Arkansas Audubon Society

05/14/2026

Two weeks left to apply for camp! We have openings for second session of camp, June 14-19, so get those applications in ASAP!

Apply at https://aasecocamps.org/Apply.aspx

05/09/2026

Happy Big Day!!! Today marks the peak day for spring migration in North America. A lot of Arkansas Audubon Society members have been out birding and seeing how many birds they can see. One of the highlight birds from Lake Fayetteville in Washington County this morning was this Blackburnian Warbler photographed by Josh Matlock.

What is your favorite bird you've seen today?

05/05/2026

This Saturday, May 9th, birders around the world will be going out to participate in the Global Big Day sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Arkansas is no different as we will be hosting our own big day sponsored by Arkansas Audubon Society and Audubon Delta. Birders will be encouraged to go out in teams of 2 or more to bird midnight to midnight and find as many birds within the boundary of Arkansas as possible. Birders will be invited to celebrate and tell stories via a Zoom award and story telling session. To see all the rules and to register visit the link below.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScBubTjhhQXhHoyQNrDVoXo7uw4Fm-LfKu0wnmZA02_jf7xTA/viewform

05/01/2026

The Arkansas Audubon Society’s Bird of the Month for April is the Swainson's Thrush. This species is not a year-round resident in Arkansas; instead, it is a migrant that stops over while traveling from Central and South America to its breeding grounds in the boreal forest. Although it can be found throughout the state, spotting one often comes down to timing and a bit of luck. During spring migration, you’re most likely to encounter these birds from early April through the end of May, and in the fall from early September through the end of October.

Thrushes are known for their melodic songs, and the Swainson’s Thrush is no exception. It produces a beautiful, flute-like song that spirals upward. However, in Arkansas, you are more likely to hear its distinctive “whoit” call, often compared to the sound of a water droplet. This bird has a buffy cream coloration and a prominent eye ring, which helps distinguish it from other thrush species.

On their breeding grounds, Swainson’s Thrushes exhibit some unique behaviors. They are sometimes nicknamed “Mosquito Thrushes” because of their ability to catch mosquitoes in flight. Additionally, they line their nests with strands of a root-like horsehair fungus, which is believed to provide probiotic benefits for their chicks.

Keep an eye out for the Swainson’s Thrush like this one from our Convention this past weekend and other migrants passing through Arkansas this season. Check back next month to see which bird we highlight next.

04/23/2026

Do you know anybody 5th, 6th, or 7th graders that love the outdoors? Sign them up for the Halberg Ecology Camp for a learning experience thay will stick with them forever!

Looking for a fun, educational summer camp in Arkansas for your 5th, 6th, or 7th grader? Check out Halberg Ecology Camp, where they can learn about nature in a hands-on environment! Apply at https://aasecocamps.org/Apply.aspx or email [email protected] for a printable application!

04/23/2026

One of the coolest things about spring is seeing the bird migration show up on the radar! Did any of these birds stop over in your yard? Our field trips during our biannual Convention in Fort Smith tomorrow should have tons of birds. It may be too late to register for meals but its not too late to register for the convention. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Can you see the difference between the rain and birds on radar? Last night was huge! You will likely hear a lot of song birds chirping this morning. There were more birds migrating overnight across the US than people living in it. 409,600,000 birds was the birdcast estimate peak based on the radar algorithms. Tonight will be even bigger in our region as that low level jet, or bird highway, will be right over us locally.

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day! Spend some time outside today, plant a tree, pick up some trash, watch some birds stopping on migration, and enjoy the beauty of our home. It is up to all of us to protect and clean up our earth.

04/04/2026

BIRD QUIZ: Here is a bird photographed in Arkansas in mid-March. Do you know what species it is? Leave your answer in Comments and we'll post ours at the end of the day. Thanks to Michael Linz for sharing this photo with eBird and the Macaulay Library archive.

03/31/2026