Dear NRDC Supporter,

Whether you live in the city, the suburbs, or the country, you've probably noticed it lately: We're deep into peak migration season, and the skies are abuzz as billions of birds move across the United States.

But it may not look that way forever. Since 1970, three billion birds have disappeared from North America due to habitat destruction, toxic pesticides, the climate crisis, and more.

There's still hope for our feathered friends: The Biden administration announced that it will reinstate critical protections for migratory birds that were gutted by the Trump administration, and Congress recently reintroduced the Migratory Bird Protection Act, which would help protect birds from threats like industrial waste. And a diverse group of environmental advocates are leading a wave of greater visibility and interest in birding across the country, particularly in BIPOC communities that have long been underrepresented.

In celebration of the Fall migration, we spoke with three such advocates about their passion for birding and how you can find more joy in everyday life by noticing the winged beings all around us. Check out their interviews here on this NRDC.org blog!

While Tenijah, Purbita, and Christopher came to their love of birds through different avenues — as a podcast host, a science journalist, and a conservationist, respectively — they share a common mission: to inspire more people to become advocates for the natural world at a time when it's more critical than ever to take action.

Read more about their personal experiences with birding — including tips for how you can get involved in your own community >>

Katie Umekubo
Senior Attorney, Nature Program, NRDC