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Audubon New York

@audubon_ny

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We protect birds and the places they need.
🗽State program of @audubonsociety
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After 20 years, Black-throated Blue Warblers finally returned to the Rheinstrom Hill Audubon Sanctuary property in Hillsdale, NY.

These warblers build their nests a few feet off the ground in dense understory of shrubs or saplings, and that type of habitat did not exist in Rheinstrom's forest until we made some important changes.

In 2014-2015, a cut was conducted across a 2.5-acre area, invasive Barberry was treated so it could not regenerate, and a seven-foot-tall deer fence was installed to protect all new growth. Time, sun, and protection from deer all created successful conditions for regrowth.

A healthy forest exploded back to life, bringing with it 27 new bird species!

📸 Black-throated Blue Warbler. Photo: Sandra Rothenberg/Audubon Photography Awards

📸Black-throated Blue Warbler nest in hobblebush. Photo: Jared Nunnery, Audubon-endorsed forester by @audubon_ny

211 native coastal plants are officially in the ground at Sunken Meadow State Park's salt marsh upland border, thanks to this year's cohort of Saltmarsh Stewards from @farmingdalesc and @nystateparks - these include 72 dune bluestems, 72 seabeach sedges, 54 northern sea oats, 5 northern bayberry, and more. These plants will provide important habitat for insects and birds like the Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler, and Prairie Warbler.

This effort is part of a greater project to restore 70-80 total acres of salt marsh at this popular park.

📸 Alexandra Feit/Audubon by @audubon_ny

Two adult Barn Owls successfully nested in the hole of a water tower on NYC's Upper West Side, perhaps the city's first ever family of this kind! While this is incredibly exciting, the owls are highly susceptible because their prey (rats and mice especially) are often poisoned by rodenticides.

Here are a few more tips to keep these incredible owls safe:
📸 Use long lenses/zoom to photograph owls - closer is not better!
🤫 Stay quiet and still; silence helps them hunt, and your presence can stress the bird and prevent them from acting naturally.
🔅 Avoid flash, as it may temporarily limit their ability to hunt for food or avoid obstacles.
📍 Ideally, don't share the owl's location, especially if it could lead to crowds. The photo in this post is not of the NYC owls.

Photo: Pamela Dimeler/Audubon Photography Awards by @audubon_ny

Audubon and our partners have been working towards an ambitious goal: restoring up to 80 acres of salt marsh within Long Island’s Sunken Meadow State Park. Now, a new $1.6 million grant will help move this exciting project from planning into action! 🎉

This important funding, awarded through the EPA Long Island Sound Partnership Supplemental Grant Program, will support construction costs and construction management as part of Phase 1 of the project, which is expected to begin the winter of 2027-2028.

Phase 1 will focus on elevation enhancement, which will make Sunken Meadow’s marshes more resilient against sea level rise and increased coastal flooding. These elevated areas will also provide essential nesting habitat for birds like the Saltmarsh Sparrow, whose steep decline reflects the challenges facing coastal marshes across the Northeast!

🔗 Read more about this major milestone and what it means for one of the region's most important coastal ecosystems at the link in our bio. by @audubon_ny

Unlike many warblers that stay hidden high in the treetops, Black-throated Blue Warblers are often spotted right at eye level. They nest and forage in the dense understory of northeastern forests, especially among hobblebush and young saplings. Now, these striking little songbirds are on the move, beginning their long migration to wintering grounds in the Caribbean. by @audubon_ny

Have you ever been to the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in New York? The refuge is part of the 50,000-acre Montezuma Wetlands Complex, which became Audubon's first globally significant Important Bird Area. It serves as a vital resting and foraging stopover for millions of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds annually. Audubon is working with partners and the refuge on habitat restoration projects that benefit migratory birds and other wildlife.

The Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is just one of hundreds of public lands and waters that safeguard America’s natural heritage! by @audubon_ny

What’s likely the largest hummingbird on Earth has landed in Times Square! This week, we’re sharing its beauty with millions of people, along with Audubon’s message that what's good for birds is also good for people and the climate.

Why now? Because it’s Climate Week NYC and the UN General Assembly session. Audubon's scientists and conservation experts are joining thousands of others for Climate Week to lift up solutions for our warming planet. We're proud to play our part and hope birds can help inspire all.

Times Square billboard bird videos, from left: Nancy Morrison/Audubon Photography Awards; Anand Varma/WonderLab. by @audubon_ny

Today might be the first day of autumn, but fall migration is already well on its way! Which birds have you been most excited to see so far? 🍁

📸 Northern Parula. Photo: Kaylyn Stein/Audubon Photography Awards by @audubon_ny

Hailey Faurot has spent the last several months as our Student Conservation Association intern, running programs, participating in conservation work, and being a friendly face for our visitors.

On Tuesday, September 22 she’ll also be speaking on a panel, The Next Generation of Birding, at Climate Week NYC! Alongside other student leaders from Audubon on Campus, she'll discuss what's drawing young people to the movement, they change they want to see, and what all of us can learn from them.

Sign up at https://luma.com/6lq280fn by @audubon_ny

This summer, a Saltmarsh Sparrow nest was discovered at Crab Meadow marsh, the first spotted in years. This is great news for our restoration project which aims to improve approximately 250 acres of marsh habitat. It means our work could directly impact nesting birds, in addition to attracting more to the restored area.

A licensed ornithologist with the @usfws Coastal Program banded the nestlings with unique identification numbers, and we hope to see them return next year. It looked like they were just days away from fledging!

📸 Samantha Apgar/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by @audubon_ny

Chirp Chirp Interview w @audubonsociety, @audubon_ny & @audubonconnecticut. This amazing crew of people work on the Long Island Sound and are responsible for monitoring our shorebirds and teaching us common folk how not to accidentally kill them. So, my fellow non-murderer, check my bio and learn how we can save these birds. AND THANK THESE PEOPLE IN THE COMMENTS!

Audubon’s work to protect beach-nesting birds on the Long Island Sound is funded through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund, a collaboration of the Long Island Sound Partnership and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. by @audubon_ny

Piping Plovers are some of the tiniest, most lovable birds found on NY and Connecticut beaches and they need some p-love. I teamed up w @audubonsociety , @audubon_ny , & @audubonconnecticut to safely view them. What would be great for you to do NOW is check my bio and learn what else you can do to help these threatened and endangered birds

Audubon’s work to protect beach-nesting birds on the Long Island Sound is funded through the Long Island Sound Futures Fund, a collaboration of the Long Island Sound Partnership and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. by @audubon_ny