News Releases—Archive
2026 News Releases
- New Research Forecasts the Impacts of Fire on Birds
Where 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
- Photometrics AI Integrates Data from Bird Migration Forecasts to Automatically Dim Streetlights to Protect Birds
New lighting system uses BirdCast data to enable real-time lighting adjustments during peak migration periods to reduce bird collisions with buildings.
- Scientists Just Mapped the Family Tree of 11,000+ Bird Species—And You Can Explore It
The 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.
- Extend the Season of Love to Birds
Love 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.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative Announces Opening of Small Grant Program
Apply now for funds to support conservation on private and public lands from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative.
2025 News Releases
- Bird Conservation Groups Use Data from Birdwatchers to Fill Critical Information Gaps for Declining Species
New study demonstrates how eBird data support targeted conservation efforts across North America.
- Two Leading Bird Surveys Reach Similar Conclusions on North American Population Trends
Results 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.
- New Study Reveals Central America’s “Five Great Forests” Are Lifelines for North America’s Migratory Birds
Protecting 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.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Receives Multiple Awards for its Visitor Center
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s newly renovated Visitor Center in Ithaca, New York received the Merit Award and the Sustainability Impact Recognition Award from the Society for Experimental Graphic Design. These prestigious awards honor installations that connect people to place through storytelling, meaning, and impact.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Awarded Bezos Earth Fund Grant to Advance Biodiversity Monitoring for Conservation
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics received a catalytic $1.8 million grant from the Bezos Earth Fund to help address global biodiversity decline through the development of cutting-edge wildlife monitoring technologies.
- Exploring the Colorful Lives of Australian Fairywrens
Dr. Mike Webster, Robert G. Engle Professor of Ornithology and Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Macaulay Library, will speak about how the bright plumage and complex songs of Australian fairywrens shape mating, behavior, and evolution, in the 2025 Paul C. Mundinger Distinguished Lectureship on October 16.
- Birds’ Vocal Warnings Provide New Insight Into the Origins of Language
Birds separated by vast geographic distances and millions of years of evolution share a remarkably similar learned vocal warning to identify parasitic enemies near their nests, an international team of researchers has found.
- Record-breaking Night of Bird Migration Detected with Radar
More than 1.2 billion birds streamed south Thursday night, the largest single-night total ever recorded by the live radar project BirdCast.
- New Underwater Tool Lets Ecologists ID Fish From Their Sounds
A new 360° camera equipped with spatial audio recording is helping researchers listen in and monitor coral reefs.
- New Research May Help Offshore Energy Be More Bird-Friendly
A new study found that bird migration over coastal waters in North America occurs on fewer nights compared to migration over land and varies in intensity depending on the season. This baseline information may help wind energy managers reduce bird-wind turbine collisions.
- Study Reveals How Different Messages Motivate People to Take Conservation Actions
New research finds that the types of messages shared can influence people’s willingness to change their behavior to prevent bird-window collisions.
- Experience Nature’s Masterpieces in Motion with a New Video Series on Wild Birds from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Join award-winning, world-traveling wildlife photographers Tim and Russell Laman to witness the drama, beauty, and hidden moments of bird life. Sponsored by OM SYSTEM, this intimate series from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology showcases the unique behaviors of Tree Swallows, puffins, and Ospreys like you’ve never seen them before.
- Join the Cornell Lab of Ornithology forMigration Celebration, September 13
Celebrate birds with a fun-filled day of free workshops, presentations, bird walks, and more.
- Study Uses Data From Birdwatchers to Find Regional Fire Effects on Bird Populations
A new study utilizing eBird participatory science data illustrated regional variation in the ways wildfires can impact bird populations in the United States in unprecedented detail. These results can inform wildfire management, providing much-needed, fine-scale information on the impacts of fire on birds.
- Colonial-Era Land-Use Changes in India Led to Severe Decline in Grassland Birds, Study Finds
New research reveals that colonial-era policies transformed India's Nilgiri hills from grasslands to monoculture plantations, leading to 90% decline in grassland bird populations.
- Study Finds that Listening to Snapping Shrimp is an Effective Tool to Monitor Coral Reef Health
Underwater monitoring of high-frequency sounds produced by snapping shrimp can be an effective and inexpensive way to monitor coral reef health.
- Study Reveals Why Birds Sing More at Dawn in Tropical Forests
New research published today finds that territorial behavior and diet help explain why some birds sing more often at dawn.
- New $1.5M Graduate Research Fellowship Honors Former Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
A new $1.5 million gift from philanthropist K. Lisa Yang ’74 has established the Charles Walcott Graduate Research Fellowship in Conservation Bioacoustics to fund graduate research at the Lab of Ornithology in honor of Walcott, professor emeritus and executive director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology during 1981-95.
- AviList: A Unified Global Checklist of the World’s Birds is Now Available
AviList, a unified global checklist of birds, that provides the most current and authoritative taxonomy of birds around the world was released today by experts in taxonomy, nomenclature, and bioinformatics from around the world including researchers from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the American Ornithological Society, BirdLife International, the International Ornithologists’ Union, and Avibase.
- Study Reveals Songbirds Change Flight Patterns Over Midwest’s Vast Farmlands
Birds fly faster and are more selective about flying with favorable tailwinds when crossing the Corn Belt—a vast agricultural region where more than 76% of the original forests and grasslands have been converted primarily to cornfields since the 1850s.
- Cornell Research Shows Promise in Managing Surrogate Species, Providing a Conservation Umbrella for More Species
A new study led by Cornell Lab of Ornithology researchers at the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics shows that monitoring and managing select bird species can provide benefits for other species within specific regions.
- Conservation Sweet Spots: Research Reveals Where Protecting Nature Helps Both Birds and Humans in the United States
In a new study published in the journal Ecosystem Services, researchers from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, and the Wildlife Conservation Society examined how protecting areas valuable for human needs — like clean water, flood control, and carbon storage — could simultaneously benefit bird populations across the United States
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Launches BirdWise: A Revolutionary Bird Identification Learning Tool
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology launched BirdWise, an innovative learning tool designed to transform how people learn to identify birds. This interactive quizzing tool covers more than 640 bird species from across the United States and Canada, offering personalized, adaptive learning for bird enthusiasts of all levels.
- Study Shows How Millions of Bird Sightings Unlock Precision Conservation
A groundbreaking study published today in Science reveals that North American bird populations are declining most severely in areas where they should be thriving.
- For the First Time, All Avian Evolutionary Relationships Revealed
Colleagues at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology alongside Professor Emily Jane McTavish at the University of California, Merced have mapped the evolution of every known bird species.
- The Birds and the Bees: Including Bird Data Improves Estimates of Wild Bee Species, Study Finds
A new study published today in the journal PLOS One reveals that combining bird observation data with land cover information provides more accurate predictions of numbers of wild bee species—a metric called richness—than using either dataset alone.
- Study Reveals Factors Driving Range Expansion in Lesser Goldfinches
New research published in the journal Ornithology shows that Lesser Goldfinches, a small songbird traditionally found in the Southwest, are expanding their range northward through the Pacific Northwest at an unprecedented rate, providing insights into how species adapt to environmental change.
- These DIY Home Improvements Will Help Save Birds This Spring
Learn about how you can prevent bird collisions with windows from the Bird Collision Prevention Alliance, a coalition of agencies, conservation groups, and industry leaders.
- It’s Nesting Time
Spring is here and that means new life all around including nesting birds. The NestWatch project at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology invites you to monitor bird nests near you and share in the lives of birds from nest building to fledging.
- U.S. Bird Populations Continue Alarming Decline, New Report Finds
2025 State of the Birds Report Calls for Urgent Conservation Action For release Thursday, March 13, 2025 ITHACA, NY.—The release of the 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report was... Read more »
- Acoustic monitoring network for birds enhances forest management
A new study using the largest network of microphones to track birds in the United States is providing crucial insights for managing and restoring fire-prone forests across California’s Sierra Nevada region.
- Underwater mics and machine learning aid right whale conservation
Using underwater microphones and machine learning (ML), Cornell University researchers have developed a new method to estimate North Atlantic right whale numbers — offering a potentially safer and more cost-effective way to monitor this critically endangered species.
Southern Wings Full Annual Cycle Migratory Bird Online Guide Now Available
January 6, 2025
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies releases online Bird Guide utilizing the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird program data including U.S. State Level eBird Data Summaries and eBird Status and Trends models to help states identify priority bird species and to develop state wildlife action plans.
2024 News Releases
Mapping Bird Migration with Feathers for Conservation, November 7, 2024
Paul C. Mundinger Distinguished Lectureship open to all on November 13
Join the 38th Season of Project FeederWatch, October 17, 2024
Monitor the birds in your space—and other winter wildlife
State-By-State Data Boosts Bird Conservation Planning, September 4, 2024, Cornell Chronicle
Cornell Lab of Ornithology Visitor Center Reopens, June 25, 2024, Cornell Chronicle
Garden for Wildlife Sponsors Poster of Bird-Friendly Garden Plants, June 25, 2024
“Lost” Birds List Will Aid in Protecting Species, June 17, 2024, Cornell Chronicle
Link Between Cocaine Trafficking and Biodiversity, June 12, 2024
Unexpected tie between a social problem and conservation
World’s Largest Hummingbird Is Actually Two Species, May 13, 2024
Surprise discovery found “hiding in plain sight”
Save Spring Migrating Birds, April 16, 2024
Cut light pollution and treat glass to prevent deadly collisions
Lyrebird Synchronizes Elements of Its Mating Dance, March 28, 2024
Study says environment plays a key role in the performance
Solar Eclipse Could Scramble Bird Behavior, March 26, 2024
Cornell Chronicle
Early Spring, Earlier Nesting Birds, March 26, 2024
Join NestWatch to help track climate change effects on birds
Great Horned Owl Comes to Live Bird Cams Project, Cornell Chronicle, March 5, 2024
FLACO Act Essential to Prevent Bird Strikes, Combat Population Declines, February 26, 2024.
Flock Together for the Great Backyard Bird Count, January 23, 2024
Share the joy of birding with others during this global event
Study: Only 18% of the global land area that is needed for human well-being and biodiversity is currently protected, January 10, 2024
New study highlights areas of potential conflict and loss
Apply Now for 2024 Land Trust Grants, January 23, 2024
Funds support conservation on private lands
2023 News Releases
Study: Temperature Variability Reduces Nesting Success, November 16, 2023
Nestlings are the most vulnerable to temperature extremes
Local Adaptation May Buffer Some Birds Against Climate Change, November 7, 2023, Cornell Chronicle
American Ornithological Society Announces Decision to Change English Names of Birds Named After People, November 1, 2023
Join the 37th Season of Project FeederWatch, October 18, 2023
Monitor the birds in your space—and other winter wildlife
Captivating Courtship: Leaping for Love, October 11, 2023
Paul C. Mundinger Distinguished Lectureship open to all on October 25
Birders & AI Push Bird Conservation to the Next Level, October 4, 2023
New method untangles interactions in complex systems
Wingscapes Teams Up with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, September 22, 2023
Partnership to enhance backyard birding
Light Pollution Threatens Coastal Marine Systems, Sept. 12, 2023
Offshore effects are still largely unknown
Free Webinars Celebrate Fall Bird Migration, August 29, 2023
Series hosted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
As City Heat Rises, Bird Diversity Declines, August 22, 2023
Conclusions of massive study in China
New Audio Technique Used for Census of California Spotted Owls in the Sierra Nevada, August 28, 2023
Novel Machine-Learning Method Produces Detailed Population Trend Maps for 550 Bird Species, August 9, 2023
City-Dwelling Wildlife Demonstrate “Urban Trait Syndrome,” August 8, 2023
Scientists find nuanced tactics are needed to increase urban biodiversity
New Cornell Lab of Ornithology Partnership, August 1, 2023
Enthusiast Hotel Collection guests get local bird information
Cornell Lab of Ornithology Visitor Center Reimagined, July 12, 2023
Major redesign to create new interactive experience
ZEISS Continues Sponsorship of Young Birders Event, June 21, 2023
Wildfire Smoke Threatens Endangered Orangutans, June 15, 2023
Cornell Chronicle
Merlin Milestone: App Now Helps ID Birds Worldwide, May 24, 2023
Tremendous feat powered by birdwatchers
Cities Have a Role to Play in Bird Conservation, May 16, 2023
Cornell Chronicle
Group Works to Make Campus Windows Bird Friendly, May 2, 2023
Cornell Chronicle
Woodpecker Guides Post-Fire Forest Management, April 25, 2023
New tool turns science into action
Study: Mountain Quail May Benefit from High Severity Wildfire, April 24, 2023
Findings from acoustic monitoring in the Sierra Nevada
Migratory Birds Can Partially Offset Climate Change, April 11, 2023
Study examines a key but costly strategy
Great Backyard Bird Count Results: Wow! March 21, 2023
Half a million participants did their bit for birds
Watch Baby Birds for the Joy and the Science of It, March 20, 2023
Witness the fascinating family lives of birds with NestWatch
Artificial Light at Night Aids Caterpillar Predators, March 20, 2023
Cornell Chronicle
Climate Change Alters a Human-Raptor Relationship, March 14, 2023
Dairy farmers welcome Bald Eagles
Grassroots Data Vital for Reducing Deadly Bird-Window Strikes, March 7, 2023
International study calls for increased support of citizen science
Study Finds Social Bird Species May Be Less Competitive, March 1, 2023
Behavioral data collected by Project FeederWatch participants
Nature Close to Home Associated with Well-Being During COVID, February 13, 2023
Study examines types of nature engagement during pandemic
“BirdFlow” model could reveal mysteries of bird migration, February 1, 2023
Cornell Chronicle
2022 News Releases
Study: More Than One Way to Build a Black Bird, November 1, 2022
Research highlights quirks of remote island evolution
Free Mapping Tool to Help Improve Bird Conservation and Land Protection, October 27, 2022
Tool merges relevant data for 14 northeastern states
Study: Migrating Birds Attracted by Light Pollution Face Higher Toxic Chemical Exposure, Oct. 25, 2022
Gulf of Mexico states of special concern
FeederWatchers Are More Important than Ever, October 18, 2022
Halting the decline of bird populations requires data
2022 U.S. State of the Birds Report Reveals Widespread Losses, October 12, 2022
Birds in all habitats declining–except for one
Birds On Island Time, August 10, 2022
Study relates island characteristics with the seasonal ebb and flow of bird species
New Course Helps Awaken Curiosity About Nature, July 28, 2022
Get expert advice gathered by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Competition Limits the Ranges of Mountain Birds, July 21, 2022
Citizen science data help clarify a longstanding puzzle
BirdNET app opens new avenues for citizen science, June 28, 2022
Free machine-learning app reduces barriers to global bird research
Global Bird Populations Steadily Declining, May 5, 2022
Study conclusion mirrors shocking losses previously shown in North America
New Regional Bird Guides Simplify Identification, April 28, 2022
All About Birds series has a book for the birds near you
See How Many Migratory Birds Are Passing Over Your County, April 20, 2022
New visualizations from BirdCast reveal scale of migration above you each night
Critical Period for “Lights Out Texas” Coming Soon, April 14, 2022
More than half of migratory birds that pass through Texas will be aloft
Hear Spring in a Whole New Way with Merlin, April 12, 2022
The free app identifies more than 450 bird species by sound
Light Pollution Increasing Year-Round for Some Migrating Birds, March 29, 2022
Southeastern U.S., Mexico, & Central America of greatest concern
Migration is ON. Turn Lights OFF! March 3, 2022
Lights Out Texas ramps up for epic bird journeys
Birds Most at Risk from Air and Light Pollution, February 22, 2022
Study looks at combined effects on night migrants
Hummingbirds Exert Fine Control Over Body Heat, February 2, 2022
Study finds state of torpor is flexible and variable
Look Who’s Talking Now: The Fishes! January 27, 2022
Cornell study finds widespread sound communication among fish
Bald Eagle Rebound Stunted by Poisoning from Lead Ammunition, January 13, 2022
Despite increasing numbers, lead shot is reducing eagle populations in the Northeast
2021 News Releases
Bird-Singing Contests: A Clash of Culture & Conservation, December 8, 2021
Research examines how widespread this practice may be
There May Be More Bird Species in The Tropics Than We Know, November 17, 2021
Study suggests many isolated bird populations merit species status
Can’t Find Your Keys? You Need a Chickadee Brain, November 9, 2021
Scientists identify a link between spatial memory and genes in a bird
Some Hummingbird Females Look Like Males to Evade Harassment, August 26, 2021
New study finds females that look like males get more food
Study Identifies Patterns In Bird-Plane Collisions, August 19, 2021
The time of year and the size of the bird are key
How Sweet It Is: Study Finds Songbirds CAN Taste Sugar, July 9, 2021
Having a sweet tooth may be a good thing—if you’re a songbird
What Bird is Singing? Ask the Merlin Bird ID App for an Instant Answer, June 23, 2021
Free app from Cornell Lab of Ornithology now identifies bird sounds in real time, using AI technology
Darkened Windows Save Migrating Birds, June 7, 2021
New study finds decreasing lit windows could reduce bird collisions by 60%.
eBird Data Used to Shape Eagle Management, April 25, 2021
Cornell Lab’s eBird is helping the federal government streamline and refine its process for assessing eagle populations and informing eagle management.
Backyard Bird Feeding Sparks a Songbird “Reverse Migration”, April 14, 2021
Bird feeders, fruit-bearing plants, and a warming world are changing the movements and the physiology of Eurasian Blackcaps.
Genetic Shuffling Gives Rise to a New Bird Species, March 25, 2021
Researchers discover nature’s evolutionary “shortcut.”
Analysis: Birds Vs. Bacteria. Who’s Winning?, April 6, 2021
Data from citizen science tracks ongoing “arms race.”
Shade-Grown Coffee Could Help Save Birds, If Only People Knew About It, March 2, 2021
Survey finds even birdwatchers are not aware of bird-friendly coffee benefits.
Male Lyrebirds Create an “Acoustic Illusion” to Snare Potential Mates, February 25, 2021
Researchers discover unexpected role for mimicry.
Bearded Seals Are Loud—But Not Loud Enough, February 24, 2021
Vocal threshold may hamper survival of this Arctic species
Study Finds Even the Common House Sparrow is Declining, February 11, 2021
Citizen scientists provide the research data
Starling Success Traced to Rapid Adaptation, February 9, 2021
Genetic evolution doesn’t always take millions of years.