Research Spotlights
Be inspired by the science behind the sightings. Explore bird research, participatory science projects, species spotlights, and long-term monitoring efforts happening across New Hampshire.
June 18, 2026
What if your backyard kept birding even while you slept? Ashton Almeida shares how the BirdWeather PUC, an AI-powered acoustic monitoring device, detected a new bird outside his window and is transforming the way he discovers birds at home. Learn how this technology works, what it can reveal, and how it complements traditional birding.
June 18, 2026
During the 2026 City Nature Challenge, an evening search for a rare fern led to an extraordinary discovery: New Hampshire's first confirmed Black Vulture nest. Nate Marchessault recounts the unexpected encounter and explores what this milestone reveals about the species' northward expansion and the role of participatory science in documenting important changes in our natural world.
May 13, 2026
Decades of historic bird sightings from New Hampshire are now fully accessible through eBird. Thanks to years of work by volunteers and NH Audubon staff, more than 180,000 records from the New Hampshire Bird Records database have been uploaded.
May 13, 2026
Distinguishing Northern Waterthrush and Louisiana Waterthrush can challenge even experienced birders. While similar in appearance, these two warblers differ in subtle but important ways. Steve provides the information that most field guides don't cover!
May 13, 2026
The 2025 Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship project at Black Mountain Banding Station had an exciting season. Learn all about it as anticipation builds for the next season.
April 15, 2026
The New Hampshire Rare Birds Committee report summarizes notable bird records from Spring 2024 through Winter 2024–2025, including the state’s first accepted record of a Bridled Tern and a range of other rare and unusual sightings across the seasons.
March 17, 2026
What can tiny, nocturnal Northern Saw-whet Owl migrations tell us about bird populations and changing environments? At the Black Mountain Banding Station in New Hampshire, researchers and volunteers are tracking these secretive owls during both fall and spring migration to better understand their movements, survival, and the challenges they face across their annual cycle.
March 17, 2026
Each fall, researchers and volunteers with the Harris Center for Conservation Education band migrating Northern Saw-whet Owls in southwestern New Hampshire to better understand their movements and population dynamics. The 2025 season captured 140 owls, revealed peak migration in late October, and documented long-distance recaptures from across North America through the collaborative Project Owlnet network.
February 23, 2026
What does a day in the life of a Saltmarsh Sparrow researcher look like? Join UNH Ph.D. student Talia Kuras as she rises before dawn to band sparrows, monitor nests, and study how marsh restoration efforts in New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts are shaping the future of this vulnerable tidal marsh specialist.
January 8, 2026
Mississippi Kites had a roller coaster summer in New Hampshire this year but ended on a high note with two successful nests and two fledged young! This is the first year since 2020 that two have fledged.
