Podcasts about birding

Black Rails are marsh-inhabiting birds, more often heard than seen. Many Black Rails nest in marshes along the Atlantic seaboard and in the Midwest. But in winter they concentrate in the coastal marshes of East Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, areas that face many threats. Sadly, according to the 2025 State of the Birds Report, Black Rail populations are perilously low and continue to decline. In recent decades, the enactment of laws protecting wetlands has improved the bird's prospects.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In parts of the United States, House Finches overlap with similar-looking Purple Finches. Their distinct songs help us sort them out. House Finch songs are jumbled and have a sharp, buzzy note — especially during the breeding season. Purple Finches' songs, on the other hand, are smoother and lack the buzzy note.This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy.   More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Photographer Xavi Bou creates incredible images of birds and their movements by combining his love of photography and technology with his love for birds and nature — as seen in his book, Ornithographies. He's especially drawn to European Starlings and their movements as a flock, called a murmuration. The starlings fly in a tight, synchronized group, sometimes to avoid a predator.¡Este episodio esta disponible en BirdNote en Español!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A forest in New Zealand rings with the sound of bellbirds, also known as Korimako or Makomako. Many bellbirds sing together, especially in the morning. Pairs sing duets. And a pair may counter-sing with its neighbors, perhaps letting them know that this patch of land is taken. It all builds to a brilliant, ringing dawn chorus.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

No human dreams of relaxing on the shores of Novaya Zemlya, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean that's best known as a Soviet testing site for nuclear weapons. Yet, a growing flock of Pink-footed Geese have begun to make this militarized zone their summer home. Though this region was once too cold for the geese to raise young, climate change — and increased competition for food — may have made Novaya Zemlya a compelling alternative to their traditional territory in Svalbard. It's also possible that the Pink-footed Geese found the archipelago by following other migratory waterfowl, which could prove to be a rare example of cultural knowledge being transmitted between species.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's the first This Month in Birding panel of the new year, and Nate welcomes a crew of birders featuring Mollee Brown, Frank Izaguirre, and Jordan Rutter to discuss predation of penguins, evolving junco bills, and weird bird stuff in our houses. Plus, is pishing an ethical birding practice? Links to items discussed in this episode: Penguins Become Prey for the Pumas of Patagonia  Without campus leftovers to pick through, the beaks of this bird changed shape during the pandemic Bias in density estimates from avian point-count surveys: Prospects for post-hoc corrections using calibration data Woman's viral "bird theory" about white people has everyone checking their homes Subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and please leave a rating or a review if you are so inclined! We appreciate it! This episode brought to you by All4Birding

How does a bird experience a city? A backyard? A park? As the world has become more urban, noisier from increased traffic, and brighter from streetlights and office buildings, it has also become more dangerous for countless species of birds.  In The Bird-Friendly City, Timothy Beatley, a longtime advocate for intertwining the built and natural environments, takes readers on a global tour of cities that are reinventing the status quo with birds in mind. Efforts span a fascinating breadth of approaches: public education, urban planning and design, habitat restoration, architecture, art, civil disobedience, and more. Also check out...Biophilic CitiesThe Promise of Bird-Friendly CitiesSupport the showConnect with me at... GoodReads: Hannah Buschert IG: @HannahgoesbirdingFacebook: @HannahandErikGoBirdingEmail us at HannahandErikGoBirding@gmail.comWebsite: http://www.gobirdingpodcast.comGet a discount at Buteo Books using code: BIRDNERDBOOKCLUB

It might sound strange, but dirt helps birds scrub themselves clean. Birds of all sizes, like the Eurasian Skylark, often scrape a depression in the ground and flick dirt onto their bodies, shimmying to shake it off. Experiments showed that birds use dust to prevent oils from building up on their feathers and to remove dandruff — much like humans using shampoo in the shower!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every summer, millions of birds flock to the Arctic Circle to find mates and raise their young. In a study published in 2025, paleontologists found evidence of the earliest known Arctic breeding colony from fossils uncovered in northern Alaska. The site dates back nearly 73 million years when many prehistoric predecessors to modern birds still had teeth; including the gull-like ichthyornitheans and the flightless, loon-like hesperornitheans. These were among several types of ancient avians preserved as both adults and hatchlings, which suggests the site was used for nesting. Just like today, these birds were likely taking advantage of the abundant food provided by the 24-hours of summer daylight.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bandadas de cotorros cabeza roja (Psittacara erythrogenys), una especie nativa de América del Sur, ahora pueden verse por  todo San Francisco. Aunque una leyenda urbana afirma que la dueña de una tienda de mascotas las introdujo al incendiar su tienda, es más probable que algunas de estas aves escandalosas exasperaron tanto a sus dueños hasta que “accidentalmente” les dejaron una ventana abierta. Tristemente, los cotorros cabeza roja (también conocidos como Aratinga de guayaquil) silvestres se están enfermando debido al veneno para ratas. Una organización sin fines de lucro, Mickaboo, se encarga de poner en adopción a ejemplares rescatados y rehabilitados.Listen to this episode in English here. Más información y transcripción en BirdNote.org.¿Quieres más BirdNote? Suscríbete a nuestro boletín semanal. Regístrese en BirdNote+ para escuchar música sin publicidad y otras ventajas.BirdNote es una organización sin fines de lucro. Su donación deducible de impuestos hace posible estos espectáculos. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In temperate climates like North America, it's often male songbirds that sing the most. Typically the males migrate north before females and establish territories for the short breeding season, using their songs as a way to claim a spot. But many female birds do sing, even in colder climates (like this Bay Wren). And in warm tropic zones, female birds often have a big role in defending a territory, and many of them sing just as loudly and artfully as the males.¡Escuche este episodio en BirdNote en Español!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When I attend birding festivals, I love to go out on tours. There's nothing like loading into a van with five or ten other bird enthusiasts and a couple of guides and see what we discover together. Plus: the guides carry the big, heavy spotting scopes, which is a nice perk on a long, hot day. I don't usually look into who my guides are before I sign up for one tour over another—I figure that if they've been hired, they're qualified and know the area, and that I'll have plenty of time to get to know them over the course of our day.Last November I went to the Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival. Highly recommend—it was so well-organized that there were volunteers standing outside of the tour vans at 5:30am just to hand out free lens wipes and make sure we had enough water! A great festival with astounding birds, many of which are found only outside the US and in the Rio Grande Valley.One day I signed up for a “Big Day” trip—a full day of friendly competition. Ten or so vans filled with birders trying spot as many birds as we could within a specific window of time. One of my guides on that day turned out to be Derek Sallmann.Derek is the co-founder of Badgerland Birding, an organization that does everything from education to conservation to tours. He has a delightful, educational YouTube channel that's well worth perusing, and a podcast as well.I didn't learn any of this until I Googled him. In typical Midwestern fashion, Derek would never toot his own horn. In fact, I didn't even think to look him up until our group stopped to try and find a Common Parauque and a nine-year-old birder from another van came up to us, looked at Derek, and said, “It's YOU! I watch you ALL THE TIME!”To be on a tour with a fellow Wisconsinite warmed my heart, and Derek was a wonderful guide through the Rio Grande Valley. I am delighted to know that Badgerland Birding exists, and I know that you will be, too. Join us as we learn from Derek about the birds of Wisconsin, what makes a good birding guide, and what he hopes to accomplish in 2026. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

If a bird's feathers get too dried out, they become brittle. To prevent that from happening, most birds have a gland located above the base of the tail that produces oil. They use their beaks to massage oil from the gland into their feathers to keep them supple. A bird first grips a feather in its beak near the feather's base. Then it slides its beak along the length of the feather toward the tip. This action smoothes together the tiny structures — called barbules — that make up the feather, while also removing dirt and small parasites.¡Escuche este episodio en español aquí!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the first episode of 2026 Phil talks to his old friend Stephen Moss, one of Britain's leading bird watchers. It's a colourful and amusing conversation - full of surprises. ‘Birding' has become very popular in recent years as more and more of us take an interest in conservation and the natural world. But, even amongst the normally placid 'twitching' community, there are many issues and controversies to explore - and even some actual scandal.Stephen's books are available here...https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/products/ten-birds-that-changed-the-world-book-stephen-moss-9781783352418?sku=GOR012965889&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19553277260&gbraid=0AAAAADZzAIC6VLCRd1czTlTLBfrYuVxVaThere's information and extracts from Phil's new book here...https://sites.google.com/view/1945thereckoning/homeYou can order his book on Amazon UK and Amazon Australia, India and NZ - and it is available all around the world as an e-book and an audio book...https://www.amazon.co.uk/1945-Reckoning-Empire-Struggle-World/dp/139971449X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=#***We now have a Thank You button (next to the 'three dots') for small donations that help support our work***Looking for the perfect gift for a special scandalous someone - or someone you'd like to get scandalous with? We're here to help...https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ScandalMongersIf you enjoy our work please consider clicking the YouTube subscribe button, even if you listen to us on an audio app. It will help our brand to grow and our content to reach new ears.THE SCANDAL MONGERS PODCAST is also available to listen to watch on YouTube...https://www.youtube.com/@thescandalmongerspodcastThe Scandal Mongers...https://x.com/mongerspodcastPhil Craig...https://x.com/philmcraigYou can get in touch with the show via...team@podcastworld.org(place 'Scandal Mongers' in the heading)Show Produced By Podcast World Soho Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Birds' four-chambered hearts run larger than those of mammals, relative to body size, and they are coupled with extremely efficient cardiovascular systems. The energy demands of flight require these adaptations. An exercising human has a heart rate around 150 beats per minute. In contrast, an active hummingbird's heart pumps at 1,200 beats per minute; a flying pigeon's heart beats at 600.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New this episode: Check out our chapters in Apple Podcasts to preview our conversation!The gang's all here to chat about winter birding, from backyard feeders to chilly pelagics, plus the consumption of atypical food sources (to us Americans, at least), great places for your first Neotropical birding trip, and a sweet tooth distraction. Come for the look back on recently extinct birds...stay for the cold- and warm-weather travel inspo!Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com. Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.

Magnificent Frigatebirds are huge, gangly seabirds found around the warm waters of the Western Hemisphere. When it comes time to mate, males inflate giant red throat sacs, then rattle and drum their bills against them to create jazzy percussive sounds.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sporting a fancy tuft of feathers on its forehead and a bright orange nape, Maui island's ‘ākohekohe is one Hawaiʻi's strikingly beautiful native forest birds. ‘ākohekohe are also critically endangered. Habitat loss and disease from invasive mosquitoes are major threats to their survival.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While on a Caribbean cruise, we had a stop in Grand Cayman...so we went birding!  Fortunately for us, Geddes with Silver Thatch Expeditions, was available to take us around.  We added a few new birds, saw the sights, and even found Blue Iguanas!Adventure begins at: 10:00Show notesSpring Chirp The Great Backyard Bird Count BirdsCaribbean Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Garden Booby Pond Geddes' Contact - Silver Thatch ExpeditionseBird Trip ReportBirds/Animals mentionedBlue Iguana West Indian Whistling-Duck Western SpindalisIntro Bird Call: Vitilline Warbler (Recorded: Grand Cayman, November 2025)Outro Bird Call:  Yucatan Vireo (Recorded: Grand Cayman, November 2025)Support the showConnect with us at... IG: @Hannahgoesbirding and @ErikgoesbirdingFacebook: @HannahandErikGoBirdingEmail us at HannahandErikGoBirding@gmail.comWebsite: http://www.gobirdingpodcast.comVenmo: @hannahanderikgobirdingGet a discount at Buteo Books using code: BIRDNERDBOOKCLUB

In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham reads a letter he has written to a Pileated Woodpecker, a large species of woodpecker that is sometimes mistaken for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Na een misschien wel te lange winterstop zijn we er weer beste luisteraars en we kicken 2026 vertrouwd af met de Nationale Tuinvogeltelling van Vogelbescherming Nederland. Ook al is deze nog niet officieel begonnen (weekend van 30 jan tot 1 feb), zijn Arjan, Gisbert en vriendin van de show Camilla alvast gaan zitten voor een pre-telling. En het belooft wat dit jaar, want we zagen nog nooit zoveel vogels tijdens de telling als dit jaar. Tevens hebben we allemaal leuk nieuws over nieuwe samenwerkingen en plannen voor 2026. Dus buckle up, want we zijn weer begonnen! HAPPY BIRDING!Lid worden van Vogelbescherming? Ga naar de website and help de vogels in NederlandEn benieuwd naar onze nieuwe Vogelspotcastlijn? Check it out HIERZie het privacybeleid op https://art19.com/privacy en de privacyverklaring van Californië op https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've all heard that the early bird gets the worm. But research shows that birds dining early and heavily may lower their life expectancy. Socially dominant birds stay lean (and agile at avoiding predators) during the day, and then stoke up later, before a cold night. Subordinate birds have to look for food whenever and wherever they can find it, and carry fat on their bodies to hedge against unpredictable rations.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When Tarik Shahzad spotted two patches of white among the sea of gray sandhill cranes, he knew he'd done it again.Over Thanksgiving weekend, the 28-year-old avid birder saw two whooping cranes — one of the rarest birds in North America and his 295th bird species of 2025. Seen flying over Wood Oaks Green Park in suburban Northbrook, the cranes helped Shahzad secure the top spot in the Cook County Birding Big Year competition, breaking his own record of 294 species last year. The Norwood Park resident spotted one more bird, a western grebe, before the end of the year, officially setting the Cook County record at 296 bird species.But for Shahzad, participating in the Cook County Birding Big Year is about far more than breaking records. The competition highlights the importance of conservation and habitat restoration, said Shahzad, an environmental policy advocate and associate with the Nature Conservancy.Host - Jon HansenGuest - Tarik ShahzadRead More Here Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HEREWho we areBlock Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, relevant and nonpartisan coverage of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods. We believe all neighborhoods deserve to be covered in a meaningful way.We amplify positive stories, cover development and local school council meetings and serve as watchdogs in neighborhoods often ostracized by traditional news media.Ground-level coverageOur neighborhood-based reporters don't parachute in once to cover a story. They are in the neighborhoods they cover every day building relationships over time with neighbors. We believe this ground-level approach not only builds community but leads to a more accurate portrayal of a neighborhood.Stories that matter to you — every daySince our launch seven years ago, we've published more than 30,000 stories from the neighborhoods, covered hundreds of community meetings and send daily and neighborhood newsletters to more than 150,000 Chicagoans. We've built this loyalty by proving to folks we are not only covering their neighborhoods, we are a part of them. Some of us have internalized the national media's narrative of a broken Chicago. We aim to change that by celebrating our neighborhoods and chronicling the resilience of the people who fight every day to make Chicago a better place for all.

Urban ornithologist and children's author Murry Burgess has always been interested in wildlife. But she first felt a spark for birds on a college field trip to Dauphin Island, a beach town on the Gulf Coast of Alabama that's a famous stop-over site for migratory birds. There, she saw a dazzling male Painted Bunting that amazed her both with his colorful plumage and incredible migration journey. Now Murry is a professor researching how urban environments impact birds, a children's book author, and co-founder of the nonprofit Field Inclusive, which advocates for safety and diversity in the outdoors.This is Field Inclusive Week, an annual week of connection, learning, and empowerment for all field biologists and outdoor enthusiasts! This year's virtual events build on a legacy of diversity, inclusion, and field safety. Learn how you can participate at fieldinclusive.org.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On our geocaching podcast today, we have an interesting conversation with Sandy's brother Steve all about birding, which is one of those hobbies that goes hand in hand with geocaching. You'll learn some tips, tricks and tools of the trade for birding. We also share a Worldwide Cache Hide announcement, a milestone at a super cool event, the 2026 Cache Hiding Themes and much more. Listen To The Show (49:31) Show Discussion: Please chat about the show by commenting on this post below. Show Images: Go to the Flickr set for the show Links mentioned in the show 2026 cache hiding themes Merlin Bird ID App LIMITED TIME OFFER to SUPPORT PodCacher: Join the PodCacher Club at the INTRO RATE Operation Worldwide Cache Hide from Geocaching Central Hill Valley Community Celebration Event - Australia Celebrating 20 Years of Geocaching - Oregon 2025 Celebration Trackables - STILL ON SALE! Support our friends at FTF Geocacher Magazine Check out the PodCacher Prize Vault Never Miss Out: Join the PodCacher Insider Mailing List Ways to contact us! Easily send us audio via Speakpipe Find MANY ways to listen to PodCacher Follow the PodCacher Geocaching Blog PodCacher Hotline number for your speed dial! (760) 300-3633 Call us with your rants, raves and as a roving reporter The post Show 931.0: Birding and Geocaching appeared first on PodCacher: Geocaching Goodness.

Western Tanagers dart from tree to tree, on the lookout for delicious bugs. They'll find them by scanning the tree bark — or maybe snatching them from mid-air during flight — a tactic called hawking. Come winter, these lovely songbirds head south, where they fit right in with the other brightly colored tropical birds they'll spend the winter with in Mexico and Central America.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

News Items: Donut Lab's Solid State Battery, Artemis Update, EPA Change, Life on Planets Around Red Dwarfs, Malaysia Air Search Resumes; Special Report: RFK on Vaccines and the Food Pyramid; Who's That Noisy; Your Questions and E-mails: Birding and Memory; Science or Fiction

Ornate Hawk-Eagles stand out from other raptors with their impressive crest that looks like an elegant crown in adults, and a punk hairdo over the white-headed and black-bodied juveniles. These birds are excellent hunters, but they're also devoted parents.¡Escuche este episodio en BirdNote en Español!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While many birds have hollow bones that make flying a breeze, diving birds are built differently. The bones of divers such as Common Loons are denser than those of songbirds and other expert fliers. With a lightweight skeleton, they'd be too buoyant to dive and chase fish. Instead, loons can kick their powerful legs and webbed feet to swim 200 feet or more underwater!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Science writer Ed Yong was an invaluable resource for many of us navigating the strange pandemic landscape. His writing about Covid-19 at The Atlantic earned him a Pulitzer Prize, but left him looking for an outlet to recalibrate after that anxiety-ridden period. Inspired by his own writing in his book, An Immense World, he turned to bird-watching despite not expecting to be any good at it. It has turned into a passion, a way to explore both his home and the wider world, and an inspiration for his writing.  Also, Nate shares his experience wrangling endemics in Puerto Rico.  Subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and please leave a rating or a review if you are so inclined! We appreciate it!

Melba Aguilera is a birder and guide based in Cozumel, Mexico.Learn more about Cozumel Vireo.Cozumel Vireo 1 ½ oz Reposado or Blanco Tequila ½ oz Triple Sec ½ oz Cinnamon Syrup* ½ oz Lime Juice Ice Cinnamon StickInstructionsIn a shaker filled halfway with ice, add tequila, Triple Sec, Lime Juice, and cinnamon syrup.Shake shake shakePour into a lowball glass and garnish with the cinnamon stick*Cinnamon Syrup recipe 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup water ½ tsp cinnamonInstructions Combine all in a small sauce pot Bring to a simmer, cook on low for 5 minutes Cool completed, transfer to a container and refrigerate up to 6 months.Support the showConnect with me at... IG: @HannahgoesbirdingFacebook: @HannahandErikGoBirdingEmail me at HannahandErikGoBirding@gmail.comWebsite: http://www.gobirdingpodcast.com

The call of the Common Loon is a symbol of the far north. But the species once nested as far south as southern New England, Ohio, Iowa, and California. Human activity and changes to the landscape in these more populated areas has made it harder for loons to persist. There have been encouraging signs in recent years that Common Loons could make a comeback in the southern parts of their range — with our help.This episode is in memory of Miriam Williams of Seattle, whose sense of humor, love of birds, and support of BirdNote made the world brighter.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Like an expert angler, a tern can read the surface of the water to find where to catch its next fish. Scientists piloted a drone to track the flight paths of terns on the hunt. The terns sought out turbulent water. A vortex formed by colliding currents traps fish near the surface, where terns can snap them up. Terns fly toward bubbly upwellings to see if the rising water brings prey animals along with it.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The songs of two common finches provide a steady soundtrack in cities across North America: the House Finch and the American Goldfinch. While they can sound similar, a couple of key features help set them apart. House Finches sing sweetly but often have a sharp, buzzy note near the end. Goldfinches sing rapidly, often repeating a note several times. They also often make their distinctive call, which sounds like someone quickly saying “potato chip!”Support for BirdNote is provided by Mary Pigott of Seattle, Washington — and generous listeners around the world. More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Outdoor cats kill billions of birds each year in North America — and they live much shorter lives than indoor cats. But life as an indoor cat doesn't have to be boring. On Bring Birds Back, cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy discusses how just 15 minutes of creative play with your cat can make a huge difference. Plus, letting cats watch birds through the window can act as “Cat TV.”Listen to the full episode in Bring Birds Back season 1!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A pair of Bald Eagles will reuse their nest each year and repair it with new tree branches. But recently in British Columbia, scientists came across an eagle nest made largely out of dried kelp. Back in the ‘90s, that very nest had been made out of tree branches. What changed? Sea Otters were reintroduced to the landscape, which helped kelp forests flourish — and occasionally wind up in an eagle's nest.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2026 is officially the year of the Horned Lark! This dapper little songbird can be found just about everywhere in the ABA Area, and we're excited to put a spotlight on it this year as our Bird of the Year for 2026. As is tradition, the species is featured on the January issue of the ABA's Birding magazine, depicted by Indiana artist Kristina Knowski, who bird art afficianados might know from her work as artist in residence for the Indiana Dunes Birding Festival.  And it's not just the magazine, we will have a whole range of fun Horned Lark merch, including the return of our Bird of the Year t-shirts, at the ABA shop! Subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and please leave a rating or a review if you are so inclined! We appreciate it!      

Christmas Bird Counts is the oldest community science program and has made a huge impact on what we know about birds and their populations!  This year, we were able to join the Sunriver, Oregon count.  Listen in to see what birds we spotted!Adventure begins at: 9:23Show notesMorro Bay Birding Festival Spring Chirp Christmas Bird Count Deschutes National Forest WildEarth Live Safari Black-bellied Bustard VideoeBird Trip ReportBirds/Animals mentionedAmerican Dipper Varied ThrushIntro Bird Call: Black-bellied Bustard (Recorded: South Africa, February 2025)Outro Bird Call: Common Raven (Recorded: Oregon, June 2019)Support the showConnect with us at... IG: @Hannahgoesbirding and @ErikgoesbirdingFacebook: @HannahandErikGoBirdingEmail us at HannahandErikGoBirding@gmail.comWebsite: http://www.gobirdingpodcast.comVenmo: @hannahanderikgobirdingGet a discount at Buteo Books using code: BIRDNERDBOOKCLUB

Long-tailed Ducks are back for the winter from the north, where they nested on tundra ponds and marshes. These diving ducks spend the winter in deep salt water, often in sheltered bays. Long-tailed Ducks are far more vocal than most ducks, a feature that has earned them a host of charming nicknames, including "John Connally," "My Aunt Huldy," and, from the Cree language, "Ha-hah-way."This episode is dedicated to Dan Moore for his many years of board service and generous support of BirdNote. More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Isla Guadalupe off the Western coast of Mexico is famous for its massive colonies of petrels, shearwaters, and Laysan Albatrosses. Now, conservationists hope it can become a safe haven for Black-footed Albatrosses too – like Bruno and La Güera. In 2021, the pair were among a dozen Black-footed Albatross chicks flown from Hawai‘i's Midway Atoll to Mexico by researchers with the non-profit Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas. It's part of a larger effort to establish a new Black-footed Albatross colony in Mexico as rising seas threaten their native breeding grounds. The budding romance between Bruno and La Güera has the team hopeful that they'll be just the first of many Black-footed Albatross couples helping their species settle into a new home in Mexico.¡Este episodio está disponible en BirdNote en Español!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There are nearly ninety species of wrens in the world, and quite a few are exceptional singers. Nearly all of them reside in the Western Hemisphere, with the majority living in Central and South America. The White-bellied Wren ranks among the tiniest, at just under four inches, while the Giant Wren is nearly nine inches long — as big as a Red-winged Blackbird. And the most legendary singer? It's a tough decision, but many would choose this Musician Wren from South America.¡Escuche este episodio en BirdNote en Español!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The video game Alba: A Wildlife Adventure lets you have adventures in a stunning virtual landscape while curled up at home with a cup of hot cocoa. The game puts you in the shoes of a birdwatcher and conservationist on a Mediterranean island. As you traverse the animated ecosystems, listen for the calls of over 50 birds, like the Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Northern Shoveler, and Great Cormorant. The game is available on phones, consoles, or your computer.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Wendell Berry wrote: "When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests." Where do you go to rest and renew yourself in nature? Where do you come into the peace of wild things?More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For folks looking to try birding for the first time, getting started can be daunting. Should you learn every species' call, every subtle feather pattern before you head out to look for birds? While it's good to prepare, there's a risk of scaring yourself out of starting, and preventing the kind of hands-on experiential learning that's one of the best parts of birding. So when you have the time and energy, just go for it! Learning about birds is the work of a lifetime — that's why it's so rewarding.¡Escuche este episodio en BirdNote en Español!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At her home in New Orleans, Grammy-winning musical artist Rickie Lee Jones has transformed her yard into a safe haven for birds. By putting out water and feeders, she's become popular with the local cardinals, doves, and even a crow with a distinctive white wing. The experience has encouraged Rickie to find more ways to take actions to protect birds, like turning off outdoor lights at night and treating windows to prevent fatal collisions.BirdNote is supported by Road Scholar, creating educational travel adventures for adults around the world.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Some of the best songs you can hear this spring aren't on the radio.Hundreds of millions of birds make their annual migration back into North America in early March. Despite their return to our neighborhoods and backyards to wake us up bright and early, a new report reveals they're numbering fewer and fewer.The 2025 State of the Birds report is a joint effort spearheaded by a coalition of science and conservation organizations. It found widespread population decline across nearly all habitats and that over one third of species require conservation help.But it's not all bad news. The report also finds that an increased interest in birding has led to more volunteer data that helped shaped the report. What can we learn about our feathered friends and our environment while watching?Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Golden Eagle is a bird of epic proportions not only for their impressive size but also for the many legends they've inspired across human history. They are one of the largest eagles in the world with a wingspan of more than seven feet. When the Aztecs saw a Golden Eagle devouring a serpent atop a cactus, they knew they had found their promised land. Today, that powerful raptor graces Mexico's national shield. In fact, the Golden Eagle appears on the flags and emblems of several countries including Kazakhstan, where nomadic hunters have practiced an ancient form of falconry with Golden Eagles for thousands of years.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Polar Bears symbolize the icy landscapes of the far north like no other animal. The bear's way of life — its very survival — is inseparable from the Arctic pack-ice. Less familiar is a remarkable bird that shares with the Polar Bear this vital link to ice: this Ivory Gull. The gulls feed on small fish and other marine life, but also scavenge carcasses, including those left by Polar Bears. Global warming has brought increasing change to the world of ice-dependent species such as the Ivory Gull and Polar Bear.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From his start in 1937, the gangly, black-feathered Daffy Duck was a cartoon original: wildly outspoken, volatile, and confrontational — a truly daft duck. Daffy was one of the most memorable characters from the golden age of cartoons, paving the way for other screwball cartoon personalities to come.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A century of logging and fire control has taken its toll on the mature pine forests of the West, the preferred nest site for this Lewis's Woodpecker. But there is hope. Lewis's Woodpeckers also nest along rivers in large cottonwoods, trees of little value for timber. Also, many remaining tracts of old-growth ponderosas are protected on public lands, and the trees are growing larger day by day.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.