Seven Simple Actions to Help Birds

In 2019, scientists documented North America’s staggering loss of nearly 3 billion breeding birds since 1970. Helping birds can be as simple as making changes to everyday habits. Here’s our quick list of 7 Simple Actions you can take to help birds.

And in case anyone asks you why bird conservation is so important, here are five specific, bedrock reasons why birds matter and an in-depth article on the economic value of birds.

Responsible Offshore Wind Development is a Clear Win for Birds, the U.S. Economy, and our Climate

Too often, the debate over climate solutions centers on perceived trade-offs between habitat conservation and the clean energy transition, preserving community and allowing development, or reducing pollution and maintaining profitability. But responsible clean energy deployment can be balanced with the needs of communities and wildlife, representing a win-win that doesn’t give rise to insurmountable trade-offs.

Conservation Groups Take Legal Action to Ensure Survival of Declining Florida Scrub-Jay

Four conservation groups, represented by Earthjustice, filed a request in federal court today to defend critical protections for the imperiled Florida Scrub-Jay. The groups are requesting to intervene in a 2024 lawsuit filed by a national conservative legal organization, Pacific Legal Foundation, in Florida's Middle District. The lawsuit seeks to remove Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections from the Florida Scrub-Jay and to scrap Charlotte County's decade-old Florida Scrub-Jay Habitat Conservation Plan.

Thirteen Tips to Make the Journey Safer for Migrating Birds

Right now, millions of birds are on their way north to their breeding grounds, drawn by the abundant food sources and nesting sites that await them. Their journeys, sometimes spread out across weeks of long-distance flights, are not only intense; they are also fraught with danger. Many of the warblers, tanagers, flycatchers, and other migratory birds en route now will never make it to their breeding territories. Bright artificial lights at night, when many birds are migrating, can draw them off course into a maze of reflective surfaces.

Five Years After 3 Billion Birds Lost, Scientists Plan A Road to Recovery

The word came in a cellphone text from finch researcher Matt Young, who was scouting along a forest road in northern Minnesota’s Sax-Zim Bog: “Grosbeaks coming in!”

About a quarter-mile away scientist David Yeany was sitting in a makeshift blind, which was really an insulated ice-fishing pop-up shelter—perfect for staying warm in a frozen bog where winter temps can kiss minus 40.

Big. Bigger. Biggest. Meet the largest birds (by wingspan) in the United States.

The United States is a large country with a vast diversity of habitats and biomes, so it’s no surprise that it contains over a 1,000 bird species. Being the third largest country in the world also means it has almost ever immaginable terrain, including two oceans, huge forests, deserts, mountains and mighty rivers. Like the country itself, many of the bird species that call it home are enormous. Some with wingspans of over 9 feet! A number of these large birds are predators that feature sharp powerful beaks, dagger sharp talons that make them formidable hunters.

Where’s the White? A Simple Question can be the Key in Waterfowl ID

Ducks can be confusing to identify, especially on those gray autumn days when mixed waterfowl bobbing on the waves all seem to have the same general shape and plumage. Instead of puzzling over bill shape or parsing out green head markings and blue patches on the upperwing coverts, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Kevin McGowan boils waterfowl identification down to one simple question: Where’s the white? McGowan says that if you can see where the white is on a duck, you stand a good chance of correctly identifying the species.

Pocket Binocular Review: Our Search for the Best Tiny Binoculars

These binoculars are so small they're almost not there, and some models deliver serious optical quality. Binoculars don’t have to be big to be bright. That’s the main takeaway from our recent review of pocket binoculars—the smallest and most packable category of binoculars on the market.

In our review, we tested 13 pocket binoculars representing a wide range of prices, from about $100 to nearly $1,000.

How Rare Is That Rare Bird?

Of the many stories about vagrant birds we’ve covered at Audubon, one remains stuck in my craw. In the spring of 2017, an incredible bit of happenstance occurred: A brilliant Vermilion Flycatcher, native to the Southwest, was recorded alighting on a branch at Audubon’s Hog Island in Maine.

This was shocking for two reasons: Not only was the small bird extremely far from home, but a webcam streaming live just happened to be trained on the exact twig the flycatcher had perched on.

A Rare Bird Sighting Made Our Bethesda Backyard an Attraction

The Bullock’s oriole, a native of the Great Plains or Far West, typically spends winters in Mexico. Many Washingtonians feed the birds, especially in winter, when birds’ natural fare is in short supply. We do this for two reasons: We want our avian neighbors to be adequately provisioned, and we like to look out the window and see birds in the backyard. On a recent snowy day, it was a pleasure to see a half-dozen male northern cardinals perched high and low, their brilliant red plumage glowing in the winter sun.

Carolina Wrens and the Carters – A Brief History of the North American Breeding Bird Survey

Former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn were avid birders who assisted in the BBS, one of the nation’s most foundational sources for long-term, scientific bird population data. Did you know that the USGS’s North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) has a bit of a presidential history? Former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn were avid birders who assisted in the BBS, one of the nation’s most foundational sources for long-term, scientific bird population data.

Bird Flu is Taking a Massive Toll on Wild Animals, Researchers Find

Researchers are reporting mass die offs of wild birds and sea mammals due to bird flu. They're tracking the deaths to better understand the virus and how it might create a greater threat to humans.

An unprecedented number of people in the U.S. were infected with bird flu this past year. In this country, a lot of science focused on the virus in dairy cows and in poultry. But researchers say something ominous is happening in wild animals and not just birds.

Bird Study Finds Much Larger Volumes of Toxic PFAS Chemicals Than Previously Reported

Researchers studying birds and the food they eat are now finding much larger volumes of the toxic PFAS chemicals than before. The substances either never break down or degrade very slowly, which is why they are called "forever chemicals." "PFAS have received a lot of attention in recent years. This is because they are so widely used in industry, at the same time as these substances can also be harmful to many different organisms," said.

Birds Breathe in Dangerous Plastics—and So Do We

Microscopic plastic pollutants drifting through the air are lodging in the lungs of birds, a new University of Texas at Arlington study finds. Researchers worldwide are increasingly alarmed by how pervasive these harmful particles are in the air humans breathe and the food they eat.

Birds were chosen for the study because they are found in almost every corner of the world and often share environments with humans.

Birds Face Weakened Protections Under Trump Move

The Interior Department is suspending 20 Biden-era legal opinions, including one leading to fines against energy companies if birds die in oil spills or other industrial activities. In a reprise of the first Trump administration, migratory birds are again facing weakened protections under federal law.

The issue at hand: Should companies be held responsible if birds are killed accidentally, for example in oil spills or waste pits?

Ducks Were Once a Conservation Bright Spot. Now They're Declining in the US, New Report Shows

A new report says at least 112 North American bird species have lost more than half their populations in the past 50 years. At least 112 North American bird species have lost more than half their populations in the past 50 years, according to a new report published Thursday. Among the birds showing the steepest declines are Allen’s hummingbirds, Florida scrub jays, golden-cheeked warblers, tricolored blackbirds and yellow-billed magpies.

Artists Encouraged to Apply For 2025 Exhibit Birds of a Feather at Airlie Gardens

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC – Airlie Gardens is looking for artists, or teams of artists, to decorate, paint, and adorn one of ten oversized fiberglass birds for the gardens’ newest art exhibit, Birds of a Feather.

These artist-decorated sculptures will be placed throughout the grounds for guests to enjoy as part of their garden experience from July through December 2025.

At Alaska’s Yakutat Tern Festival, Seabirds and Local Culture Soar

Vengeance leaves the harbor at around 8 a.m. The 30-foot aluminum boat is captained by Mark Sappington, the owner of Yakutat Charter Boat Company, who navigates the waters in a Carhartt jacket with the words “Fish Master” embroidered on the front pocket.

Fishing lures jingle like wind chimes as the boat picks up speed, passing Arctic Terns and Black-legged Kittiwakes  on the way to Disenchantment Bay and Hubbard Glacier.

Bird Symbolism In Native American Art

Native Americans have a deep connection to and respect for the natural world, and their reverence for nature deeply influences their art. Eagles are particularly revered for their ability to fly so close to the heavens, carrying the prayers of the people to the spirit world. Feathers of all birds, and especially eagles, are an iconic design in Native American jewelry and art. According to Smithsonian Magazine, “Birds are integral to Native American culture – they are connected to the spiritual because of their ability to move throughout the earthly and heavenly (sky) realms…”

Viral Penguin Video Charms Fans: ‘What am I doing with my life and why is it not this’

For almost 20 years, Marley the penguin has been an artist. More recently, her fame has skyrocketed. Twice a week, Marley hops into an art room at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas, jumps onto a sponge soaked with nontoxic paint, and coats the bottoms of her feet in bright blue, green, yellow or purple. Then the squat northern rockhopper penguin walks a couple of times across an 8-by-10 canvas while a biologist showers her with enthusiastic praise.

Red-shouldered Hawk

The Red-shouldered Hawk is a slender, forest-dwelling Buteo species found throughout much of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, as well as in Oregon, California, and Mexico. These hawks prefer large, mature, contiguous forests with mixed deciduous and coniferous trees and open understories.

In the early 1900s, the Red-shouldered Hawk was the most common Buteo in New England, but intensive 20th century logging of mature forests led to loss of suitable habitat.

Momentary Meditations are published every Monday to awaken what Rachel Carson called “the sense of wonder” and what Albert Schweitzer called “a reverence for life.” Looking deeply into our interdependence with all life on earth helps us know what we must do. In our harried world, these meditations are meant to serve as a renewable resource for compassion and love.

Landing in Fog – Stephen Shick

Descending through the fog, these puffins brought a lightness of spirit to a gray morning. They appeared to delight in being together, a gift of life that we too cherish but often forget.

Enjoy Birdwatching By Going to Festivals

A great way to enjoy birdwatching is by going to festivals—they’re organized to get you to well-known birding spots at the right time of year, and they’re a perfect way to meet people.

Experts and locals help you see more birds, and you’ll meet other visitors who share your hobby. While you’re there, keep an eye out for Cornell Lab representatives, as we do attend several festivals each year.