Springtime singer or snowy sentinel? The American Robin may be one of North America's most familiar songbirds, yet its wintering patterns raise a common question: Do robins migrate? The answer is yes and no. We associate robins with spring for good reason: In many places, they arrive with the warm… Read more >>

This blog focuses on the top five North American bird species showing the greatest declines over the last 50 years. A 2019 Science study noting that 3 billion birds were lost since 1970 focused on bird groups, but the species-decline percentages below come from trend data used in the analysis.… Read more >>

Nineteen owl species are found in the United States. Ranging from the diminutive Elf Owl — the smallest owl on the continent — to the massive Great Gray Owl, these charismatic birds come in many shapes and sizes. While owls’ extraordinary hunting skills, nocturnal habits, and haunting calls are the… Read more >>

Chris Schucker’s property in Berks County, Pennsylvania, has been in his family for generations, starting with the family farm purchased by his great-grandfather in 1921. The Schucker family was in the lumber business, and Chris thought he knew trees pretty well. “I grew up being at the mill,” Schucker said.… Read more >>

Last year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) finalized three rules that left the Endangered Species Act weakened, curtailing protections for imperiled birds and other wildlife. Fortunately, birds are not without allies in Congress. Several representatives have introduced the PAW and FIN Conservation Act, H.R. 4348, to nullify these… Read more >>

Depending on whose taxonomy you use, there are close to 10,000 bird species on Earth. How can we hope to prevent species extinctions with so many birds and so many threats in today’s world? At ABC we have broken the challenge down into a series of steps. The first begins… Read more >>

Dr. Donald Messersmith remembers June 1970 for laborious but enjoyable hours spent in the rolling fields around Pleasant Valley, Maryland. A life-long birder and University of Maryland emeritus professor, Messersmith recalls volunteering with some of his students, running a route for the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), then a… Read more >>

Cats. It’s the four-letter word of bird conservation. For over a century, ornithologists have been sounding the alarm about cats and their impacts in the environment. Whether owned, stray, or feral, roaming domestic cats have the capacity — indeed the propensity — to hunt and kill the wild creatures that… Read more >>

The following project was made possible thanks to the support of American Bird Conservancy and others. Chile’s National Forestry Corporation (CONAF), together with Island Conservation, installed two sound systems and artificial burrows on Chañaral Island to attract Peruvian Diving-petrels to nest on the island, which they abandoned decades ago following… Read more >>

Across the globe, the introduction of domestic cats (Felis catus) to new environments has invariably resulted in harm to native wildlife. Yet when kept contained – indoors, on a leash, or in a catio – domestic cats can make wonderful pets and lead happy and healthy lives, while wildlife is… Read more >>