Calling all shutterbugs and bird enthusiasts! We want you to capture the vibrant avian life of Chicago through your lens and participate in the inaugural "Chicago Birds Photography Contest." Photographers of all experience levels are invited to compete with winning submissions eligible for eternal bragging rights and cash prizes!
The importance of Black Americans in conservation and environmentalism is GREATLY underrepresented and it requires some digging to learn about the significant past and current Black contributors and advocates of birding, conservation, and environmental justice.
This time of year, owls become the focus of many nature lovers. The presence of humans can be stressful for owls, so it’s important to understand more about owls and follow simple guidelines to ensure their safety.
The importance of Black Americans in conservation and environmentalism is GREATLY underrepresented and it requires some digging to learn about the significant past and current Black contributors and advocates of birding, conservation, and environmental justice.
Many of us know eBird as the app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that makes listing and sharing our bird observations easy. The eBird website also features useful information and ways to explore data: interactive maps, species profiles, and tools for analyzing sightings across years and geographic regions. But you may not know there are even more tools available to help you learn about birds.
Calling all shutterbugs and bird enthusiasts! We want you to capture the vibrant avian life of Chicago through your lens and participate in the inaugural "Chicago Birds Photography Contest." Photographers of all experience levels are invited to compete with winning submissions eligible for eternal bragging rights and cash prizes!
The Bird Conservation Network (CAS is a member) has today released a comprehensive study of the population trends of the breeding birds of the Chicago Region. It contains some conclusions which may surprise you. Our region is very important for quite a few birds of conservation concern. Many are doing very well here (thanks in part to efforts of the regions public land managers), but others are declining. See all the trends and read the report at bcnbirds.org/trends21.
If you sell your treasures on ebay you can select a Charity and donate any percentage of your sale to Chicago Audubon Society. Once the item sells, the charitable portion of your profit goes right to CAS. With Spring Migration right around the corner, it’s time to get to spring cleaning and sell that stuff for the birds!
The trail along the Magic Hedge at Montrose Bird Sanctuary may be the most travelled birding path in the city, and it’s undergoing significant renovations, which have many birders concerned about this special place. CAS sat down with Matt Freer, Assistant Director of Landscape for the Chicago Park District (CPD) to find out what exactly is being done.
'Tis the Season to join friends, fellow birders and conservationists in one of the most important citizen science efforts for birds - the 121st annual Christmas bird count. Sponsored and coordinated by National Audubon, the annual effort has grown from 27 people on 25 counts, Dec. 25, 1900, to 81,601 observers in 2,646 counts last season.
The weather is getting chillier, the leaves are falling from the trees – but don’t despair, there’s still a whole lot happening with some truly remarkable local birds. of our special avian friendst! While it’s certainly later in the bird migration season, the Chicago area still has a great treat for us – the magnificent Sandhill Crane, on its way to its wintering grounds in Florida and the southeastern US.
We are happy to introduce Miyako Pleines as a new author for Chicago Audubon. Miya will write monthly Notes From A Casual Birder essays on her personal experiences with birds, along with occasional book reviews. And, we are doubly fortunate to have Miya’s mother, L. Hisako Nakashima, contribute her beautiful bird artwork. Enjoy this essay on crows - once common in the Chicago area, and now making a slow comeback.
This past week, National Audubon featured a local Indigenous Chicagoan, Bradford Kasberg, who is working to restore bird habitat in the Chicago area. It’s a fascinating story that delves into the significant role of birds in the knowledge of Indigenous people, the role of colonialism in traditional birding, and how restoration of bird habitat helps carry on the traditional stewardship of the land that was nearly erased by colonialism.
This is a time when many of us are reflecting on our history of racial inequity and its impact on us and our society - as are we here at CAS. We’re offering our members and friends a new way to make a connection - in a book club focused on racial equity.
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