Conservation News

A group of male and female Wild Turkeys foraging close together.
Native Americans Domesticated Turkeys Long Before the Pilgrims Arrived
November 15, 2023 — Indigenous societies in the Americas valued the birds so highly that they tamed them at least twice, including in the U.S. Southwest. Turkey feathers still have abundant uses to tribes there today.
Birds and History
Huge expanse of plastic and garbage floats on water.
Will the World Unite to Curb the Global Disaster That Is Plastic Pollution?
October 12, 2023 — With negotiations coming up this fall, experts say that a proposed treaty must rein in production and consider the most vulnerable populations.
A mottled brown whip-poor-will with squinty eyes sits perfectly camouflaged on a tree branch.
Revealing the Mysteries of Whip-poor-willsand What It Might Take to Save Them
September 29, 2023 — Recently uncovered secrets long held by species in the elusive nightjar family, and those still waiting to be unraveled, could provide information vital to curtailing their recent losses.
Green leaves with irregular dark bands on a tree branch.
A Fast-Spreading Disease Threatens a Foundational Tree of Eastern Forests
September 27, 2023 — Beech leaf disease is bad news for birds, which also may be spreading it.
Elderly man with black and blue checkered shirt scans a landscape of dead tress with his binoculars. There are snow capped peaks in the background.
Meet the 88-Year-Old Unlikely Birder On a Quest to Link Two Famed National Parks
September 18, 2023 — A youthful spirit has powered Lowell Youngs decades of advocacy on behalf of birds and habitats, including his contributions to a campaign to create the proposed Range of Light National Monument.
Profiles
A group of birds stand on the furry back of a bison laying in tall grass.
Five Ways Bison Benefit Birds
September 15, 2023 — A new initiative to bring back the gargantuan grazers could have major benefits for grassland species.
Close up of a brown and white bird with a long curved yellow beak looking at the camera, held in someone's hands.
A Migrating Cuckoo Named Hummus Makes a Tasty Case for Land Conservation
August 31, 2023 — On its international journey south, one federally threatened bird has passed through at least six protected areas.
Bird Migration
A black and white seabird floats in blue water.
Warmer Oceans Are Driving More Frequent Seabird Die-Offs, Preventing Populations From Recovering
August 31, 2023 — A new study used long-term volunteer data to show that marine heatwaves are linked to mass avian mortality at sea.
Climate
Two young siblings with red hair stand outside on a boardwalk smiling and laughing.
These Twins Hope to Become Their Own Duck Stamp Dynasty
August 28, 2023 — Kira Sabin went viral in 2021 after making a TikTok video about their entry for the annual art competition. Two years later, they're still going for a winand hoping partnering with their sibling helps.
Arts & Culture
A rust and gray-colored bird stands on a mossy surface and looks at the camera.
How Training Secretive Birds Became a Boon for Tropical Forest Conservation
August 10, 2023 — When a farming family in Ecuador befriended an elusive antpitta, they pioneered a new path for ecotourism.