Discover 探花精选 Magazine

Where the latest news about birds and conservation takes flight.
On Florida's Marco Island, families of Burrowing Owls live among the locals. Photo: Karine Aigner

探花精选 delivers essential news, advice, and reporting on birds and bird conservation.

Pairing compelling journalism with stunning photography and design, each quarterly issue helps readers grow their appreciation of birds and learn how to help them thrive. Our editorial team also reports and publishes stories on 探花精选.org daily, including science and conservation news, birding tips, photo galleries, and interactive reader experiences. In print and digital, through stories and visuals, 探花精选 emphasizes the importance of a diverse and inclusive science and conservation effort to help meet the challenges facing both birds and people today.

To receive our award-winning print publication, become a member of the National 探花精选 Society.  For our full editorial statement, masthead, pitch guidelines, and pay rates, please visit here

Read the Entire Summer 2025 Issue
A plover chick peeks out from under its parent's feathers on a rocky beach.
Read the Entire Summer 2025 Issue

Inside: Using hi-tech trackers to spy on Mallards. A decades-long campaign helps Piping Plovers reach new heights. How smart feeders connect us to local birdlife鈥攁nd each other. The Native-led raptor center protecting sacred species and traditions. In Alaska, a push for more industry threatens irreplaceable habitats. You, too, can have a hummer summer. Read these stories and more.

Highlighted Feature Stories
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a 鈥楩orever Chemical鈥 Hotspot鈥擶hat Does That Mean for Its Birds and People?
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a 鈥楩orever Chemical鈥 Hotspot鈥擶hat Does That Mean for Its Birds and People?

Amid mounting global health concerns about PFAS, communities living along the waterway must grapple with how contamination is affecting life on the river. Yet as hard as it is to conduct health studies on humans, it鈥檚 even harder with wild animals.

Latest News and Articles
A Red Crossbill looks down from its perch in a pine tree, holding a seed in its beak.
Fancy Finches? This Extensive New Field Guide Is For You
October 04, 2024 — Co-authored by a finch expert and veteran guide writer, the book covers everything from House Finches to honeycreepers. (Yep, they're finches, too.)
Three Little Birds by Harbor Middle School and Groundswell
September 30, 2024 — Location: 27 Huntington Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231
A Killdeer standing in grass with its beak wide open.
10 Fun Facts About the Killdeer
September 30, 2024 — Even if you haven鈥檛 seen one, chances are good you鈥檝e heard this notoriously noisy shorebird.
A White-throated Sparrow perches on a branch with its head back, singing.
Do You Speak Warblish?
September 27, 2024 — A relatively new field of research focuses on the rich history of pairing birdsong with human language.
A House Wren stands on piece of dead wood in a pile of sticks and brush.
Make Birds Feel at Home With a Brush Pile
September 23, 2024 — A breeze to build and maintain, these 鈥渨ildlife hotels鈥 are a wonderful way to add natural habitat to your outdoor space.
A flock of Tree Swallows perched on brown reeds.
A Time for Optimism
September 23, 2024 — With dedication to science and passion for birds, together we will create lasting impact.
A Red-flanked Bluetail perches on a thin branch against a green background.
How Rare Is That Rare Bird?
September 23, 2024 — When you consider all the factors that go into the unlikeliest vagrant sightings, it makes you wonder ...
Donna Posont sits at a table holding tweezers with a log in front of her.
Driving Forces
September 22, 2024 — With creativity and determination, people featured in our pages lean into sharing the things they love.
Diptych of two colorful taxidermied birds posed on wooden perches in front of a dark background.
This Man Is on a Quest to Document Hawaii鈥檚 Far-Flung Bird Specimens鈥攁nd Maybe Even Bring Some Home
September 22, 2024 — As conservationists seek to save endangered species on the Hawaiian Islands, Bret Nainoa Mossman is on a mission to restore cultural links to birds collected from his homeland long ago.
Illustration of bird-themed self-care products.
Five Ways to Connect With Nature and Boost Your Mood No Matter Your Schedule
September 22, 2024 — Life can get busy. These time-sensitive tips will help you deepen your birding practice.

Find a Read

探花精选 magazine publishes a variety of story types in print and online. Peruse鈥攁nd enjoy鈥攋ust a sampling of our work below. 

Investigations
A New Plastic Wave Is Coming to Our Shores
A New Plastic Wave Is Coming to Our Shores

A glut of natural gas has led to a U.S. production surge in tiny plastic pellets, called nurdles, that are washing up on coasts by the millions.

Profiles
The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne
The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne

From deep within the Smithsonian, the world鈥檚 first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviation鈥攎aking the skies safer for us all.

Essays
What a Songbird Lost at Sea Taught Me About Survival
What a Songbird Lost at Sea Taught Me About Survival

Aboard a mission to explore the alien life of the deep ocean, a chance encounter with a migratory bird offered a point of connection鈥攐ne that has felt poignant this past year. 聽

Remembering Toni Morrison, the Bird Whisperer
Remembering Toni Morrison, the Bird Whisperer

A year after Morrison鈥檚 passing, a journalist and birder reflects on how her time with the cherished author changed her relationship with birds鈥攁nd with herself.

The 探花精选 Guide to Climate Action
The 探花精选 Guide to Climate Action

Feeling like you can鈥檛 make a difference? That couldn鈥檛 be further from the truth. Our award-winning guide shows you where to begin and how to 颅amplify your efforts to make lasting change in the world.

Dispatches

The 2024 探花精选 Photo Awards: Top 100

Revel in the staggering beauty and surprising behaviors featured in this gallery of our favorite images.

Hooded Merganser. Photo: Edwin Liu/探花精选 Photography Awards
Photo Essays
Birding Advice and News
Bird Books and Culture
A New Book Explores Our Disdain for Pests
A New Book Explores Our Disdain for Pests

Journalist Bethany Brookshire argues that the idea of a 鈥減est鈥 is more about humans鈥 view of unwanted animals than the critters themselves.

The 探花精选 Bird Guide
White-cheeked Pintail
Ducks and Geese
American Wigeon
Ducks and Geese
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Hummingbirds
Buff-bellied Hummingbird
Hummingbirds