Join the 375,000 passionate supporters who get the latest bird news in Audubon magazine

We’re more powerful when generous bird lovers like you are in our corner.

Rufous Hummingbird. KAREN, we're making sure you don't miss this chance to receive our exclusive, award-winning magazine right to your door! Each quarterly issue keeps dedicated bird lovers like you connected to the latest in bird conservation—featuring stunning photography and intriguing stories that are sure to inspire. In the midst of this code-red climate crisis, with one-third of U.S. bird species in need of conservation action, there’s no better time to stay informed on the issues birds face and learn what inspiring people are doing to protect them. Start your annual gift right away and join 375,000 Audubon donors in protecting birds and receive Audubon magazine free as our thanks. Birds urgently need the protection of people who care about them and are ready to help—people like you, KAREN. In our more than 120-year history, we’ve taken on tough challenges and won, helping to bring many beloved species back from the brink. Using our proven combination of committed advocacy, empowering education, and expert on-the-ground conservation—all guided by research and grounded in our shared love for birds—we’re working to give birds their best chance. Not just to survive, but to thrive. But we’re more powerful when generous bird lovers like you are in our corner. Will you join us with an annual gift today to make a brighter future possible tomorrow? Sincerely, National Audubon Society Donate Photo: Nathan Wall/Audubon Photography Awards; Graphic: Emily Renaud, derived from Yeji Kim/Audubon National Audubon Society 225 Varick Street New York, NY (844) 428-3826 | www.audubon.org © 2026 National Audubon Society Pause fundraising emails for two weeks Update your email preferences or unsubscribe

Eight Birds. One Competition. YOU Decide who Takes the Crown.

Voting starts next week, join us on IG and FB to follow along.

Trouble viewing this e-mail? Try our web version. Eight Birds. One Competition. YOU Decide who Takes the Crown. Dear KAREN, To celebrate Audubon California’s 30th anniversary, eight remarkable birds are facing off in a California Bird of the Year Tournament. Each bird connects us to California’s incredible habitats and to the conservation milestones, communities, and program work that have shaped our impact over the past three decades. The opening round kicks off the last week of July with Game 1: TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD vs. CALIFORNIA CONDOR! In total, eight birds will compete in four opening-round match-ups to determine which four advance to the semifinals. During each game’s announced voting period, you can cast your vote by:  Commenting on any game-related Instagram or Facebook post, Voting in any game-related Stories, and Using the voting form linked in our Instagram bio and in the links section of our Facebook page. Follow Audubon California on Instagram or Facebook to meet the contenders, follow every game, and help crown California’s Bird of the Year! California’s Bird of the Year needs YOU to vote, cheer, and share! Every game is a chance to celebrate incredible birds, share their stories with friends and family, and rally support for the species that need our help. Get a head start and learn more about each of the contestants on our website HERE. Follow along here! Photo credits: LEFT column, from top: Tricolored Blackbird, Alecia Smith/Audubon CA; California Condor, Loi-Nguyen/Audubon Photography Awards; Surf Scoter, Christy Grinton Martin/Audubon Photography Awards; Western Snowy Plover, Alecia Smith/Audubon Photography Awards. RIGHT column, from top: Least Bell’s Vireo, Alecia Smith/Audubon CA; Western Burrowing Owl, Karen Bilgrai Cohen/Audubon Photography Awards; Western Sandpiper, Mick Thompson; California Brown Pelican, William Farnsworth/Audubon Photography Awards.   Connect with us Audubon California 1901 Harrison Street, Suite 1450 Oakland, CA 94612 USA (415) 644-4600 | www.audubon.org/california © 2026 Audubon California Update your email preferences or unsubscribe

How to Help Birds During Heat Waves

In this issue: Human-Crow Friendships, Powwow Season, and Who’s That Bird?

Trouble viewing this e-mail? Try our web version. |  Joy of Birds  July 2026 Photo: Royce Fonseca/Audubon Photography Awards Can You Name This Raptor? It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s another round of “Who’s That Bird!” Using the silhouetted image above and three hints below, can you guess our mystery bird? Clue #1: This mystery raptor is an expert fisher. In the right conditions, they can successfully catch fish on three-fourths of their dives. Clue #2: This bird of prey can be found around the world just about anywhere fish live (except Antarctica). Clue #3: This bird tends to build nests on tall, open platforms and other structures made by people, including utility poles. Here’s a bonus hint: this bird’s four-letter banding code, which researchers often use as shorthand for species' names, is “OSPR.” Click here to learn more about this bird and reveal the answer. Lesser Goldfinch. Photo: Jim Nelson/Audubon Photography Awards 4 Ways to Help Birds Stay Cool Birds have their own ways of cooling off in hot weather, but sometimes it's not enough. The worst part? Summers are expected to get even more sweltering from here on out. As another heat wave hits much of North America, here are four easy ways you can help your local birds deal with extreme heat. Illustration: Halsey Berryman Are Crows Really Our Friends? When it comes to corvid–human connections, people like to think of it as a courtship ritual. You leave peanuts for your crow of interest, they bring you shiny gifts in return as a sign of friendship. But do crows actually return the feeling, or are we reading too much into their motives? Keep reading for more on crow relationships (and how you can catch their attention). The Chicken Dance performed at an annual intertribal powwow in North Dakota. Photo: Hemis/Alamy These Four Indigenous Dances Are Inspired by Birds Kicking off in the early spring and extending until the fall, powwow season is in full swing. These inter-tribal celebrations are filled with Indigenous food and art—and dancing is the main event. From the high-energy chicken dance to the fluid swan dance, watch four bird-inspired dance routines that blend Indigenous traditions with the natural world. Ospreys. Photo: Jose Victoria/Audubon Photography Awards Give This Osprey Plush a Home! Thanks to the ban on DDT, habitat protection efforts, and conservation initiatives, Osprey populations across the Americas made a comeback, highlighting the resilience of these raptors in the face of environmental challenges. Your generosity can power work that keeps birds like the Osprey thriving and healthy. Start an annual donation now and we’ll send an Osprey plush as thanks! Did you receive this message from a friend? Get regular email updates from us by clicking here. → CONNECT WITH US National Audubon Society 225 Varick Street New York, NY (844) 428-3826 | www.audubon.org © 2026 National Audubon Society Update your email preferences or unsubscribe