Discover APP 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

APP 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 APP.org daily, including science and conservation news, birding tips, photo galleries, and interactive reader experiences. In print and digital, through stories and visuals, APP 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 APP 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—and 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 ‘Forever Chemical’ Hotspot—What Does That Mean for Its Birds and People?
North Carolina's Cape Fear River Is a ‘Forever Chemical’ Hotspot—What 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’s even harder with wild animals.

Latest News and Articles
A Red Knot flies over the ocean.
The Road Ahead
December 13, 2024 — APP unites people across borders and partisan lines to protect birds wherever they are—regardless of the political landscape.
Two ptarmigans in white plumage blend into the snowy ground behind them, with their black eyes and beaks sticking out in contrast.
How Much Longer Can These Cold-Loving Birds Last in the Rapidly Warming Rockies?
December 13, 2024 — In Colorado and New Mexico, scientists put in long days scouring the high country for signs of how well White-tailed Ptarmigan can adapt.
A wooden Godwit decoy stands on the banks of a body of water with golden light cascading across a row of pine trees in the background.
This Bar-tailed Godwit Decoy Delivers Folk Art with a Contemporary Feel
December 13, 2024 — Wooden decoys long played a key role in hunting birds. Artist David Personius hopes his modern take can inspire conservation instead.
Illustration of people birding in different locations, including in an orange raft. A flock of blackbirds fills the upper left quadrant, and a red rocket stands in the middle of the illustration.
The Christmas Bird Count: “Better Than Any Animal Planet Video!”
December 13, 2024 — Volunteers who take part in the annual community science event aren't only collecting invaluable data about bird populations—they're also making memories while they're at it. We asked folks to share some of their favorites with us.
Two photos of a group of people looking up through binoculars, one vintage-looking and one modern.
As the Christmas Bird Count Turns 125, a Beloved Birding Tradition Looks to the Future
December 12, 2024 — With more people than ever taking part, the annual APP event is a growing force for science and nature conservation.
A female Wood Duck floats on the water in the falling snow.
How a Photographer Captured This Dreamy Portrait of a Female Wood Duck in the Snow
December 12, 2024 — Scott Suriano relies on waders and a floating blind to snap wintry pond scenes at surface level.
Illustration of various evergreen trees surrounded by birds.
Level Up Your Winter Birding By Knowing Your Conifers
December 12, 2024 — Use this handy guide to identify native evergreens that feed and shelter birds when foliage is scarce.
A group of Common Murres clustered together on a cliff ledge.
A Single Heatwave Killed Half of Alaska’s Common Murres, a Shocking New Study Reveals
December 12, 2024 — Nearly a decade later, the seabirds still aren’t rebounding from what researchers say was the largest animal die-off in modern history—and a stark warning about APP change.
Illustration of a bird flying through snowflakes and autumn leaves.
Take On a Year of Avian Action With Our 2025 Bird Challenge Calendar
December 12, 2024 — Follow these monthly resolutions to grow as a birder—and a bird advocate—throughout the seasons.
Test Your Bird and Word Savvy With This Creative Crossword Puzzle
December 12, 2024 — Keep an eye out for vagrant clues as you tackle our avian-themed grid—and learn how you can apply a puzzling mindset in your birding, too.

Find a Read

APP magazine publishes a variety of story types in print and online. Peruse—and enjoy—just 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
Can a Scientist and an Owl Be Friends?
A photo of author, Carl Safina, looking to the top right of the frame
Can a Scientist and an Owl Be Friends?

Best-selling author and ecologist Carl Safina has made a career out of his deep explorations of the animal world. But his recent relationship with a rescued owl caused him to go even deeper.

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

From deep within the Smithsonian, the world’s first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviation—making the skies safer for us all.

Essays
The Day We Didn’t Save the Starling
An illustration of a woman and young girl crouching down looking at something in a driveway next to a house.
The Day We Didn’t Save the Starling

In our rescue attempt, I thought I was giving my young daughters a lesson in compassion. It ended up being the reminder that I needed.

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

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

The APP Guide to Climate Action
The APP Guide to Climate Action

Feeling like you can’t make a difference? That couldn’t be further from the truth. Our award-winning guide shows you where to begin and how to ­amplify your efforts to make lasting change in the world.

Dispatches

The 2024 APP 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/APP Photography Awards
Photo Essays
Portrait of a Forest on the Climate Edge
A bird's eye view of a winter scene of a forest with some green pine trees and bare aspen, paper birch, and red maple trees.
Portrait of a Forest on the Climate Edge

In Minnesota, a boreal forest ecosystem could shift north over the Canada border this century. Local photographers, scientists, and land managers are grappling with what that means—and how to respond.

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 “pest” is more about humans’ view of unwanted animals than the critters themselves.

The APP Bird Guide
Bushtit
Bushtits
Lincoln's Sparrow
New World Sparrows
Acorn Woodpecker
Woodpeckers
Common Eider
Ducks and Geese