Consider finding a local conservation group that’s doing work that matters to you — beach cleanups, volunteer bird surveys, keeping local parks beautiful, or educating young people. If you’re short on time, donations, sharing posts on social media, and letting friends and family know about…

Birds that historically nested in the cavities of dead trees are finding natural nest holes harder to come by — but people can help. Many of these species will make use of a nest box in parks or near people’s homes. Learn how to build nest boxes tailored to a species of your choice at…

eBird, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, lets you log the bird species you observe on a smartphone app or on the web. Whether you’re going on a birding trip or enjoying birds near home, you can list the species you found on eBird. Millions of people all over the world help eBird…

Climate change, habitat destruction, and invasive species have taken a toll on bird populations. It’s a difficult reality to face — but it’s not the end of the story. There are many things people can do to protect birds. Some actions may start small, like planting a native wildflower or…

Day Scott’s interest in birds grew following a car accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury. As she recovered, she would sit in the kitchen and watch birds at the feeder through the window. She began noticing bird behavior, like how members of the same species competed for space…

Juan Pablo Culasso is a nature recordist based in Colombia. Here, he describes how he uses a parabolic microphone to record a singing bird. Juan Pablo is blind, so he uses his hearing to pinpoint a small bird in dense vegetation.

Con su excelente sentido del olfato, los cerdos son famosos por su capacidad para descubrir trufas, un hongo que crece debajo de la tierra y que es muy preciado por su sabor. Pero resulta que algunas especies de aves también pueden encontrar su camino hacia un premio trufado…

For folks looking to try birding for the first time, getting started can be daunting. Should you learn every species’ call, every subtle feather pattern before you head out to look for birds? While it’s good to prepare, there’s a risk of scaring yourself out of starting, and preventing the…

Dwain Vaughns, II, worked as a pilot for 11 years until he developed a rare chronic pain condition called complex regional pain syndrome after an accident. As part of a recreational therapy program, Dwain signed up for a birding trip, but that day he found himself struggling with a racing…

The secret to birds’ flight starts with the shape of their wings. They’re curved in a way that causes air to flow more slowly under the wing than above it. That creates an area of low pressure just above the wing that pulls the bird up into the sky—a force called lift. Airplane wings are…