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Conservation News

An Osprey in flight against a blue sky holding a fish in its talon.
Researchers Sound the Alarm Over the Chesapeake Bay鈥檚 Ospreys
May 13, 2024 — In the world鈥檚 largest population of the fish-eating raptors, reproductive rates have fallen below DDT-era lows. Scientists say overfishing by one company is to blame.
A camouflaged whip-poor-will sits on the ground among brown and green leaves.
As the Whip-poor-will鈥檚 Chant Wanes, Our Cultural Loss Grows
May 06, 2024 — The iconic call of the Eastern Whip-poor-will has long been part of the fabric of American life, marking annual spring rituals and inspiring odes in popular music. What happens when we lose our connection with its meaning?
Essays
A large flock of shorebirds sit in muddy vegetation in a lagoon.
As Coastal Habitat Shrinks, Scientists Take Inspiration from Surfing Shorebirds
April 19, 2024 — Birds rest on rafts of eelgrass when they can't find a safe space to roost onshore. Now conservationists are mimicking the behavior to give them more places of respite.
A brown bird perched in green leaves, looking up.
How Extreme Weather Tests Facilities Housing the Last of a Species
March 29, 2024 — Natural disasters fueled by climate change imperil critically endangered species under human care. Breeding centers must be more ready than ever to swing into action in an emergency.
A blue Pinyon Jay stands in a juniper tree.
To Protect Two Declining Western Birds, Scientists Seek a Tricky Balance
March 20, 2024 — Both Pinyon Jays and Greater Sage-Grouse face significant declines in distinct Western habitats. Can conservationists meet the needs of both?
A bright green kakapo emerges from a bag on the ground held open by a person's hands.
On Mainland New Zealand, Crafty K膩k膩p艒 Are Thwarting Reintroduction Efforts
March 13, 2024 — Ten of the critically endangered parrots were released into a sanctuary in 2023 with hopes of eventually establishing a wild population. The only problem? The birds keep escaping.
Nine white geese on open water
Hope in the (Decreasing) Dark
March 11, 2024 — From America鈥檚 Arctic to the Tongass National Forest, we have big plans for the coming year. Alaska鈥檚 diverse ecosystems, cultures, and politics require unique and creative solutions for both nature and people鈥攁nd that鈥檚 what we鈥檒l continue to bring to the table.
ALASKA
A large beaver dam holds back a pond. In the background, a person in a blue jacket walks beside the pond in a foggy green landscape.
In the Arctic, Beavers Are Climate Winners. Should We Let Them Take Over?
February 27, 2024 — The voracious builders are reshaping the tundra, and generating controversy about whether their presence is cause for concern鈥攐r hope鈥攊n a warming world.
Close up portrait of a Harpy Eagle turning its head to the side.
After Years in Captivity, These Rescued Harpy Eagles Are Flourishing in the Wild
February 16, 2024 — The successful rehabilitation of the majestic raptors is the first in Bolivia, and a ray of hope for a species that has lost vast stretches of its historical habitat.
A group of male and female Wild Turkeys foraging close together.
Native Americans Domesticated Turkeys Long Before the Pilgrims Arrived
November 15, 2023 — Indigenous societies in the Americas valued the birds so highly that they tamed them at least twice, including in the U.S. Southwest. Turkey feathers still have abundant uses to tribes there today.
Birds and History