Alice Sun

Reporter, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ magazine
About

Alice Sun is a science writer, visual storyteller, and birder based in Brooklyn. See more of her work at 

Articles by Alice Sun

A fuzzy great horned owl chick snuggles up against its parent in their nest, both with their eyes closed, with wispy spanish moss hanging around them like a curtain.
These Precious Photos of Baby Birds Are Just What You Need
February 24, 2026 — Our favorite chick pics from the 2025 ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Photo Awards will improve anyone's day.
̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Photography Awards
With a lab coat and gloves on Maria Ortega inspects multiple trays of nest materials in her lab.
Scientists Are Now Finding Microplastics in Backyard Birds
December 17, 2025 — The tiny particles are widespread in waterbirds around the world. New research is finding them in neighborhood songbirds, too.
Bird Science
An aerial view of a concrete wall in a mangrove-surrounded bay.
Oysters Are ‘Nature’s Architects’—and Coastal Conservation’s Secret Weapon
June 20, 2025 — To give new life to shoreline habitats, a growing number of projects are harnessing the reef-building power of oysters.
Conservation News
Colorful leaves float on the surface of a pool of shallow water on the forest floor.
Vernal Pools Are the Place to Be for Woodland Critters—as Long as They Last
March 25, 2025 — Researchers and community scientists have teamed up to map and protect these ephemeral biodiversity hotspots before they disappear for good.
Conservation News
An adult Eared Grebe swimming with two chicks on her back, turns her head around with food in her beak to feed one of the chicks reaching to take it from her.
Get Ready to Melt Over These Sweet Photos of Baby Birds
February 28, 2025 — From fluffy penguins to gawky cranes, here are some of our favorite baby bird pics from the 2024 ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Photography Awards.
̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Photography Awards
Long Before Pantone, This Bird-Based System for Describing Color Was a Hit
December 17, 2024 — In the early 20th century, ornithologist Robert Ridgway published a massive dictionary to categorize birds’ hues, from Peacock Blue to Duck Green. His work still resonates for artists and designers today.
Arts & Culture
Hundreds of crows roosting in trees are silhouetted against a dark blue sky.
Winter Is the Perfect Time to Take Up Crow Watching
December 10, 2024 — 'Tis the season to tune into the drama-filled lives of your local corvids.
News
A Killdeer standing in grass with its beak wide open.
10 Fun Facts About the Killdeer
September 30, 2024 — Even if you haven’t seen one, chances are good you’ve heard this notoriously noisy shorebird.
Bird Questions and Facts
A GPS tag is placed on the back of a Common Grackle while being held by one researcher.
Where Have All the Common Grackles Gone?
September 18, 2024 — Scientists are racing to figure out why a widespread blackbird is disappearing.
News
Grid of many past ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ magazine covers.
Dive Into 125 Years of ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Magazine Covers, Bird by Bird
September 05, 2024 — We catalogued more than 700 covers dating back to 1899 to discover what their subjects reveal about our publication’s enduring interests.
News