News Room
Recent News Releases
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.
December 18, 2025Bird Conservation Groups Use Data from Birdwatchers to Fill Critical Information Gaps for Declining SpeciesNew study demonstrates how eBird data support targeted conservation efforts across North America.
December 15, 2025Two Leading Bird Surveys Reach Similar Conclusions on North American Population TrendsResults from the North American Breeding Bird Survey and eBird largely align, with differences by species and region underscoring the importance of using multiple data sources.
November 19, 2025New Study Reveals Central America’s “Five Great Forests” Are Lifelines for North America’s Migratory BirdsProtecting our last tropical forests is critical to the survival of many beloved species that connect backyard birders in the U.S. and Canada to communities and forests thousands of miles away.
In The News
- How are California’s birds faring amid ever more frequent wildfires? , Mongabay.com News
- 6 best apps to download on your new iPhone and level up the experience , MSN.com
- After more than 125 years, the Christmas Bird Count is more popular than ever , The Washington Post
- EarthTalk: Declining U.S. Bird Populations Worry Environmentalists , The Bradenton Times
- Is Bread Bad For Birds? Here's What Experts Say , AOL
- Beyond the Checklist: How to Explore, Experiment, and Have Fun With Your Birding Data , National Audubon Society Inc
- Five Great Forests That Decide the Fate of Migratory Birds , SciTechDaily
- How to start birding, according to Amy Tan , Yahoo! Life
- How Animals Form Unlikely Alliances to Keep Predators Away , Scientific American Blog Network
- How did a Florida swamp bird end up in Scituate? Scientists have come up dry. , The Boston Globe
- Protecting the rainforests of Mesoamerica so we can keep watching migratory birds in Central Park , El País
- Celebrity crib sheet: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are back on the red carpet – here are seven things you need to know , The Guardian
- Ariana Grande Is Getting Into Bird-watching , New York Magazine – The Cut
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