On July 8, the National Audubon Society delivered a letter asking for support for bird conservation to Washington, D.C. where it was delivered to Environment and Energy staffers in the House and Senate. This letter was signed by Lahontan Audubon Society, along with 216 other Audubon chapters representing close to 2 million supporters for birds! The letter requests funding for key bird conservation programs including the Migratory Bird Program, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, and our National Wildlife Refuge System. 

Information on Plastic Reduction Bills in Nevada are at the bottom of this post.

Plastic. It's everywhere. It's nearly impossible to go to the grocery store without bringing home something wrapped in plastic, and unfortunately, it can cause great harm to birds and other wildlife. Plastic production far exceeds our ability to recycle and plastic waste all too often ends up somewhere in the environment.

Warning: some of the images in the following links can be graphic. Click on the blue highlights to read the full story.

From the L.A. Times Article - Altered Oceans: Part Four: Plague of Plastic Chokes the Seas
"Reporting From MIDWAY ATOLL — The albatross chick jumped to its feet, eyes alert and focused. At 5 months, it stood 18 inches tall and was fully feathered except for the fuzz that fringed its head.

All attitude, the chick straightened up and clacked its beak at a visitor, then rocked back and dangled webbed feet in the air to cool them in the afternoon breeze.

The next afternoon, the chick ignored passersby. The bird was flopped on its belly, its legs splayed awkwardly. Its wings drooped in the hot sun. A few hours later, the chick was dead.

John Klavitter, a wildlife biologist, turned the bird over and cut it open with a knife. Probing its innards with a gloved hand, he pulled out a yellowish sac — its stomach.

Out tumbled a collection of red, blue and orange bottle caps, a black spray nozzle, part of a green comb, a white golf tee and a clump of tiny dark squid beaks ensnared in a tangle of fishing line."

"Plasticosis" is an actual term. It's a disease that causes stomach scarring in shearwaters that eat bits of plastic floating in the ocean. Read more.

The plastic that is in the ocean does not affect only birds, it affects us. According to the L.A. Times article, plastic can remain for centuries before fully breaking down. Small bits and pieces of plastic are not only in our oceans, they are in the soil and researchers are still trying to determine the health effects of plastic in our bodies.  If it can cause scarring in the stomachs of birds and even death, what does it do to us?

Certainly, solutions are needed to reduce plastic in our environment. We can do this on an individual basis, for example, by not purchasing items wrapped in plastic, by not using single-use plastics (bags, bottles, etc.) and by recycling as much as possible. Because plastic production exceeds recycling, better solutions are needed. Nevada currently has some bills that aim to reduce some of the plastic in our state. These bills were highlighted at our table at Earth Day for people to learn about.

SB173 - establishing requirements governing the provision of disposable foodware accessories
Status: Passed to the Senate Finance Committee

AB244 - enacts prohibitions relating to the use of disposable foodware containers containing polystyrene foam by certain food dispensing establishments.
Status: Amended. Passed by the Assembly. Passed on to the Senate.

SB324 - establishes prohibitions relating to the sale of water in certain disposable plastic bottles in communities abutting the Lake Tahoe Watershed.
Status: Passed by the Senate. Will be sent to Assembly.

Public opinions on active bills can be shared on the Nevada Legislature website.

Welcome to our quarterly newsletter's art section: the spring 2025 edition! We hope you enjoy all the beautiful artwork we've received this time around. 

Beautiful paintings done by Jennifer McIntosh.

It's spring! That means it's time for the Birds of the Truckee Meadows class series. This popular class series features our experts in birds, who share their knowledge on the identification of birds that we see in northern Nevada. Whether you are just beginning to discover birds or would like to improve your birdwatching skills, come learn how to identify Nevada birds with us!

Bundle and save! Purchase all 5 classes and use code BOTM2025 to get one class FREE!

LAS members will receive a $5/class discount code in the email of upcoming events.

April 24: Backyard Birds, presented by Alan Gubanich
For people just getting into birding, and even those who have been birding for a while, Alan will show you how to identify the many species that could show up in your (or your neighbor’s) property throughout the year. A lot depends on the habitat(s) surrounding your yard, but even migratory species can sometimes surprise you. Alan Gubanich is Lahontan Audubon Society’s Education Chair and a former UNR Ornithology professor.


May 1: Introduction to Birding, presented by Lauren Whitenack
Are you a beginning birdwatcher wanting to get started? Let us take you under our wing. Our Field Trip Chair, Lauren Whitenack, has a presentation all about beginning birdwatching. She will go over the fundamental skills of bird watching, list some common species, and some of the equipment used. Everyone is welcome. Join this class, and let us help you start soaring! Lauren Whitenack is a PhD student at the University of Nevada, Reno studying mountain chickadees in the northern Sierra Nevada mountains. She served as our Field Trip Chair from 2023-2025 and also chairs our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee.


May 8: Wetland Birds, presented by Mike Goddard
Herons and egrets got you confused? How about dabblers and divers? What on earth is a Phalarope? Who is the most secretive bird in the marsh? Does the white-faced Ibis really have a white face? Retired Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge manager, Mike Goddard will answer these questions and more and help you to identify the birds that inhabit the lakes and marshes of northwestern Nevada.


May 15: Woodpeckers, presented by Ned Bohman
Woodpeckers are commonly found throughout North America, but what are some species we commonly see in here in Northern Nevada? And what are some ways to identify woodpeckers out in the forest? Biologist and Outreach Coordinator, Ned Bohman from the Great Basin Bird Observatory will join us to focus on the woodpeckers found throughout the Sierra Nevada region.


May 22: Flycatchers and General Birding Principles, presented by Don Molde
Back by popular demand, Don Molde returns to give his lecture on the Flycatchers of Nevada. Don will be covering the multiple different species of Flycatchers which call our state home. Don will also share some of the natural history and facts about the lives of these birds. Don Molde is a long-time member of Lahontan Audubon Society and an avid birder and wildlife activist.


Bird photo credits (counterclockwise from top left): Spotted Sandpiper, Red-naped Sapsucker by Jeff Bleam, Cooper's Hawk by Claire Davis, Black-crowned Night-Heron by Kentia Kalanaki, and Dusky Flycatcher by Jeff Bleam

Avian influenza has been in the news lately, and we understand that there are a lot of questions. Cornell University has published a website to provide updated information on this disease. Lahontan Audubon Society is not collecting dead birds for our taxidermy collection at this time.

Currently, the risk for humans to contract avian influenza is relatively low, but people who work with dairy, poultry, or sick birds should take precautions as recommended on the Cornell site. Raw foods or milk should be avoided by people and pets. Avian influenza can be contracted by pets through raw foods.

Bird feeders may be kept up at this time, but keep an eye out for sick birds. If sick birds are seen at the feeder, please remove the feeder, clean it, and perhaps leave it down for a time to avoid the spread of disease (including other diseases than avian flu). Bird feeders should be removed if poultry is in the yard, as poultry are more susceptible to this disease. Please click on the button below for more information.

If you see three or more wild bird deaths, please do not pick up the birds, but report the location and observation to the Nevada Department of Wildlife at (775) 688-1500.