“Canaries in a Corn Mine”: Photography Exhibition and Reception
An urgent new photography exhibition captures the intensity, pathos, beauty, and humor of birds in motion—while sounding an alarm about their accelerating decline across the Midwest.
“Canaries in a Corn Mine” features 39 photographs by Dave Puchalsky, a retired academic physician from UW and now a Fitchburg-based photographer and musician. What began as a pandemic hobby, inspired by his late dog Sparky and a deep need to be in nature, has evolved into a mission to document birds as intelligent, ecologically essential beings.
The series visualizes the daily struggles of birds—feeding, fighting, courting, parenting—with a sense of urgency grounded in recent science. Puchalsky was horrified by a February 2026 study in the journal Science (Leroy, Jarzyna & Keil) showing that one-quarter of 261 North American bird species are not just declining, but experiencing an accelerating loss. The study identifies agriculture hotspots—areas with increased crop cover, fertilizer, and pesticide use—as the strongest correlate of this acceleration. Rising temperatures also play a role, but to a lesser degree.
Wisconsin lies within one of the most affected regions.
“Perhaps we should think of our beautiful local birds as ‘canaries in a corn mine,’” Puchalsky said. “The soil and water in and around our Dane County farmland may not be so healthy for us and our ecosystem.”
The exhibition’s title directly references the Science study and a companion summary that will be discussed by attending bird and ecology experts and that notes: “The red areas shown in figure D are hotspots of accelerating decrease. That decrease correlates most with areas having the highest intensity of agriculture.”
Snacks are provided and beverages , including beer and wine for purchase, are available.
Event Links
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3612599-0
