Discover Ä¢¹½Av 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
Fall 2026 Issue
The 2026 Ä¢¹½Av Photography Awards: Winners
September 02, 2026 — We invite you to enjoy the winners of Ä¢¹½Av’s annual photo awards—featuring stunning moments with birds across the hemisphere.
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?
A person stands inside the hollow base of a walking maple tree, surrounded by a swamp.
Mac Stone Puts His Photography to Work to Save Southern Swamps
September 25, 2026 — Wading alongside gators and cottonmouths, the conservation photographer uses striking imagery to protect the Southeast’s most underappreciated—and imperiled—wetlands.
Editors' Picks
Are Crows and Parrots Really the Smartest Birds?
Portrait of an American Crow standing on a railing.
Are Crows and Parrots Really the Smartest Birds?

Parrots and corvids have long been hailed as the undisputed geniuses of the bird world, but a new analysis reveals that 98 percent of species haven’t even had their intelligence tested.

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 Ä¢¹½Av.org daily, including science and conservation news, birding tips, photo galleries, and interactive reader experiences. In print and digital, through stories and visuals, Ä¢¹½Av 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
16 Virtual and In-Person Birding Festivals to Celebrate Spring Migration
April 14, 2021 — Your favorite events might look a little different this year, but you’ll find online opportunities to explore birding hotspots from coast to coast.
H. Jon Benjamin’s ‘Morning Bird Reports’ Have Brought Joy to Many in Dark Times
April 14, 2021 — One of America’s most recognizable voice-actors shares how the pandemic got him back into birds, why he started posting videos to Twitter, and about that one time he went fisticuffs with gulls.
Five Incredible Ways Birds Change Their Bodies for Spring and Fall Migration
April 09, 2021 — To power perilous journeys, birds undergo extreme feats like doubling their body weight and rearranging or even consuming their internal organs.
Rare Photos Reveal the Secretive Life of the Banded Ground-Cuckoo
April 07, 2021 — A photographer and scientist collaborated for over a decade to capture stunning images of the endangered bird
Did Somebody Say Baby Bird Photos?
April 01, 2021 — Why yes, yes we did. Here are our favorite shots featuring chicks from last year's Ä¢¹½Av Photography Awards.
Ask Kenn Kaufman: What's the Best Way to Become a Better Birder?
March 31, 2021 — In this month's column, Kenn shares his "four Ls" philosophy for birding. Plus, do birds that live in flocks have a higher chance of survival?
Margaret Atwood Talks Bird Lore To Celebrate the ‘Bedside Book of Birds’
March 29, 2021 — The reissue of this love letter to birds, by the noted author's late partner Graeme Gibson, delves into the varied intersections between human and avian lives.
Do Yourself a Favor This Spring: Go See the American Woodcock’s ‘Sky Dance’
March 26, 2021 — Timberdoodles have one of the wildest mating rituals among North American birds, and you should definitely check it out. Here’s how.
When It Gets Too Hot, Phoenix's Lovebirds Turn to Air Conditioning
March 25, 2021 — Feral parrots in North America’s hottest city have found a creative way to stay cool in extreme heat, expected to get worse with climate change.
A New Book Showcases the Beauty and Grit of New York City's Wildflowers
March 24, 2021 — Photographer Andrew Garn reveals, in stunning detail, the diverse flora that many city dwellers may overlook but birds can't do without.
Bird and Conservation News
More News
Portrait of Holly Greenberg in front of a tapestry of scrap-fabric birds.
Thousands of Handmade Birds Spotlight a Deadly Migration Toll in Chicago
September 25, 2026 — Through her citywide public workshops, artist Holly Greenberg aims to collect nearly 11,000 cloth birds to rally Chicagoans around the urgent need for bird-safe buildings.
A row of jugs of maple syrup with the bird-friendly sticker.
How Sweet: More Maple Syrup Producers Are Managing Their Forests for Birds
September 24, 2026 — As Ä¢¹½Av's Bird-Friendly Maple program expands, syrup makers in the Northeast and Great Lakes are tending their sugarbushes to foster forest species.
Two people canoe on a pristine lake, lush forest extending into the distance.
The Fight Over Toxic Mining Returns to Minnesota’s Boundary Waters
September 23, 2026 — Now that Congress has rolled back protections from mining in its watershed, the beloved haven for paddlers and wildlife is once again at risk.

Find a Read

Ä¢¹½Av magazine publishes a variety of story types in print and online. Peruse—and enjoy—just 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 Ä¢¹½Av magazine’s Field Editor for 45 years, Frank Graham, Jr. brought the beauty and resilience of nature into focus—as well as the tenacity of those striving to save it.

Essays
How My Backyard Birds Saved Me After Getting Laid Off
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

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.

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—one that has felt poignant this past year.  

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

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

The Ä¢¹½Av Guide to Climate Action
The Ä¢¹½Av Guide to Climate Action

Feeling like you can’t make a difference? That couldn’t be further from the truth. Our award-winning guide shows you where to begin and how to ­amplify your efforts to make lasting change in the world.

Dispatches
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a ‘Forever Chemical’ Hotspot—What Does That Mean for Its Birds and People?
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a ‘Forever Chemical’ Hotspot—What 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’s even harder with wild animals.

The 2026 Ä¢¹½Av Photo Awards: Top 100

These jaw-dropping images and behind-the-scenes stories showcase the photographers’ artistry and the beauty of birdlife from Canada to Chile.

Northern Pygmy-Owl. Photo: Fei Cheng/Ä¢¹½Av Photography Awards
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 means—and how to respond.

Birding Advice and News
Arts and Culture
The Ä¢¹½Av Bird Guide
Brown Shrike
Lanius cristatus
Shrikes
Thick-billed Murre
Uria lomvia
Auks, Murres, Puffins
American Goshawk
Astur atricapillus
Hawks and Eagles
Red-throated Pipit
Anthus cervinus
Wagtails and Pipits