News Room
Recent News Releases
February 18, 2026New Research Forecasts the Impacts of Fire on BirdsWhere will severe fires threaten the most birds in the future? New research identifies where future high-severity fires threaten biodiversity hotspots in the western United States
February 10, 2026Photometrics AI Integrates Data from Bird Migration Forecasts to Automatically Dim Streetlights to Protect BirdsNew lighting system uses BirdCast data to enable real-time lighting adjustments during peak migration periods to reduce bird collisions with buildings.
January 28, 2026Scientists Just Mapped the Family Tree of 11,000+ Bird Species—And You Can Explore ItThe new illustrated Birds of the World Phylogeny Explorer by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology lets users trace any bird’s lineage, compare species relationships, and explore major evolutionary milestones with a click of a button.
January 20, 2026Extend the Season of Love to BirdsLove is in the air—listen closely and the sounds of chickadees, sparrows, and thrushes are beckoning you to step outside to experience the love from birds and nature. Take a moment to celebrate what birds and nature give us during the annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) from February 13 through February 16, 2026.
January 7, 2026Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Announces Opening of Small Grant ProgramApply now for funds to support conservation on private and public lands from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative.
In The News
- Changing climate brings pros and cons to P.E.I.'s birds and those who watch them , PNI Atlantic News
- Caws for celebration: Auburn holds first Crow Cawcus Convention , The Citizen
- The safest place to hang bird feeders in your garden , Country Living
- Severe wildfires threaten 30% of bird diversity hotspots in the West , NewsBreak
- Streetlight Control Automates Dimming During Bird Migrations , LightNOW
- Bald Eagle, Marooned on Ice Chunk in Hudson, Is Rescued by Police , DNYUZ
- Where Is the Safest Place to Hang Bird Feeders? , Country Living Magazine
- Bird-Watchers Flock to Montreal to Catch a Glimpse of Canada’s First Known European Robin , Smithsonian Magazine
- Great Backyard Bird Count gets underway in western Pennsylvania , CBS News
- Scientists Find a Global ‘Language’ Hidden in Bird Calls , SciTechDaily
- Want More Birds in Your Yard? Add These Foods to Your Backyard Feeder , Country Living Magazine
- Join the Great Backyard Bird Count—for science! , Scientific American
- Prep your garden for the Great Backyard Bird Count this week , MSN.com
- I Lost My Hearing but Found My Voice , Oprah Daily
- CAW! CAW! Auburn to Host “First Ever Crow Cawcus” , I Love NY
- Listening to the Forest: An AI innovator’s mission to protect humans and wildlife , The New Indian Express – EDEX Live
- Why Some Gardens Are Always Full of Birds – 9 Things They Have in Common , Homes & Gardens
- Help scientists document Midwest light pollution by looking at Orion , Minnesota Public Radio MPR News
- Does your hummingbird really need a heater? Experts weigh in , MSN.com
- Scientists marvel at a Galapagos seabird that wandered 3,000 miles to California , NewsNation
- Scientists marvel at a Galapagos seabird that wandered 3,000 miles to California , MSN.com
- 5 Ways to Keep Your Bird Bath from Freezing in Winter, According to Experts , Better Homes & Gardens
- The crow party continues: Almost 20,000 are spending the winter in Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- Forget The Content Treadmill And Develop An App Instead , Forbes
- How to set up a bird feeder to attract your favorite species , National Geographic
- How Are California’s Birds Faring Amid Ever More Frequent Wildfires? , The Good Men Project
- With planning, birds and floating solar can coexist , Cornell University
- How to Keep Your Birdbath from Freezing in Winter , Country Living Magazine
- Huge Numbers of Migrating Birds Rely on These Five Central American Forests—but They’re Disappearing Fast , National Audubon Society Inc
- Join the Garden for Birds Project to Boost Backyard Habitat , Birds & Blooms
- Birds at a college changed beak shapes during the pandemic. It might be a case of rapid evolution , CNN
- How a cockatiel named Koco inspired a conservation movement , The Washington Post
Experts at the Cornell Lab
To request an interview or find additional experts, contact Kathi Borgmann, 607-254-2137, birdnews@cornell.edu.
Robyn BaileyProject LeaderNesting Biology • Nest and Egg Identification • Nest Boxes • Participatory Science
Jessie BarryProgram Manager
David BonterCo-Director, Center for Engagement in Science and NatureCitizen Science • Avian Ecology • Foraging Ecology
Kathi BorgmannCommunications ManagerScience Communication • Bird Identification • Breeding Biology • Avian Conservation • Bird Song • Wildlife Restoration Ecology
Charles EldermireProject Leader
Andrew FarnsworthVisiting ScientistBird Migration • Aeroecology • Bioacoustics • Radar Ornithology • Climate Change
John FitzpatrickDirector EmeritusAdministrative Oversight • Fundraising • Board Relations • Conservation Science • External Communication
Wesley HochachkaSenior Research AssociatePopulation Ecology • Citizen Science • Ecological Informatics • Disease Ecology
Marshall J. IliffProject LeadereBird • Status and Trends • Migration • Species Distribution • Taxonomy
Holger KlinckJohn W. Fitzpatrick Director, K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics
Irby LovetteDirector, Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program and Director, Center for Biodiversity Studies and Higher Education
Kevin J. McGowanSenior Course Developer and InstructorCrows • Behavioral Ecology • Ornithological Trivia • Bird Identification • Translating Science to General Audiences
Tina PhillipsAssistant Director, Engagement in Science and NatureCitizen Science • Evaluation • Learning • Social Science
Aaron RicePrincipal EcologistBioacoustics • Conservation Biology • Fish Biology • Marine Ecology • Animal Behavior
Amanda RodewaldGarvin Professor and Senior Director, Center for Avian Population Studies
Viviana Ruiz GutierrezAssistant Director, Center for Avian Population Studies • Program Leader, Conservation ScienceApplied Population Ecology • Conservation Science • Quantitative Ecology • Tropical Ecology and Conservation
Edwin ScholesProject LeaderBirds-of-Paradise • Audiovisual Media • New Guinea Ornithology • Evolutionary Biology
Mya ThompsonCo-Director, Engagement in Science and NatureOnline Learning • Instructional Design • Media Production • Environmental Education • Animal Communication • Science Communication
Mike WebsterDirector, Macaulay LibraryAnimal Behavior • Animal Communication • Evolution • Bird Song • Breeding Biology