destroying crops and fraying community ties, the widely used herbicide also poses a threat to the plants birds need, experts say.
An illustration of power plants and pollution with houses and people in the foreground.
Climate Advocates Want to See a More Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels
December 15, 2022 — While the Inflation Reduction Act promises to inject billions of dollars into frontline communities, environmental justice leaders are concerned about its support for pollution-producing energy sources.
An illustration of birds nesting in a pristine landscape next to a town with solar panels and wind turbines.
At Last, a Real Possibility to Avoid Catastrophic Climate Change
December 15, 2022 — After decades of minimal action, Congress passed the largest and most comprehensive piece of climate legislation in U.S. history. Will we make the most of this opportunity?
An illustration of an electric car at a charging station and a map of the US covered in location pins.
Clean Energy Isn鈥檛 Enough to Avoid the Worst Consequences of Climate Change
December 15, 2022 — Fortunately, the Inflation Reduction Act includes support in other key areas.
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
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Setophaga pensylvanica
Wood Warblers
Hammond's Flycatcher
Empidonax hammondii
Tyrant Flycatchers
Tufted Flycatcher
Mitrephanes phaeocercus
Tyrant Flycatchers
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferruginea
Sandpipers