There are new signs each day that the COVID-19 pandemic is fundamentally altering public life in America. Many schools will be closed for the rest of the academic year. Several states have postponed presidential primaries. State and federal courts have put trials on hold. But the coronavirus crisis is not stopping the U.S. Department of
Other Animals
For the last few days, Sara Ryan’s parents have been in self-isolation at home in Canada. But there has been one bright spot about being cooped up indoors all day. It’s given them a front-row seat to an adorable scene taking place just beyond their window. A little fox, dozing oh so peacefully on a
Pied-billed Grebe. Photo: Donald Dvorak/Great Backyard Bird Count Seattle, WA – With high expectations to follow up last year’s passage of the Clean Energy Transformation Act , the Washington State legislature ended its session today by making progress on some fronts regarding climate, but failing to pass aggressive transportation emissions reduction policies. The Clean Fuel
Eleanor and her sister Tahani were taken in by Tiny Tails Rescue in Australia after they were left behind when their first family moved away. Kylie Duffield quickly took them in as fosters — and soon realized there was no way she could give them up, so the two kittens promptly became foster fails. Kylie
Center Name Location Closure Status Notes Audubon Center & Sanctuary at Francis Beidler Forest SC CLOSED Audubon Center at Debs Park CA CLOSED Trails open Audubon Center at Riverlands MO CLOSED Trails open Audubon Center for Birds of Prey FL CLOSED Audubon Center in Greenwich CT CLOSED Trails open Audubon Pine Island Sanctuary
When hunger called, this pelican answered. But it was far from a typical meal. He literally picked up a phone. Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center While hanging out at a marina in Florida last month, the pelican noticed a woman holding what he thought was a tasty fish free for the taking. Evidently, in
Is COVID-19 a concern for our parrots? suju/Pixabay It’s all over the news. The COVID-19 pandemic is spreading and affecting lives everywhere. However, it’s not only causing illness, it’s causing confusion and fear. It is an emerging disease, so there is still a lot we don’t know or understand. This uncertainty can be perplexing. It
For birds, designations like state, federal, and private land have no meaning—good habitat is good habitat. Yet, despite this avian obliviousness, who owns land can have big implications for the bird habitat it contains, according to a new study. To find out how the habitats of endangered wildlife are faring under different types of land ownership, Tufts
Jack and his family came into the care of Cindy Congdon, an avid foster mom, at the end of February from the Seattle Humane Society. He and his two siblings were only a week old, and their mom was so happy to have a safe place to care for her babies. As the weeks go
Desertas Petrel. Photo: George Reszeter/Alamy On Portugal’s uninhabited Bugio Island, off North Africa’s western coast, nests one of Europe’s rarest seabirds, the Desertas Petrel. Here, at the only known nesting colony in the world, fewer than 200 pairs nest on a plateau atop rugged cliffs. But it’s not just their rarity that makes these pigeon-size birds intriguing: During
Some people were hanging out on the beach when they suddenly noticed a cat, relaxing in the sand with her owner. As they approached the cat, they couldn’t help but notice how happy the kitty was — and were delighted when they learned why. “Cat owner says it’s her first time going to the beach,”
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Canada. Photo: Alexandru Papp/Alamy The first pulses of the flow of bird migration have already started coursing across the hemisphere. Early vanguards of the coming numbers of Red-winged Blackbird, Sandhill Crane, and American Woodcock left their southern U.S. wintering grounds and made it to the northern U.S. and southern Canada over the last few weeks.
It’s tough to stay active in the winter — even when you’re a dog. Brian Keith Einarson knows this all too well. Living in Winnipeg, Canada, he and his three pups brave five months of cold weather every year. He was struggling to keep his senior dogs healthy and fit when they’d much rather snooze
Photo: Camilla Cerea/Audubon This is all so surreal, isn’t it? None of us has been through anything quite like COVID-19, the coronavirus outbreak that the World Health Organization this week labeled a global pandemic. At this moment, more than 137,300 cases have been confirmed worldwide, and at least 5,073 people have died. Markets have tanked.
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Photo: Design Pics Inc/Alamy Every city has a distinctive sound—a blend of street traffic and distant sirens, rustling leaves and urban wildlife. But for years, the soundscapes at intersections across America shared something remarkable. Whenever certain pedestrian signals changed to “walk,” one of two bird-like electronic noises played. One alternates between two tones, like a
As staff members at the RSPCA Woodside Animal Center arrived at work on Wednesday morning, they were shocked when they were immediately greeted by a dog tied to the front gate. No one knew how long she’d been there for — and as soon as she saw them, it was clear that she’d been anxiously
When paleontologist Lida Xing first examined the piece of amber, he knew he had something special on his hands. Trapped inside the 99 million-year-old hunk of fossilized coniferous tree resin, which weighs about as much as a ping-pong ball, was a teeny skull smaller than a U.S. penny. It looked like “a tiny arrow,” he says.
Ever since he was a kid, Robert Bush Sr. has been fascinated by the wildlife all around him, and in 2013, he decided to start setting up hidden cameras near his home in Pennsylvania to capture footage of the animals he loves living their lives in their natural habitats. “I started doing the camera traps
A common grackle In sports, one of the more fun ways to participate in a season is by way of online fantasy sports. You get together, choose real players from a professional sport, such as baseball or football, and then integrate their daily stats into your “virtual team.” At the end of the season, and
American Goldfinch. Photo: Brian Kushner/Audubon Photography Awards WASHINGTON — “This package presented a missed opportunity to make meaningful bi-partisan progress in modernizing our energy system,” said Sarah Greenberger, senior vice president for conservation policy at the National Audubon Society. “We thank Senators Murkowski and Manchin for their leadership, and we will continue to work with
When Blondie entered Maricopa County Animal Care and Control in late October, the little hairless creature barely looked like a dog at all. Frail and completely covered in scabs, the Chihuahua mix’s skin gave her a mummified look. She was labeled “at-risk” for euthanasia, but shelter volunteers refused to give up on her. Instead, they
Parrots can be colorful, both in physical appearance and personality. One particular family of parrots that can be described as ultra-vibrant are lories and lorikeets. Their feather coloration is quite stunning. If you were to print out a photocopy of a lory or lorikeet, you might use up a good portion of your printer’s color
Mallard. Photo: Michael Stabentheiner/Audubon Photography Awards This audio story is brought to you by BirdNote, a partner of The National Audubon Society. BirdNote episodes air daily on public radio stations nationwide. Transcript: This is BirdNote. Webbed feet are ideal for birds that swim, on the water’s surface or under. In fact, they’re such a nifty adaptation
Everybody knows that the world revolves around this little dog named Chico. But what if, just for a moment, it didn’t? Now we have the answer. Instagram/janicemars6 The other day, Chico’s owner decided to play a lighthearted little prank on the dog. Rather than direct every ounce of her attention toward him, as he’s clearly
A developing illness or a problematic health issue begins with telltale signs that can alert you that something isn’t quite right. Whether that body belongs to a person, animal, reptile, bird, or even plant or insect, all maladies that afflict our highly complex system of existence start out with usually unnoticeable detail — like a
From the moment Braxton entered the world two years ago, this lovable husky named Boston has been his biggest fan. Alixandria Smith Actually, it began even earlier than that. “I’m convinced that Boston knew I was pregnant before I did!” Alixandria Smith, Braxton’s mom, told The Dodo. Alixandria Smith Since then, Braxton and Boston have been
As those of you who have been following this blog know, many entries describe the research studies in my laboratory, which usually involve comparisons between African grey parrots and other nonhuman subjects, or between African grey parrots and young children. Most of the time, the methodology of a study needs very little adaptation from the
Brown Pelican. Photo: Odalys Muñoz Gonzalez/Audubon Photography Awards Today we’re celebrating steps toward better protections for an even smaller fish—the Atlantic menhaden. The Virginia state legislature voted last week to transfer management of this fish in state waters from the state house to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission. The legislation is waiting for Governor Northam’s
There was once a time when wolves could no longer be found living inside Yellowstone National Park — but now they’re back and thriving. For conservationists, the wolves’ renewed presence comes as its own reward. Still, you might say this particular wolf pack found a way of saying “thanks.” Creative Commons CC0 The other week, Yellowstone National