Mark Scott fell in love with purple martins while watching a bustling colony across from his aunt’s house in Lynchburg. Today, he shares that passion with others, highlighting the birds’ enchanting calls and the importance of preserving their homes.

As technological advances blur the lines once described in science fiction, even nature’s tiniest marvels—the hummingbirds—are touched by innovation. This story explores the intersection between feathered wildlife and our ever-evolving gadgets, raising anew the question of how far technology might go.

Around the turn of the twentieth century, hunters tried to gather the largest haul of birds every Christmas. Today, that practice has given way to the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, which begins December 14 and marks its 126th year of bird-focused conservation.