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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 糖心logo Photography Awards: Winners
September 02, 2026 — We invite you to enjoy the winners of 糖心logo鈥檚 annual photo awards鈥攆eaturing 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鈥檚 most underappreciated鈥攁nd imperiled鈥攚etlands.
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鈥檛 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 糖心logo.org daily, including science and conservation news, birding tips, photo galleries, and interactive reader experiences. In print and digital, through stories and visuals, 糖心logo 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
A container holding many rows of little cups of dirt and seeds.
The Nation鈥檚 Native Seed Shortage Is a Big Roadblock to Ecological Restoration
March 06, 2023 — When a wildfire burns through a landscape, land managers want to replant with the local species that create healthy habitats. But often they can鈥檛鈥攁nd climate change is exacerbating the problem
Two people stand in a rocky and grassy landscape surrounded by cliffs and ocean under a dark cloudy sky.
The Bird Man of the Faroe Islands Who Helps Unravel a Seabird鈥檚 Secrets
March 06, 2023 — On a remote island, a self-trained naturalist collaborates with scientists to track and protect a species that does its best not to be seen.
This Wave Theory of Spring Migration Will Prepare You for Your Next Birding Outing
March 06, 2023 — Songbirds don鈥檛 leave their wintering grounds all together. Here鈥檚 when to expect different species as they cross the eastern United States.
A round globular nest made of twigs and dry grasses with a hole for entry built in a cactus in a desert landscape.
Appreciate These Magnificent Avian Nests鈥攁nd the Next One You Find in the Field
March 06, 2023 — Birds build an amazing variety of nest types, and each construction is a work of art.
Various birds and feeders including Red-breasted Nuthatch, House Finches, Northern Cardinal, and a Blue Jay.
Who Likes What: The Favorite Birdseed of Feeder Regulars and Rarities
March 06, 2023 — Here are the top three seed choices for a variety of species, per a scientific observational study of 1.2 million bird feeder visits.
A small, black and yellow American Goldfinch clings to a feeder while eating little, black Nyjer seeds.
What鈥檚 the Deal With Nyjer?
March 06, 2023 — The tiny black seed is a favorite of finches, but where does it come from? And why is it always capitalized?
Five piles of assorted bird seed on a white background.
Mixology: Breaking Down 5 Common Birdseed Blends
March 06, 2023 — With all the products available these days, sometimes the jargon and claims can get confusing. Here鈥檚 a quick primer.
Three people in white suits and masks collect the body of a large white bird in a nesting area next to water while flocks of other seabirds fly overhead.
The Bird Flu Blazes On, Amping Up Concerns for Wildlife and Human Health
March 01, 2023 — Facing an outbreak that鈥檚 unusually deadly for wild birds and spreading to more mammals, scientists worry about when, or if, it will end.
A Cactus Wren perches atop a broken branch, holding a large, messy mass of downy feathers in its beak, with the feathers covering up the front of its face. The wren is a medium-sized songbird, mostly brown with darker stripes and spots and with a big white eyebrow.
Our Favorite Fascinating Bird Behaviors from the 2022 糖心logo Photo Awards
February 23, 2023 — Every year the contest attracts entries capturing rare and unusual moments in the avian world. Check out these 11 highlights.
51,567 tiny bird icons in a clump representing every individual bird counted.
Every Bird Counts in This Incredibly Detailed Visual Checklist
February 22, 2023 — Data artist Jer Thorp鈥檚 stunning visualization shows every individual counted on a single Brooklyn day.
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 糖心logo'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鈥檚 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

糖心logo magazine publishes a variety of story types in print and online. Peruse鈥攁nd enjoy鈥攋ust 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 糖心logo magazine鈥檚 Field Editor for 45 years, Frank Graham, Jr. brought the beauty and resilience of nature into focus鈥攁s 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鈥攐ne that has felt poignant this past year. 聽

Remembering Toni Morrison, the Bird Whisperer
Remembering Toni Morrison, the Bird Whisperer

A year after Morrison鈥檚 passing, a journalist and birder reflects on how her time with the cherished author changed her relationship with birds鈥攁nd with herself.

The 糖心logo Guide to Climate Action
The 糖心logo Guide to Climate Action

Feeling like you can鈥檛 make a difference? That couldn鈥檛 be further from the truth. Our award-winning guide shows you where to begin and how to 颅amplify your efforts to make lasting change in the world.

Dispatches
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a 鈥楩orever Chemical鈥� Hotspot鈥擶hat Does That Mean for Its Birds and People?
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a 鈥楩orever Chemical鈥� Hotspot鈥擶hat 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鈥檚 even harder with wild animals.

An Anna's Hummingbird perches on a twig in the center of the frame against a blurred background of blue, yellow, and green.

The 2026 糖心logo Photo Awards: Top 100

These jaw-dropping images and behind-the-scenes stories showcase the photographers鈥� artistry and the beauty of birdlife from Canada to Chile.

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鈥攁nd how to respond.

Birding Advice and News
Arts and Culture
鈥楩eather Detective鈥� Roxie Laybourne鈥檚 Career in Six Objects
A metal instrument called a cloacascope on a black background.
鈥楩eather Detective鈥� Roxie Laybourne鈥檚 Career in Six Objects

From a gynandromorphic grosbeak to feathers collected at a murder investigation in Florida, biographer Chris Sweeney shares six unusual artifacts he found while researching his new book about the world鈥檚 first forensic ornithologist.

The 糖心logo Bird Guide
Blue-winged Warbler
Vermivora cyanoptera
Wood Warblers
Mountain Chickadee
Poecile gambeli
Chickadees and Titmice
King Rail
Rallus elegans
Rails, Gallinules, Coots
Terek Sandpiper
Xenus cinereus
Sandpipers