Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2023 i Audubon Magazine

Just beneath the waves along the Pacific Coast, from Alaska to Baja California, grow underwater forests that rival any on land. Kelp stalks can grow to 100 feet, forming a towering canopy of fronds. The structures support tiny invertebrates, fish, birds, and mammals, and help sustain fisheries and tourism. Given the ecological and economic importance of these vast hidden habitats, scientists became alarmed 10 years ago when a mysterious disease and an unprecedented marine heat wave battered them, leaving behind only patches of surviving forest. Marine scientist and underwater photographer Kate Vylet has spent the past decade documenting the changes off the central California coast and the efforts of scientists and volunteers to preserve and restore the vibrant habitat.…

Mirror, Mirror Few North American birds are as reviled or misunderstood as the invasive House Sparrow. But what many people don’t realize is that this species has evolved alongside humanity for millennia. In many ways, its history is also ours, reflecting the story of how we relate to the natural world. Cartoonist and Audubon contributor Rosemary Mosco recently explored these often complicated connections in a thoughtful yet humorous essay accompanied by her signature illustrations. Read more at audubon.org/reflections. RE: “The Birding Brain Boost” I found the article connecting bird-watching and cognitive research fascinating. I’ve always enjoyed watching birds but never put in the effort to identify any species except the big, easily identifiable African ones like the Kori Bustard or the Secretarybird. Now that I’ve retired and fear memory loss,…

In 2011, two years after graduating college, I landed a dream job studying Nazca Boobies in the Galápagos Islands. There was a catch: While my flight, food, boots, and housing (a tent) would be covered, I wouldn’t earn a penny for three months, and there’d be no internet to apply for my next gig. Nevertheless, I accepted. I had savings to cover my student loan payments, and if plans went awry, I could always borrow money from my parents. My gamble paid off, ultimately leading to a Ph.D. position. My experience was common and it points to a serious problem with the traditional career path for field scientists. Ecology, conservation, and wildlife job boards burst each year with listings seeking seasonal researchers to measure trees, track bears, band birds, and…

MEAT Seek out a bird-friendly seal if your grilling plans include beef or bison. Audubon’s Conservation Ranching Initiative works with ranchers who prioritize conservation, protecting grasslands for birds like Bobolinks and Western Meadowlarks. For retailers, visit audubon.org/conservation/ranching. SAUCE Sweeten your veggie marinade or BBQ sauce using bird-friendly maple syrup. The sugarbushes that produce syrup are also home to birds like Scarlet Tanagers and Wood Thrushes. For retailers who manage forests to support avian biodiversity, visit audubon.org/maple. BEER Reduce your impact when you imbibe. Many states recognize sustainable breweries, and a few national brands, like New Belgium and Allagash, are Certified B Corporations, meaning environmental protection is part of their operations. In the Southwest, Audubon partners with local craft brewers to advocate for healthy Western rivers (and promote pints such as a…

BIRDING The world was introduced to birder Christian Cooper in 2020, when a viral video showed a white woman calling the police on him in Central Park. In Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World (Random House, $28, 304p), Cooper introduces himself. Blending memoir with birding primer, he shares how his hobby equipped him to survive as a nerdy, gay, Black man in America. The book culminates in his telling of the racism he experienced that day in Central Park, but taken together, Cooper’s clarion, moving essays prove his story has universal meaning beyond his viral moment. —Hannah Waters HUNTING If you care about wildlife, but are wont to clutch your pearls at a camo-clad hunter taking aim at a buck, The Shotgun Conservationist:…

THE TECH Is the Northern Cardinal that visits your feeder ready for a close-up? The Bird Buddy, a new “smart” bird feeder powered by AI technology, will not only shoot photos for you—automatically triggering its 5-megapixel camera when it detects a bird—but also will identify birds and sort your photos into species-specific albums. You’ll get app notifications when a bird arrives, after which you can view a video feed and easily share the results with friends or the larger community that uses the product. The Bird Buddy ($249) requires a connection to wifi, and its battery needs a recharge every 5 to 15 days (depending on use), according to the company. You can also extend the battery’s life with a solar add-on ($125) or keep it plugged in. OUR TAKE After some…

AS SALMON RETURNED TO the Klamath River from the Pacific Ocean in 2002 to lay eggs, they found it choked and trickling. Water they needed had been held behind upstream dams and diverted for agriculture. Fish crowded the overheated shallows, succumbed to disease, and lined the banks with their lifeless bodies. As many as 70,000 salmon perished before they could spawn that year, the largest fish kill the region had ever seen. Born as snow topping Oregon’s Cascade Range, the Klamath winds among wetlands vital to waterfowl, then through redwood forests to California’s coast. But since the first of six dams came online in 1918, water trapped in reservoirs has simmered in inland heat and collected farm runoff. The result: disease outbreaks and toxic algae blooms. Several of the river’s…

To ensure the highest industry standards and guard against photography practices that may harm wildlife or violate our contest rules, we closely examine the original image files (and data embedded in them) for finalist photos and compare them with the images submitted. Experts in ethical bird photography and bird behavior also review the images, along with information that photographers share about how the scenes were captured, to look for red flags that may cause judges to take a closer look.…

At 18, Julie Ray lost her vision from a form of macular degeneration. Her condition made becoming a snake scientist far more difficult—but not impossible. With supportive advisers and accommodations, such as a driver and field assistant who accompanied her to field sites in the Panamanian rainforest, she earned her Ph.D. and today is a snake researcher with the University of Nevada, Reno. The default, she says, should not be to tell aspiring researchers: “You can’t do it.” Like safety and financial concerns, disabilities are another barrier to participating in fieldwork. They’re also common: An estimated one-quarter of adults in the United States have a visible or invisible disability. While not all positions or sites can be made to accommodate everyone and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, there are steps that…

SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS Mukojima, Japan After being overhunted for feathers, most of the world’s remaining short-tails nested on an island with an active volcano. Yamashina Institute for Ornithology scientists successfully lured juveniles across Torishima Island, then reestablished a colony on nearby Mukojima. CHINESE CRESTED TERN Tiedun Island, China When this presumed-extinct species was rediscovered in 2000, it bred on only two known islands, where it was at risk from typhoons and hunting. In 2013 local and international partners began a successful effort to restore the birds at this location in their historic northern range. COMMON DIVING-PETREL; FAIRY PRION; FLUTTERING SHEARWATER Mana Island, New Zealand In a country where invasive mammals have ravaged native wildlife, Mana, now free of nonnative predators, is a haven. When broadcasting calls and providing starter burrows failed…

THE TECH Want to boost your yard sightings and brush up on birdsongs, too? Also powered by AI, the always-on Haikubox listens for bird calls and songs and identifies the species at high, medium, or low confidence levels, while ignoring human speech and most (but not all) other sounds. From an app, you can customize alerts for target species or new birds, play back brief clips, correct IDs, and view your data—all while contributing to community science efforts. You’ll need to plug the device into an outdoor outlet in a spot that gets good wifi. The price ($399) includes a five-year membership, which helps cover cloud storage costs for all that audio. OUR TAKE The Haikubox is an innovative product for bird nerds who might want to run outside to…

EVERY YEAR, PEOPLE AROUND THE country flock to parks, beaches, and ball games to celebrate Independence Day. Grills smolder. Pyrotechnics pop. But unless it’s done with care, all that partying can have unintended consequences. Fireworks can disturb or harm animals, including birds. “The noise and lights disorient them,” says Audubon Florida bird conservation director Audrey DeRose-Wilson. The booms and bangs risk driving off parents, leaving chicks exposed to predators and other threats, she says. Recent data bear this out. In Europe, New Year’s Eve fireworks sent the heart rates of geese soaring for hours, a sign their stress had staying power. In another study, GPS-tracked geese flew greater distances and climbed higher for several nights after a celebration; some flew more than 300 miles on the night of fireworks, a distance…

Oriole Park, Baltimore eBird Stats 163 checklists submitted; 78 species observed  MVPs European Starling, Ring-billed Gull, Fish Crow Field Notes The Charm City’s timeless jewel of a ballpark at Camden Yards offers atmosphere, skyline views, and potential sightings of nighthawks, martins, and swallows on muggy summer nights. Wrigley Field, Chicago eBird Stats 46 checklists submitted; 28 species observed MVPs Sandhill Crane, European Starling, Canada Goose  Field Notes Sandhill Cranes gather around Lake Michigan, so it’s not uncommon to see flocks traveling over the Cubs’ historic ivy-draped ballpark. Common Nighthawks, Chimney Swifts, and Black-crowned Night-Herons are reported in summer. Oracle Park, San Francisco eBird Stats 118 checklists submitted; 77 species observed MVPs Western Gull, California Gull, Brown Pelican Field Notes With bay views, the Giants’ home is all about the waterbirds. Eight gull species…

IN THE BRAMBLE When moving through rough terrain, keep your binoculars close to your body. A chest harness will help prevent most bouncing and banging, or you can sling your shoulder strap around one arm so it’s running diagonally across your chest. If your clambering is particularly harsh, use your hand as a shield to take the hits. IN THE CAR Don’t leave your binoculars on the dash, especially on a sunny day. The windshield acts as a lens, focusing light and causing bins to overheat. This can expel the fog-proofing gas inside your gear and rapidly degrade it. Also keep your optics in their case while driving so that they don’t rattle around. IN THE RAIN Whatever precipitation you encounter, you’re safe. Water won’t hurt your binoculars, but it…