Bird Curious

Love it or hate it, the ring-necked parakeet isn't short of quirky origin stories. Penny and Jo dig up the surprising truth about these loudly charismatic birds and ponder their extraordinary success. Plus: how Emma Turner's pioneering photography changed ornithology, the pros and cons of recording your sightings, and the cellist who performed with nightingales.

It's your last chance to see swifts in the UK this year before they migrate south. Penny and Jo discuss these record-breaking birds, from how they sleep and clean themselves in the air, to their gleeful "screaming parties". Plus: diversity in birdwatching, meet the kingfisher family, and what connects the barnacle goose to the goose barnacle?

You may not have seen a wren recently, but this tiny bird is everywhere! Penny and Jo explore the fascinating breeding behaviour of the UK's most common bird and learn how to recognise it by its song. Plus: how to choose a pair of binoculars, the man who introduced starlings to the US, and how Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Raven' was nearly a much more colourful poem.

The drumming of great spotted woodpeckers is one of spring's most exciting sounds. Penny and Jo discuss how to spot these dapper birds and distinguish it from the two other UK woodpecker species. Plus: Margaret Atwood's love of birds, the joys of patch birding and a surprising reason to watch Citizen Kane.

While most birds are in decline, it's now easier than ever to see goldfinches. Penny and Jo explore the surprising success of these charming birds. Plus: the women who founded the RSPB, how to choose a bird book or field guide, and the ancient Mayan civilisation's favourite bird.