Audubon Magazine

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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

Audubon delivers essential news, advice, and reporting on birds and bird conservation.

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 Audubon.org daily, including science and conservation news, birding tips, photo galleries, and interactive reader experiences. In print and digital, through stories and visuals, Audubon emphasizes the importance of a diverse and inclusive science and conservation effort to help meet the challenges facing both birds and people today.

To receive our award-winning print publication, become a member of the National Audubon Society.  For our full editorial statement, masthead, pitch guidelines, and pay rates, please visit here

Read the Entire Fall 2024 Issue
Read the Entire Fall 2024 Issue

Inside: Where have all the grackles gone? Limpkins on the loose. A funny story about cartoonist Rosemary Mosco. The naturalist opening doors for blind birders. A homecoming for Hawaiian birds. Farmers grow the native plants birds need. Read these stories and more.

Highlighted Feature Stories
Why Is it So Hard to Keep Cats Indoors?
Why Is it So Hard to Keep Cats Indoors?

When a neighbor’s pet entered her life, our writer devised a plan: Put a GPS tracker on it and delve into why we let our beloved felines wander outside despite the risks they pose to birds and themselves.

Latest News and Articles

A group of flamingos stand in shallow water.
Flocks of Flamingos Returned to a Rejuvenated Everglades. Are They Back for Good?
September 13, 2024 — For decades the Florida icons have been only occasional visitors, but conservationists are hopeful that the flamingos blown in by Hurricane Idalia mark the beginning of a new, permanent population.
A person in winter gear and snow shoes walks through vast, snow-covered land.
This Runner Is Completing a 100-Mile Ultramarathon in Every State—For Owls
September 10, 2024 — An unexpected encounter with a Snowy Owl led Pete Ripmaster to launch a monumental running and fundraising project.
Grid of many past Audubon magazine covers.
Dive Into 125 Years of Audubon 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.
A flock of Red Knots foraging in shallow water among horseshoe crabs.
The Push to Save Horseshoe Crabs Is Gaining Momentum
September 05, 2024 — Conservationists hope new restrictions on harvesting and synthetic alternatives to a crab-blood compound used in biomedical testing can turn the tide for the ancient arthropods, whose eggs are a vital food source for Red Knots.

Find a Read

Audubon magazine publishes a variety of story types in print and online. Peruse—and enjoy—just a sampling of our work below. 

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.

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 Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne
The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne

From deep within the Smithsonian, the world’s first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviation—making the skies safer for us all.

Essays
The Day We Didn’t Save the Starling
An illustration of a woman and young girl crouching down looking at something in a driveway next to a house.
The Day We Didn’t Save the Starling

In our rescue attempt, I thought I was giving my young daughters a lesson in compassion. It ended up being the reminder that I needed.

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

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

The Audubon Guide to Climate Action
The Audubon Guide to Climate Action

Feeling like you can’t make a difference? That couldn’t be further from the truth. Our award-winning guide shows you where to begin and how to ­amplify your efforts to make lasting change in the world.

Dispatches

The 2023 Audubon Photo Awards: Top 100

Revel in the staggering beauty and surprising behaviors featured in this gallery of our favorite images.

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—and how to respond.

Birding Advice and News
How Rare Is That Rare Bird?
A Red-flanked Bluetail perches on a thin branch against a green background.
How Rare Is That Rare Bird?

When you consider all the factors that go into the unlikeliest vagrant sightings, it makes you wonder.

Bird Books and Culture
A New Book Explores Our Disdain for Pests
A New Book Explores Our Disdain for Pests

Journalist Bethany Brookshire argues that the idea of a “pest” is more about humans’ view of unwanted animals than the critters themselves.

The Audubon Bird Guide
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Owls
Whooper Swan
Ducks and Geese
Acorn Woodpecker
Woodpeckers
Stilt Sandpiper
Sandpipers