The early spring gathering of nearly one million Sandhill Cranes on the Platte River in Nebraska is among the greatest wildlife spectacles on the continent. But along this migration route, they’re encountering new dangers like drought conditions leaving them high and dry.

As the climate crisis intensifies and droughts and other dangerous extreme weather are projected to become more common, we must act to safeguard the birds we love. Will you start your monthly donation now while, thanks to a generous group of donors, it will help unlock an additional $5,000 to help protect birds, not just today but tomorrow, too?

When heat robs migratory birds of their ability to rest and feed at habitual migratory stopovers, they become vulnerable to lethal dehydration. Without these breaks, birds grow weak—and when they are forced to congregate at the remaining dwindling water spots, conditions are ripe for the spread of deadly disease.

That’s what’s at stake in the face of the climate crisis: More severe droughts, more extreme weather, and ultimately, more birds lost—possibly forever.

We can write the next chapter of this story. It’ll take Audubon’s century of expertise and our proven combination of rigorous research, committed advocacy, and hands-on conservation, but we can help birds as they face the challenges brought on by extreme weather conditions.

We’ve already shown the incredible impact we can make with the steady, reliable support of caring bird lovers like you. Audubon’s advocacy was instrumental in championing the need for increased focus on western water in President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the most significant climate legislation ever enacted in the United States.

But with 3 billion birds lost in the last 50 years—and two-thirds of North American species at increased risk of extinction from climate change—we must do more. We’re looking for 43 supporters to start a monthly gift right away to power our best work—and when you do, you’ll help unlock an additional $5,000. Won’t you join us?

Sincerely,

National Audubon Society