Audubon Magazine

Discover Audubon 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

Audubon delivers essential news, advice, and reporting on birds and bird conservation.

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 Audubon.org daily, including science and conservation news, birding tips, photo galleries, and interactive reader experiences. In print and digital, through stories and visuals, Audubon emphasizes the importance of a diverse and inclusive science and conservation effort to help meet the challenges facing both birds and people today.

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Read the Entire Winter 2024 Issue
The head of a White-tailed Ptarmigan framed against a snowy background.
Read the Entire Winter 2024 Issue

Inside: How AI threatens climate progress. Can White-tailed Ptarmigan adapt to a warming world? The Christmas Bird Count at 125 years old. First Nations push to protect crucial coastline. Inside one man’s Bald Eagle obsession. Get to know your local crows. Read these stories and more.

Highlighted Feature Stories
Why Is it So Hard to Keep Cats Indoors?
Why Is it So Hard to Keep Cats Indoors?

When a neighbor’s pet entered her life, our writer devised a plan: Put a GPS tracker on it and delve into why we let our beloved felines wander outside despite the risks they pose to birds and themselves.

Latest News and Articles

One person unspools wire while another holds several metal stakes. Cattle graze behind them.
To Grow Grassland Habitat, Conservationists Try a New Incentive: Cash for Birds
December 12, 2024 — Audubon and partners hope the novel approach will yield more bird-friendly grazing on livestock farms in the Midwest.
A sign at the entrance of Muir Woods National Monument asks visitors to remain quiet during their stay.
For Wildlife, Human Noise Is the Downside of Outdoor Fun
December 11, 2024 — As more people explore wild places, researchers aim to understand and minimize the impacts recreation has on birds and other animals.
A white oak in its full fall foliage display of reds and oranges.
Why Wildlife Groups and Whiskey Makers Are Rallying to Save This Vital Eastern Tree
December 10, 2024 — White oaks remain abundant, but experts say the prized species needs help regenerating to sustain businesses, birds—and booze supplies.
Illustration of robot hands typing on a laptop, the screen showing elements of a power plant, with a bird perched on the screen.
How the AI Boom Threatens to Short-Circuit Climate Action
December 10, 2024 — The energy-devouring technology is giving new life to fossil fuels.

Find a Read

Audubon magazine publishes a variety of story types in print and online. Peruse—and enjoy—just a sampling of our work below. 

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 Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne
The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne

From deep within the Smithsonian, the world’s first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviation—making the skies safer for us all.

Essays
The Day We Didn’t Save the Starling
An illustration of a woman and young girl crouching down looking at something in a driveway next to a house.
The Day We Didn’t Save the Starling

In our rescue attempt, I thought I was giving my young daughters a lesson in compassion. It ended up being the reminder that I needed.

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 Audubon Guide to Climate Action
The Audubon 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

The 2023 Audubon Photo Awards: Top 100

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

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
How Rare Is That Rare Bird?
A Red-flanked Bluetail perches on a thin branch against a green background.
How Rare Is That Rare Bird?

When you consider all the factors that go into the unlikeliest vagrant sightings, it makes you wonder.

Bird Books and Culture
A New Book Explores Our Disdain for Pests
A New Book Explores Our Disdain for Pests

Journalist Bethany Brookshire argues that the idea of a “pest” is more about humans’ view of unwanted animals than the critters themselves.

The Audubon Bird Guide
Mountain Quail
New World Quail
Vermilion Flycatcher
Tyrant Flycatchers
Jabiru
Storks
Black Vulture
New World Vultures