The Audubon Mural Project is a public art initiative of the National Audubon Society, in partnership with the Harlem-based Gitler & ____ Gallery. 

 

Ever thought you’d see a Greater Sage-Grouse residing in Upper Manhattan? It’s one of more than 100 species (and counting) that have been painted on surfaces ranging from bodegas and barber shops to apartment buildings as part of the Audubon Mural Project. The murals create a unique urban birding experience while calling attention to species threatened by climate change. National Audubon’s groundbreaking science report "Survival By Degrees" found that climate change will threaten 389 birds species—at least half of all North American birds—with extinction, and that no bird will escape climate change effects like increased wildfire and sea-level rise. The project commissions artists to paint murals of these species on walls, doors, and other surfaces throughout New York City, and partners have carried it to communities across the country. 

 

NYC Bird Alliance offers regular guided walking tours in Upper Manhattan to see these breathtaking murals and discuss their significance. Guided tours will also discuss the racist legacy of John James Audubon, the pioneering bird artist who once lived and is buried in the neighborhood, and implications for the important mission of NYC Bird Alliance (and other Audubon entities) to engage all New Yorkers in conservation.

 

Any upcoming mural tours led by NYC Bird Alliance are listed below; click on the links for more information.

If you'd like to organize a private tour, please contact Audubon Mural Project tour guide, Leigh Hallingby, at lhallingby@gmail.com.

You can also take a self-guided tour using the maps on National Audubon's Audubon Mural Project website.