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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
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
The Myth of John James Ä¢¹½Av
July 31, 2020 — The Ä¢¹½Av’s namesake looms large, like his celebrated bird paintings. But he also enslaved people and held white supremacist views, reflecting ethical failings that it is time to bring to the fore.
The 2020 Ä¢¹½Av Photography Awards: Winners and Honorable Mentions
July 31, 2020 — This year's top shots delight with dazzling colors and fresh perspectives.
After a Historic Conservation Win, Questions Remain Over Future Funding
July 29, 2020 — The Great American Outdoors Act provides billions of dollars to protect and improve public lands, but some advocates say the funding source—fossil-fuel revenue—isn't a long-term solution.
The Parrot King
July 29, 2020 — Over the past 14 years, Martin Guth has built a monopoly on some of the world's rarest birds. Will his secretive organization ultimately help the parrots—or push to them closer to extinction?
10 Fun Facts About the American Robin
July 28, 2020 — They might be one of our most common birds, but there is plenty you don't know about this thrush. (Yep, it's a thrush.)
One of These Birds Should Be Washington, D.C.'s New Football Mascot
July 21, 2020 — The NFL team's racist name is finally gone. The Birdist has some suggestions for what should replace it.
Three Ways You Can Do Bird Science From Your Couch
July 21, 2020 — Researchers could use birders' sharp eyes to help with these digital community-science projects.
Where Burrowing Owls Are Your Neighbors
July 21, 2020 — On Florida's Marco Island, families of the small owls live among the locals, who keep a close eye on the birds to ensure they will always feel welcome.
How Nature Journaling Can Make You a Better Birder
July 16, 2020 — If you find yourself losing interest in common birds, it might be time to start appreciating them in a new way.
Birding by Ear Can Be a Challenge, But There’s Help at Hand
July 15, 2020 — Looking to learn bird songs? Here are some courses and tools to guide you no matter your skill level.
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
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Empidonax flaviventris
Tyrant Flycatchers
Arizona Woodpecker
Leuconotopicus arizonae
Woodpeckers
Nanday Parakeet
Aratinga nenday
African and New World Parrots
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Tyrant Flycatchers