Spring 2026

Spring 2026 Issue

An aerial view of a lush, jungle-side beach in the Darien Gap.

5 Projects Transforming the Prospects for Birds and People in Latin America

March 30, 2026 — By thinking globally and acting locally, Conserva Aves, an unprecedented partnership of hemispheric scale, is filling in the map of conservation efforts.

Conservation News

Owen and Quentin Reiser at their car, seen through a binocular lens with a black vignette. And a photo of Quentin Reiser holding a painted wooden Ivory-billed Woodpecker.

Their Birding Documentary Became a Surprise Hit, but the Reiser Brothers Are Just Getting Started

March 26, 2026 — With a new project about their search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, the irreverent, road-tripping filmmakers behind “Listers” are going for more than laughs.

Profiles

A birds-eye view of colorful rows of planted native seeds.

Inside the Movement to Grow More Native Seeds—and Why It Matters More Than Ever

March 26, 2026 — To create resilient landscapes and restore healthy ecosystems, public land managers need seed, but not just any seed will do.

Native Plants

An albatross skull with beak, recently dead as evidenced by the remains of organic matter on the skull, has an embedded fishing hook in its skull.

In Ecuador, Increased Dangers at Sea Hinder Seabird Conservation

March 30, 2026 — Conservationists have made progress working with Ecuadorian fishing communities to reduce seabird bycatch. But a rising tide of violence on the open ocean has created new risks and challenges.

Conservation News

Two people dressed in bright yellow cold-weather gear stand at the edge of a rocky shoreline, holding a large net and watching a crowded colony of penguins gathered along the coast.

Follow Scientists on a Daring Mission to the Danger Islands, a Penguin-Breeding Stronghold

March 27, 2026 — Home to the world’s largest known Adélie Penguin population, the Antarctic islands recently gained protected-area status. Now researchers say the seas around the archipelago also need protection to safeguard the breeding colony’s food supply.

Photo Essay

Meet the Musical Artists Who Are Paying Royalties to Nature

March 30, 2026 — A lot of musicians use wild sounds in their work. Some are now splitting their profits with the planet.

Arts & Culture

A patch of garden beds, shrubs, and trees abut a parking lot and library.

Microforests Are Taking Root Across the Country, Making Urban Spaces Better for Birds and People

March 30, 2026 — In pockets as small as a few parking lots, miniature forests can help cool cities, quiet streets, and give birds a place to land.

Conservation News

An intern uses a ruler device to measure the width of a tree.

This Program Gives Local High Schoolers Hands-on Forestry Training—and a Paycheck

March 27, 2026 — At Bent of the River ̽��ѡ Center and Sanctuary, a group of Junior Forest Technicians heads out to the Connecticut woods each summer to grow their skills and get to work.

Conservation News

Peering through green foliage, a glacier recedes across a mountain landscape.

As the World Warms, Researchers Warn That Many Ecosystems Are Nearing a Point of No Return

March 27, 2026 — Rising temperatures threaten to trigger catastrophic tipping points across the planet. But it’s not too late to turn the tide, according to a recent report.

Climate

A crowd of people stand in the foreground watching a huge flock of birds fly around a brick chimney.

Where Do Vaux’s Swifts Spend the Night? A Community Science Effort Is Mapping Their Roost Sites

March 30, 2026 — For nearly 20 years, volunteers have counted up swarms of birds as part of a project to find, and protect, their short-term homes along the Pacific Flyway.

Conservation News

A woman secures a small radio transmitter on the back of a Chimney Swift clinging to her chest.

Chimney Swift Migration Is Full of Mysteries—but Rehabbed Birds Could Spill the Species' Secrets

March 30, 2026 — After rescuers at the Sharon ̽��ѡ Center stepped in to save fallen Chimney Swifts, scientists seized a rare chance to tag an enigmatic species.

Bird Science

A Ruffed Grouse stands on a mossy rock at dawn flapping his wings, evident by motion blur.

Here’s How Ruffed Grouse Make That Wild Drumming Sound—and How to Hear it for Yourself

March 27, 2026 — The secretive game bird’s unique courtship display is a treat for birders and a boon for science.

Bird Behavior

Aerial landscape of an elevated boardwalk zigzagging through a lush green wetland.

7 Canopy Walks Where You Can Get a Bird’s-Eye View of Spring Migration

March 27, 2026 — Save your neck by getting up to tree level at elevated walks around North America.

Destinations

Two people outside in the rain, one looking up through binoculars.

How to Harness Spring Weather for Spectacular Birding

March 27, 2026 — To get the most out of the season, watch the skies (and radar).

Birding

A Downy Woodpecker perches on the side of a house next to the holes and other damage she has made in the wood.

How to Keep Woodpeckers From Drilling Into Your Home

March 30, 2026 — The industrious birds can cause problems if they try to forage or nest in your walls, but there are several ways to safely ward them off.

Bird Questions and Facts

Ask Kenn: Can I Identify Woodpeckers by Their Drumming?

March 30, 2026 — They can tell one another apart, so you’ve got a shot.

Bird Questions and Facts

A framed paper artwork shows two great green macaws perched on branches. The birds and branches are crafted entirely from layered paper. Around the frame lie various art tools—scissors, paintbrushes, and tweezers.

Great Green Macaws Come to Life in This Incredibly Intricate Paper Sculpture

March 26, 2026 — With “Guardians of the Canopy,” Nayan Shrimali and Venus Bird portray the large parrots and their forest habitat in a meticulously cut and watercolored sculptural painting.

The Aviary