Kenn Kaufman

Field Editor, Audubon Magazine

Kenn Kaufman is a field editor for Audubon.

Articles by Kenn Kaufman

Ask Kenn: How Do Birds Keep Themselves Clean?
March 24, 2025 — Staying fresh is a matter of survival in a bird’s life—and a treat for birders to observe.
Old photo of a gull in flight over water.
Remembering "The Bird of the Century," a Half-Century Later
March 03, 2025 — In March of 1975, an extremely rare Ross's Gull was confirmed for the first time in the Lower 48. The sighting and the frenzy that ensued was a watershed moment for a burgeoning birding community.
News
A group of coots huddled closely together in a pile, surrounded by a completely white background of snow.
Our Favorite Fascinating Bird Behaviors From the 2024 Audubon Photo Awards
January 14, 2025 — Birds are always up to something, and these entries captured an array of avians doing everything from impaling prey to drumming away.
Audubon Photography Awards
A Redpoll perches on a pink plant eating its fuzzy white flowers.
Lumping Redpolls and Splitting Seabirds: This Year's Updates to North American Bird Names
August 07, 2024 — The American Ornithological Society recently announced its checklist changes for 2024—and there’s quite a bit for birders to catch up on.
News
Black and white image of three distant Whooping Cranes in a field.
These Historic Photos Show the Groundbreaking Campaign to Save the Last Whooping Cranes
May 22, 2024 — Seventy years after Audubon ornithologist Robert Porter Allen’s efforts led to the discovery of the cranes’ mysterious nesting grounds, we unearthed images of his trailblazing conservation work.
News
Two water birds rise up out of the water close together, a long reed held in one of the bird's beak wraps around their long necks as they twirl.
Our Favorite Fascinating Bird Behaviors From the 2023 Audubon Photo Awards
February 22, 2024 — From an extra hungry Great Blue Heron to a very determined Verdin, this year's selections once again provide a vivid glimpse into the lives of birds.
Audubon Photography Awards
A Cactus Wren perches atop a broken branch, holding a large, messy mass of downy feathers in its beak, with the feathers covering up the front of its face. The wren is a medium-sized songbird, mostly brown with darker stripes and spots and with a big white eyebrow.
Our Favorite Fascinating Bird Behaviors from the 2022 Audubon Photo Awards
February 23, 2023 — Every year the contest attracts entries capturing rare and unusual moments in the avian world. Check out these 11 highlights.
Audubon Photography Awards
Here’s How Drastically Birding Has Changed Over the Past 50 Years
July 28, 2022 — On the 25th anniversary of his book "Kingbird Highway," Kenn Kaufman reflects on the many ways the hobby has transformed since he first hitchhiked across the country chasing birds in the 1970s.
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Ask Kenn: Is There a Difference Between Bird Songs and Calls?
June 23, 2022 — Also this month: Why good bird habitat isn't always the same as good birding habitat.
Ask Kenn!
Ask Kenn: Are American Robins Really a Sign of Spring?
March 28, 2022 — Long considered a harbinger of warmer weather, the robin's seasonal movements are surprisingly complex, writes bird expert Kenn Kaufman.
Ask Kenn!