Audubon Magazine

Audubon is the official magazine of the National Audubon Society. Get Audubon Magazine digital magazine subscription today for news coverage of the natural world. We help our readers appreciate, understand, and protect the environment with a particular focus on birds, other wildlife and their habitats

Out of Sight • In recent years, conservation photographer Gerrit Vyn has ventured repeatedly to a place most people have never heard of, much less visited: Teshekpuk Lake. Flat, buggy, and remote, this wetland complex in the Alaskan Arctic attracts few photographers. What keeps Vyn coming back? “It’s by far the most important, ecologically critical piece of real estate in the country for migratory shorebirds,” he says. The area provides breeding grounds for birds from every continent except Antarctica, as well as a caribou herd that has sustained Indigenous people for generations. Now this unsung ecosystem faces unprecedented pressure from oil and gas development. In June, Vyn returned for a seven-week stay to document what’s at stake for a vibrant, sensitive landscape that few people will ever see.

The Big Picture • Let these visuals transport you, and then consider the story of what the birds there need.

Points of Connection • Arctic habitats support birds across the hemisphere, and we are called to protect these landscapes—wherever we live.

Audubon Magazine

INBOX

Below the Surface • A beloved wilderness area and the wildlife that depend on it face a precarious future.

The Long Haul • Vermont forester Ethan Tapper explores what it takes to bring a woodland back to life—and keep it that way.

A Sweet Deal

Welcome Party • Every summer, masses of Purple Martins come to roost—and crowds of nature lovers show up to celebrate.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors • Since the 1980s, the Purple Martin Conservation Association has enlisted volunteers to report on the birds in their backyards. Scientists use their observations to gauge how martins are responding to threats and how we can help them.

Crafting Awareness • In Chicago, an artist is crowdsourcing 11,000 cloth birds for a massive memorial to the dangers of window strikes.

2026 Audubon Photography Awards

SMOKE ALARM • Catastrophic wildfires are undoing decades of air quality progress. How will wildlife and people navigate a hazier future?

Higher Aim • Fewer Americans are taking up hunting, which means fewer dollars for conservation. Women hunters are stepping up and introducing fresh approaches to sustain a vital tradition.

Champion of the Swamps • Conservation photographer Mac Stone puts his photos to work to save the southeastern U.S. landscapes he loves.

Set Sail • Head offshore to encounter seabirds that thrive far beyond the sight of land.

Sea to Shining Sea • Four exceptional ports for pelagic birding

Must-Haves • What to bring for your pelagic outing—ideally secured in a waterproof bag

Heard Mentality • One weird trick can help you find fall warblers.

What’s That Warbler? • Here’s what to look for when autumn birds go incognito.

Does Wearing Camo Actually Matter? • For people looking to blend into a bird’s world, changing plumage might help.

Dress Up • For a stand-out costume, turn to birds.

Travel Light • Compact binoculars make low-key birding easy—whenever, wherever.

The Land Remembers • Conservation burial grounds honor the dead—and sustain life.

Full of Life • Historic urban cemeteries offer both respite from the bustle and prime birding.

Dos and Don’ts • Birders must respect a cemetery’s prime purpose: to provide rest for the dead and comfort for the bereaved. Keep these guidelines in mind.

THE AVIARY • Where...