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BirdNote Daily

601 EpisodesProduced by BirdNoteWebsite

Escape the daily grind and immerse yourself in the natural world. Rich in imagery, sound, and information, BirdNote inspires you to notice the world around you.

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Farewell

February 22nd, 2024

0:39

An important message from RadioPublic

Using Sound to Bring Rails Back into Wetlands

March 28th, 2024

1:45

Rails are secretive marsh birds, and they’re on the decline. But a researcher playing their recorded calls over a loudspeaker could help bring them …

BirdNoir: A Dark and Stormy Night

March 27th, 2024

1:45

In this episode of BirdNoir, Private Eye Michael Stein gets a call from his friend Billy, a mail carrier. Billy says he hasn’t seen a single bird on his route since the storm came into town, even though at this time of …

Birds on the March with Army Ants

March 26th, 2024

1:42

As thousands of army ants march through a rainforest in Panama looking for food, countless insects try to escape. Antbirds follow the ants, waiting …

In the Dark with Boreal Owls

March 25th, 2024

1:45

Boreal Owls are highly adapted to hunt in long hours of winter darkness. Uniquely, one ear opening in the skull is set high and the other much lower, …

Do Penguins Blush?

March 24th, 2024

1:42

Humboldt Penguins living along the Pacific Coast of Chile and Peru are adapted to cold. But on land, temperatures rise to 100+ degrees, and penguins …

Songs and Calls – They're Not the Same

March 23rd, 2024

1:42

To our ear, the haunting song of this Hermit Thrush is musical, even ethereal. To another Hermit Thrush, the song signals that a male is laying claim to a territory and seeking a mate. These thrushes, like other …

Keeping Wood Storks on the Road to Recovery

March 22nd, 2024

1:45

With their bare heads, long legs and massive bills, Wood Storks seem to have flown out of a fairytale — but in the American South they’re a real-life part of the ecosystem. Developers drained large areas of wetlands, …

Everybody Knows a Mallard

March 21st, 2024

1:39

Mallards are found virtually everywhere there is open water, from city parks and subalpine lakes to sheltered bays and estuaries along the coasts. In their breeding plumage, male Mallards are avian dandies. The male's …

Janet Ng on Becoming a Wildlife Biologist

March 20th, 2024

1:41

When Janet Ng was a kid, there was a very specific moment when she realized what she wanted to be as a grown-up: seeing a wildlife biologist being …

Geese Aloft: Flock Voices of March

March 19th, 2024

1:45

Geese migrate north between February and April, making stopovers along the way to rest and eat. Most are bound for their breeding grounds in the far north. But we’ll hear them again soon, on their way back south in …

Flying Dinosaurs: Leaping and Gliding

March 18th, 2024

1:41

For years, scientists debated whether the first flying dinosaurs, the ancestors of modern birds, began by running and making little hops off the ground, or leapt off a tree branch to glide. It’s called the “ground up …

Bird Seed

March 17th, 2024

1:35

When buying seed for your feeders, it’s tempting to get the biggest, cheapest bag. But not all bird seed is the same. Figure out the nutritional value of the seeds and whether your local birds can actually eat them. …

Tune Up Your Ears – East

March 16th, 2024

1:45

By March in the East, cardinals and other songbirds that don't migrate are already singing heartily to attract mates. Many other birds – including Yellow Warblers – will return north from the tropics in April and May, …

Jacana, aka Lily-trotter

March 15th, 2024

1:37

The strange wading birds known as jacanas are nick-named "lily-trotters" for their ability to walk on lily pads. In Jamaica, they're known as "Jesus birds," because they appear to be walking on water — a feat made …

Create Bird Habitat at Home with Native Plants

March 14th, 2024

1:36

Birds have lost many habitats they’ve called home for millions of years, but people can help create bird habitats wherever they live. It all begins with native plants. If you have a yard, or even just a few outdoor …

Reddish Egret - Lagoon Dancer

March 13th, 2024

1:45

The Reddish Egret, a particularly glamorous heron, is best known for its startling antics in capturing fish. When fishing, the egret sprints across …

Birding 101: Learning How to Strike Out

March 12th, 2024

1:42

When you go birding, sometimes you’re in the right place at the right time and there are more species than you can count. Other times, not so lucky. Striking out when looking for birds is frustrating. But a bad day of …

Rainwater Basin

March 11th, 2024

1:42

For 20,000 years, spring rains and melting snow have filled the playas of the Rainwater Basin of south-central Nebraska. As winter ends, 10 million waterfowl rest and feed there before continuing north. The seasonal …

Sandgrouse: Desert Water-carriers

March 10th, 2024

1:45

Sandgrouse live in some of the most parched environments on earth. To satisfy the thirst of their chicks, male sandgrouse carry water back to the nest in a surprising but effective way: by carrying it in their feathers. …

The Nasally Fish Crow

March 9th, 2024

1:42

The harsh caws of American Crows are one of the most familiar bird calls in North America. Fish Crows sometimes join flocks of American Crows as they forage for food. The two crow species look similar, but have a …

Introducing Aviary, the Shapeshifting Bird Superhero

March 8th, 2024

1:45

In this episode, we meet Aviary: the superhero alter-ego of a mild-mannered birder bitten by a radioactive feather mite. Aviary became able to shapeshift into any of the birds they've seen in their travels — taking on …

Tree Swallows Spend the Winter

March 7th, 2024

1:45

Most swallow species that nest in North America eat almost nothing except flying insects. When the bugs die off in the fall, the swallows head south to winter in the tropical zones of Central and South America and the …

Using Birdsong to Check a River’s Health

March 6th, 2024

1:40

John Zaktansky leads the Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, which is using recording devices to identify birds by sound on different parts of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. John’s hope is that the birds …

Great Horned Owls Nest II

March 5th, 2024

1:39

When Great Horned Owl eggs hatch, the downy owlets are the size of newborn chickens. Their mother broods them day and night. A few weeks later, the …

Giving Chimney Swifts a Place to Live

March 4th, 2024

1:45

Before chimneys existed, Chimney Swifts relied on old hollow trees for nesting and roosting. They can’t perch, they can only cling to a rough …

Birdbaths in Winter

March 3rd, 2024

1:36

Does the image of a frozen birdbath bring to mind a small yellow bird with ice skates? Birds need water in all seasons, for drinking and for bathing. When the water is frozen, you can thaw it with hot water. Or go the …

Turkey Vultures on the Move

March 2nd, 2024

1:33

Before we see or feel spring, we often hear it first — in the testimony of a Red-winged Blackbird, the energy of a Song Sparrow, or the serenade of an American Robin. But across much of North America, an earlier sign of …

An App That Helps You Hear High-Pitched Bird Songs

March 1st, 2024

1:45

For years, nature recordist Lang Elliott came up with clever ways to hear high-pitched bird songs despite his high-frequency hearing loss. Lang teamed up with a programmer to develop an app called Hear Birds Again. …

Leaping with Sandhill Cranes

February 29th, 2024

1:45

With a graceful leap, wings outstretched, Sandhill Cranes welcome the longer days. The stately cranes are courting, renewing an annual dance they …

How Noise Pollution Affects Birds

February 28th, 2024

1:41

Dr. Clinton Francis is a sensory ecologist who studies how noise pollution affects birds, like this Black-headed Grosbeak. He says sounds from …

Observe First, Photograph Second

February 27th, 2024

1:36

When Day Scott teaches people how to take pictures of birds, she emphasizes observing birds carefully before picking up the camera. Sometimes that …

Birds, Berries and Germination

February 26th, 2024

1:45

Some plants have evolved fruits with edible flesh that attract birds. When birds swallow the fruit, they also ingest the seeds. They transport the …

Hovering Is Hard Work

February 25th, 2024

1:42

Hummingbirds are built for hovering flight, with flexible wrists that rotate their wings in a rapid figure-eight motion that generates almost constant lift. Eurasian Skylarks, on the other hand, hovers by fluttering its …

Biomimicry - Japanese Trains Mimic Kingfisher

February 24th, 2024

1:45

In the 1990s, train engineers in Japan built trains able to travel nearly 170 miles per hour. The problem was that when the trains exited a tunnel, …

Dining with Sanderlings

February 23rd, 2024

1:42

While many shorebirds have gone south, tiny sandpipers called Sanderlings are easy to find on winter shores. They follow the waves as they lap in and …

Creating Abstract Paintings of Migratory Birds

February 22nd, 2024

1:41

Artist Debra Ramsay became fascinated with the way that birds and their colors mark changes in the seasons. In her “Migrations” project, she painted …

Tennessee Warbler, Nectar Thief

February 21st, 2024

1:41

Tennessee Warblers love drinking nectar, but they do it without helping to pollinate flowers. By tapping a hole into the base of a flower, these …

Lesser Yellowlegs, Loud and Proud

February 20th, 2024

1:56

When the shorebirds called Lesser Yellowlegs sense a threat to their nest, they’ll put up an unforgettable racket to drive the danger away. Smaller and with a shorter bill than the Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs …

Nictitating Membranes - Nature's Goggles

February 19th, 2024

1:42

For most birds, keen eyesight is critical for survival. But many birds lead lives that can be very hard on the eyes — like flying at breakneck speed, racing for cover into a dense thicket, or diving under water to …

Finding Food When it Snows

February 18th, 2024

1:45

Fresh-fallen snow is beautiful, but it poses a challenge to birds. The ground where they found food is now covered by several inches of snow. Birds …

Costa Rica Winter Sunrise

February 17th, 2024

1:41

On a winter morning in Costa Rica, a colorful choir welcomes the day. A pair of Bay Wrens sings a brisk duet just before sunrise. Perched in the …

Cockatoos and People Trying to Outwit Each Other

February 16th, 2024

1:45

In several neighborhoods of Sydney, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos have learned ways to open trash bins and grab some leftover food. Researchers found …

Memory of the ‘Ō‘ū

February 15th, 2024

3:52

Sam ‘Ohu Gon was one of the last people to see an ‘Ō‘ū, a native Hawaiian bird that’s presumed to be extinct. He’s worked at the Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i for nearly forty years. In 1988, he took part in an Audubon …

Tokens of Affection

February 14th, 2024

1:42

Birds have many ways of showing affection for their partners. One way is allopreening, where a bird uses its bill to groom a mate, twirling each individual feather in its beak (like these Macaws). Other birds present …

Rainbow-Billed Toucan: The Flying Banana

February 13th, 2024

1:41

The Keel-billed Toucan, also known as the Rainbow-billed Toucan, looks like a bird with a giant banana for a beak. They have a black body, a yellow …

Telling Apart Two Cheery Bird Songs

February 12th, 2024

1:45

The American Robin and the Baltimore Oriole both have cheery, upbeat songs. At first, you might think there’s no way to tell these two cheery, upbeat …

On a Cold, Cold Night

February 11th, 2024

1:29

When the bitter cold of winter arrives, songbirds face an emergency: how to keep warm through the night. On normal nights, many prefer sleeping solo …

Trumpeter Swans Rebound in Arkansas

February 10th, 2024

1:41

Trumpeter Swans weigh over 25 pounds and measure about five feet from beak to tail. They were nearly hunted to extinction by the turn of the twentieth century. In Arkansas, a small flock of Trumpeter Swans began …

Sandhill Cranes Are Expanding Their Range

February 9th, 2024

1:41

In some parts of North America, Sandhill Cranes are common as ants at a picnic. In New England, on the other hand, they’ve been almost as rare as pterodactyls — until relatively recently! Birders began reporting cranes …

Migrations: Pine Siskin Irruption

February 8th, 2024

1:45

Do you ever see flocks of birds in your yard that show up in droves one year, but are completely absent the next? Some nomadic species such as Pine Siskins move based on the availability of food and habitat. It’s called …

Making Roads Safer for Wildlife and People

February 7th, 2024

1:41

Roads can get people where they need to go. But they often run right through wildlife habitat, creating a deadly hazard for animals on the move. Liz …

Song of the Mountains: The Brown-backed Solitaire

February 6th, 2024

1:41

Brown-backed Solitaires are ordinary-looking: medium-sized, gray-brown birds. But they have one of the most melodic, complex songs in the world, …

Bird Tracks in the Snow

February 5th, 2024

1:45

Look for the stories birds tell with their tracks in the snow. A crow swaggers, leaving right-and-left steps much as a walking human would. Juncos …

BirdNoir – Dial E for Eagle

February 4th, 2024

1:45

In this BirdNoir mystery, the private eye fields a call from a woman who says a large bird that looks like a Bald Eagle stole a Rainbow Trout from …

Here Come the Barred Owls

February 3rd, 2024

1:41

The emphatic hoots of a pair of Barred Owls resonate in the still of a winter's night. Like many owls, Barred Owls initiate their vocal courtship in winter. And they're among the most vocal. These owls have more than a …

Wandering Tattlers Traverse the Pacific

February 2nd, 2024

1:51

The Wandering Tattler is one of the few birds equally at home along the coast and high in the mountains. They’re found far and wide along Pacific shores, living up to their “wandering” name and gaining names in many …

Bluebirds Close to Home

February 1st, 2024

1:32

Bluebirds can bring flashes of azure color and mellow songs to where you live. The best way to bring them close to home is with nest boxes. You’ll …

Baby Birds' Bizarre Beaks

January 31st, 2024

1:45

Most baby birds are adorable little floofs — but not all of them. The tongue and palate of estrildid finch chicks are strangely spotted and ringed. They display these markings while they beg for food. Most species’ …

The Wonderchicken!

January 30th, 2024

4:45

In 2018, paleontologist Daniel Field took a closer look at specimens from an amateur fossil collector. His team used micro-CT scanning, kind of like …

Birding 101: Bird Vocab Basics

January 29th, 2024

1:34

Any hobby or special interest has its own jargon. You’ll pick up on the silly slang that birders use as you go – like calling the Yellow-rumped …

The Ferocious Feet of the Great Horned Owl

January 28th, 2024

1:42

Great Horned Owls excel at nocturnal hunting, thanks to their acute senses and stealth — but their feet let them secure squirming prey. The outermost of their four toes can rotate forward or backward, an advantage that …

Razorbills Swim in Synchrony

January 27th, 2024

1:45

Razorbills, a cousin to the puffin, nest in colonies on cliffs. Before they lay eggs, Razorbills take part in two unique social behaviors. In one, …

The Red-bellied Woodpecker and Its Curious Name

January 26th, 2024

1:37

Red-bellied Woodpeckers are bold, conspicuous, and vocal, thriving in rural and urban areas east of the Mississippi. Like most woodpeckers, …

Songbirds: The Large and Small of It

January 25th, 2024

1:45

The group of birds called “songbirds” — the perching birds — is incredibly broad. Half the world’s 10,000 birds are in the songbird group, and their range of body sizes is mind-boggling. One of the smallest songbirds in …

Blackbirds' Strange Music

January 24th, 2024

1:34

Blackbird songs have a strange music. The Red-winged Blackbird can be heard in nearly every marsh on the continent — bold, brassy, and piercing. The …

Ducks That Whistle

January 23rd, 2024

1:34

Whistling as they fly, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks are gorgeous waterfowl with bright pink bills and legs, chestnut necks and backs, and black underparts. Though most whistling-ducks live in the tropics, Black-bellied …

Bohemian Waxwings – Exquisite Winter Visitors

January 22nd, 2024

1:45

It's winter, and apples litter the ground. A few still hang, frozen and thawed again and again. Suddenly a flock of hundreds of birds rises from the ground beneath the trees, swarming in tight formation, wing-tip to …

The Tui of New Zealand

January 21st, 2024

1:41

The Tui is one of New Zealand’s most remarkable birds, intelligent and with iridescent feathers. Its down-curved beak fits perfectly into native flowers. But the Tui is best known for its voice. Each Tui’s complex song …

Why Is My Robin Half White?

January 20th, 2024

1:41

A bird with abnormal white feathers, like this American Robin, may have a genetic condition called leucism. Leucism prevents pigments from reaching some — or sometimes all — of a bird’s feathers. Albino birds are …

Welcoming Back Common Loons

January 19th, 2024

1:47

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 …

Groove-billed Anis, Communal Nesters

January 18th, 2024

1:34

Groove-billed Anis gather in loose groups. And with good reason. They nest communally. As many as four or five pairs of birds may use one nest, a …

Protecting Rivers and Eagles from Invasive Plants

January 17th, 2024

1:45

In the 1990s, eagles in the Southeastern U.S. began dying of a mysterious brain disease. Many years of research identified the culprit: a …

The Heart of a Bird

January 16th, 2024

1:36

Birds’ four-chambered hearts run larger than those of mammals, relative to body size, and they are coupled with extremely efficient cardiovascular …

The Majestic Gyrfalcon

January 15th, 2024

1:33

Gyrfalcons are the largest falcons in the world, with a wingspan of almost four feet and weighing almost five pounds. The name “Gyrfalcon” derives from an Old Norse word for “spear.” During the summer, you’ll find …

A Murder, a Party, a Stare or a Siege

January 14th, 2024

1:45

Collective nouns are a mixture of poetry, alliteration, and description. Victorians often made up creative names for groups of birds, as a parlor …

A Tool-Using Nuthatch

January 13th, 2024

1:35

The nuthatch’s beak is all business. Long, slender, sharp: it can pluck a tiny spider from a crevice in the bark or carve a nest hole right through …

Find a Volunteer Opportunity that Works for You

January 12th, 2024

1:33

Consider finding a local conservation group that’s doing work that matters to you — beach cleanups, volunteer bird surveys, keeping local parks …

Keeping Cats Indoors

January 11th, 2024

1:45

Outdoor cats are one of the biggest threats to birds, killing over a billion a year in North America. And indoor-outdoor cats live much shorter lives than indoor-only cats. So keeping a cat indoors helps protect birds. …

Nest Boxes for All Sorts of Birds

January 10th, 2024

1:42

Birds that historically nested in the cavities of dead trees are finding natural nest holes harder to come by — but people can help. Many of these …

eBird: Contribute to Science While Birding

January 9th, 2024

1:37

eBird, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, lets you log the bird species you observe on a smartphone app or on the web. Whether you’re going …

One Million People Taking Action for Birds

January 8th, 2024

1:45

Climate change, habitat destruction, and invasive species have taken a toll on bird populations. It’s a difficult reality to face — but it’s not the …

Common Murre, Underwater Flyer

January 7th, 2024

1:42

The Common Murre is among the few species of birds that can "fly" under water. When above the water, the 18"-long murre must flap frantically to stay aloft. But beneath the waves, with its flipper-like wings partly …

Kinglets in Winter

January 6th, 2024

1:33

The Golden-crowned Kinglet weighs six grams, about the same as two pennies, yet winters as far north as Alaska and Nova Scotia. The birds move …

Frigatebirds' Kleptoparasitism

January 5th, 2024

1:45

In the warmer regions of the world’s oceans, large seabirds called boobies plunge headfirst into the water, snatching up fish. But as a booby flies …

The Secret Stash of Eggshells

January 4th, 2024

1:37

Developing eggshells requires a key ingredient — calcium — in larger quantities than the female typically has in her bloodstream. Just how different …

Day Scott on Recovering with Help from Birds

January 3rd, 2024

1:40

Day Scott’s interest in birds grew following a car accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury. As she recovered, she would sit in the kitchen …

A Hummingbird Hospital in a Mexico City Apartment

January 2nd, 2024

1:45

Catia Lattouf cares for dozens of hummingbirds from her home!In Mexico City, 73-year-old Catia Lattouf started a hummingbird hospital — in her …

Winter Romance - Common Goldeneyes

January 1st, 2024

1:42

Most duck species court and form pair bonds in winter. In the icy waters of Vermont’s Lake Champlain, Common Goldeneyes are getting hot! This male is …

Ptarmigan in Winter

December 31st, 2023

1:40

Both the Willow Ptarmigan and these White-tailed Ptarmigan, feathered mostly brown in summer, are utterly transfigured by an autumn molt. As snow …

Dove or Pigeon?

December 30th, 2023

1:42

The word “dove” might make you think of an elegant bird symbolizing peace, while the word “pigeon” might bring up images of rowdy flocks of city …

Treeswifts: Exquisite Minimalists

December 29th, 2023

1:45

The treeswifts of India, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and beyond make their nests out of bits of plants and feathers and hold it all together with …

Pinpointing a Bird in a Forest by Ear

December 28th, 2023

1:45

Juan Pablo Culasso is a nature recordist based in Colombia. Here, he describes how he uses a parabolic microphone to record a singing bird. Juan …

Why Some Birds Sing in the Winter

December 27th, 2023

1:45

By late January, some resident birds, such as the Northern Mockingbird, are beginning their spring singing. When you step outside on a particularly …

How Did Bobwhites Get to Cuba?

December 26th, 2023

1:38

Cuba is home to a unique population of Northern Bobwhites, with plumage patterns and short bills that set them apart from bobwhites on mainland North …

Why Birds Eat Snow

December 25th, 2023

1:39

In the depths of winter, when open water is frozen over, it can be challenging for birds to stay hydrated. Some birds eat the frozen water all around them. Cedar Waxwings catch snowflakes in mid-air. Black-capped …

Graylag Goose

December 24th, 2023

1:45

The goose of today’s farmyards was domesticated about 3,000 years ago from the Graylag Goose, the wild species found today throughout much of Europe …

How Feathers Insulate

December 23rd, 2023

1:33

A single Canada Goose has between 20 and 25 thousand feathers. Some are designed to help the bird fly or shed water. Many are the short, fluffy kind, …

Birding 101: The Fear of Getting Started

December 22nd, 2023

1:30

For folks looking to try birding for the first time, getting started can be daunting. Should you learn every species’ call, every subtle feather …

Building Birds with LEGO

December 21st, 2023

1:45

Thomas Poulsom is a hobbyist LEGO builder best known for his models of birds. But making birds out of bricks isn't easy. That’s why he uses special …

The Laughing Goose

December 20th, 2023

1:42

The hoots of the Greater White-fronted Goose inspired a nickname, the “Laughing Goose.”  A little smaller than Canada Geese, these gray-brown birds are named for the band of white around the base of their pinkish-orange …

Long-eared Owl - You Don’t See Me!

December 19th, 2023

1:45

Long-eared Owls aren’t rare, and they don’t live in remote locations. But their plumage and habits make them incredibly elusive. The mixture of warm …

The Andean Cock-of-the-Rock

December 18th, 2023

1:41

The Andean-Cock-of-the-Rock sounds like a cross between a chainsaw and a squealing pig. The national bird of Peru, male birds of this species sport a splendid bright red plumage along with a head crest reminiscent of a …

Museum Eggs Help Solve Mysteries

December 17th, 2023

1:37

There are five million bird eggs stowed away in museums across the world — and the study of eggs, called oology, can give us great insight into …

How Much Do Birds Eat?

December 16th, 2023

1:45

There used to be a saying about somebody who doesn’t eat much — “she eats like a bird.” But how much does a bird typically eat? As a rule of thumb, …

In Winter, Puffins Lead Very Different Lives

December 15th, 2023

1:42

Every summer, puffins — like this Horned Puffin — grow blazingly colorful layers over the bases of their huge beaks. But in the winter, puffins lead …

Dwain Vaughns, II, on Seeing Plane Physics in Birds

December 14th, 2023

1:41

Dwain Vaughns, II, worked as a pilot for 11 years until he developed a rare chronic pain condition called complex regional pain syndrome after an accident. As part of a recreational therapy program, Dwain signed up for …

Winter - Nature’s Cold Storage

December 13th, 2023

1:45

For birds and other animals with good natural insulation, winter provides a striking benefit as they scavenge. Bacteria function very slowly or not …

The Sword-billed Hummingbird

December 12th, 2023

1:40

To out-sip their competition, Sword-billed Hummingbirds have a distinct adaptation: these birds’ beaks are longer than their bodies. Found in …

Feathered Females in Charge

December 11th, 2023

1:45

Male birds are often the larger, flashier sex that courts choosy females, who in turn raise their chicks. But not always. Female phalaropes -- like this Wilson's Phalarope -- challenge each other over territories in …

Great Black-backed Gull, North Atlantic Predator

December 10th, 2023

1:39

Great Black-backed Gulls have a reputation as serious predators of other birds. During the nesting season, they’ll prey on eggs and nestlings of …

Sanderlings

December 9th, 2023

1:36

Here and there along winter shorelines, little flocks of pale, silvery shorebirds probe at the water's edge, keeping pace with each wave's ebb and flow. These are Sanderlings, small sandpipers that stay through the …

How Birds Fly

December 8th, 2023

1:45

The secret to birds’ flight starts with the shape of their wings. They’re curved in a way that causes air to flow more slowly under the wing than above it. That creates an area of low pressure just above the wing that …

Seabirds, Trees and Coral

December 7th, 2023

1:37

Palmyra Atoll is a ring-shaped island encircling a lagoon in the South Pacific. The atoll lost many native trees due to U.S. military activity during …

Christine Okon on Accessible Bird Events

December 6th, 2023

1:42

After Christine Okon was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2012, she found herself falling behind on birding walks when the group trudged across …

Great Horned Owl Duet

December 5th, 2023

1:45

The 22-inch Great Horned Owl has two tufts of feathers that stick up from the top of its head. This owl is difficult to see, but it's often heard …

Kererū: Pigeons That Get Tipsy

December 4th, 2023

1:38

Kererū, green-blue pigeons native to New Zealand, like to sun themselves after dining on fruit. But in warm summer months, the bird’s sunbathing has a surprising side-effect. A part of their digestive system called the …

Listening to Nuthatches

December 3rd, 2023

1:45

Nuthatches rank high on the list of favorite backyard birds. Compact and stub-tailed, they climb down tree trunks and along the underside of branches with comical ease. One at a time, they flit in for suet and sunflower …

Why Penguin Feathers Don't Freeze

December 2nd, 2023

1:41

Gentoo Penguins live in the frigid waters of the Atlantic. Only recently have scientists begun to unravel why penguin feathers don’t freeze. An electron microscope revealed tiny pores on the feathers that trap air, …

Ontario’s Birdhouse City

December 1st, 2023

1:42

Driving down a country road in eastern Ontario, there’s a surprising sight by the roadside: dozens of vibrantly coloured, eclectic birdhouses sitting …

Building Nature Trails Accessible to Blind People

November 30th, 2023

1:45

When Juan Pablo Culasso spends time outside, he often encounters people thinking he doesn’t belong out there as a blind person – despite the fact …

Swans Come Calling

November 29th, 2023

1:45

Trumpeter Swans land in a plowed field to forage for remnant potatoes, grain, and other waste crops. This swan is among the largest of all waterfowl; the Tundra Swan is somewhat smaller. These swans migrate in family …

Giant Owls of Cuba

November 28th, 2023

1:45

The Cuban Giant Owl, now extinct, was 3½ feet tall and weighed 20 pounds — the largest of all known owls. It had very small wings, running after its …

A Library of Feathers

November 27th, 2023

1:45

Esha Munshi co-founded the Feather Library, a digital library that collects and documents the feathers of Indian birds. Launched in 2021, the library …

A Pigeon-eyed View of the World

November 26th, 2023

1:45

Pigeons — and other birds with eyes on the sides of their heads — have a different view of the world from that of creatures with forward-facing eyes. The images from a pigeon’s eyes overlap slightly, so the bird can see …

Common Redpoll

November 25th, 2023

1:45

The tiny Common Redpoll, one of the smallest members of the finch family, weighs only as much as four pennies, yet it survives the cold and darkness …

Female Birds Sing in the Tropics

November 24th, 2023

1:45

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 …

What's with the Wattles?

November 23rd, 2023

1:45

Birds like male turkeys or barnyard roosters have a wrinkly, bumpy flap of red skin called a wattle. But what are wattles for? Birds can’t sweat, so wattles help release excess heat. Wattles are also key to courtship …

The Jay Game

November 22nd, 2023

1:45

Many jays, including this California Scrub-Jay, store food for sustenance in harsher seasons. An individual bird may cache nuts, insects, and even worms in several thousand spots. If jays visit your yard, here’s a game …

The Red Warbler: Mexico’s Little Red Queen

November 21st, 2023

1:45

Red Warblers only sing on sunny mornings during the breeding season — so hearing their song is as good as checking the weather forecast. Weighing less than a triple A battery, Red Warblers are endemic to the highlands …

Bill Shape Equals Food Source

November 20th, 2023

1:45

A fine woodworker has a chest full of tools, each designed for a specific task. Birds also have highly refined tools-their bills. The size and shape …

Fairy-Wrens - To Duel or Duet?

November 19th, 2023

1:45

The Red-backed Fairy-Wren, a tiny songbird living the Australian scrublands, is highly territorial and promiscuous. The male can’t be sure the eggs in his nest are his own. One way to help avoid this problem? The male …

How Long Does a Robin Live?

November 18th, 2023

1:45

If a young American Robin survives its first winter, its chances of survival go up. But robins still don’t live very long. The oldest robins in your …

The Love of Birds is Contagious

November 17th, 2023

1:45

When BirdNote’s Executive Director Nick Bayard joined BirdNote, he knew it would involve sharing the joy and wonder of birds with our listeners, but …

BirdNote’s Chirpy Cheerful Theme Song

November 16th, 2023

1:45

Listeners are always curious about the origin of BirdNote's theme song. In this show, learn how Grammy-Award winning artist Nancy Rumbel and the BirdNote team created the theme. BirdNote is an independent nonprofit …

Let the Birds do the Talking

November 15th, 2023

1:45

BirdNote is an independent nonprofit organization, and this week, we’re asking you to support BirdNote with a donation at birdnote.org. But today, rather than tell you all the great things about BirdNote, we’re going to …

Behind the Scenes

November 14th, 2023

1:45

It takes a lot to bring you the rich sounds of birds yodeling, cooing, and screeching to you each day. It's a meticulous process of researching, …

Join the Flock

November 13th, 2023

1:45

Songbirds in winter flocks benefit from having other birds nearby. They can recognize warning signals from other species and follow them to sources …

Loggerhead Shrike

November 12th, 2023

1:45

Loggerhead Shrikes are found across much of the United States in open country, like pasture and sagebrush. Male shrikes are well known for impaling their prey on thorns, creating a larder that may help impress potential …

Migrations: Veeries Predict Hurricanes

November 11th, 2023

1:45

In some years, tawny-colored thrushes called Veeries cut their breeding season short. Researchers discovered that Veeries tend to stop breeding early …

Decibels Per Gram

November 10th, 2023

1:45

Some of the tiniest birds in the world have impressively loud voices. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet — that bright-headed sprite of the treetops — would be …

Common Potoo: Branch or Bird?

November 9th, 2023

1:45

Common Potoos are champions of camouflage. In the daytime these nocturnal creatures perch perfectly still on branches: heads pointed upward, bodies outstretched, and eyes closed down to tiny slits. It’s hard to tell …

Providing Water for Birds

November 8th, 2023

1:45

From chickadees to Cooper’s Hawks, most birds love a good bath. Some birds get the fluids they need from their food, but many birds need a drink at least twice a day. Water is essential for birds, and supplying clean …

The Striped Owl: A Yelling Owl

November 7th, 2023

1:45

Striped Owls are known for their diverse vocalizations. Their repertoire includes deep hoots, eerie screeches, and a range of calls that help give an otherworldly ambiance to  tropical rainforests from Southern Mexico …

Using Machine Learning to Forecast Bird Migration

November 6th, 2023

1:45

PhD student Mikko Jimenez and his colleagues are using machine learning to improve our ability to forecast bird migration. Machine learning is a type …

What the Pacific Wren Hears

November 5th, 2023

1:45

What does the Pacific Wren hear in a song? It's a long story. What we hear as a blur of sound, the bird hears as a precise sequence of sounds, the visual equivalent of seeing a movie as a series of still pictures. That …

Urban Cooper’s Hawks

November 4th, 2023

1:45

Next time you’re in the city, look up. When pigeons are wheeling, you might just see a different bird in pursuit. The Cooper’s Hawk, once known as the “chicken hawk,” used to be in steep decline due to hunting and the …

Birding for a Better World

November 3rd, 2023

1:45

Molly Adams founded the Feminist Bird Club to try to make birding safer and more inclusive. Along with coauthor Sydney Golden Anderson, Molly wrote a …

Roadrunner

November 2nd, 2023

1:45

The Greater Roadrunner is a common species in the desert and brush country of the Southwest, but its full range reaches from California to western …

The Music of Birds Migrating in the Night

November 1st, 2023

1:45

Ornithologist Bill Evans has helped us better understand the sounds that birds make as they migrate at night. Known as nocturnal flight calls, many …

The Vampire Finch

October 31st, 2023

1:45

Vampire Ground-Finches menace their victims in broad daylight, stabbing holes in their flesh, then devouring the blood. During the dry season, when …

There’s More Than One Way to Climb a Tree

October 30th, 2023

1:37

No bird is better adapted for climbing up a tree trunk than a woodpecker. The foot of this Pileated Woodpecker is ideal for clinging, and its relatively short legs allow it to anchor itself securely. When traveling …

How a Bird Came to Look Like a Caterpillar

October 29th, 2023

1:45

The Cinereous Mourner is a small, ashy-gray bird that lives in the forest understory of the Amazon Basin. And it’s taking mimicry to the next level: when viewed from above, lying alone in its cup-shaped nest, its chick …

What Makes an Efficient Flying Bird?

October 28th, 2023

1:36

Every bird species uses its wings a little differently, and some are specialized for highly efficient flight. But that means going without other abilities. Swallows and hummingbirds (like this Talamanca …

Surfing with Scoters

October 27th, 2023

1:45

Surf Scoters are perfectly at home in the element they’re named for. They swim smack in the middle of what surfers call the impact zone: Just where …

The Birds of Yoga

October 26th, 2023

1:45

Pigeon Pose. Crow Pose. Eagle pose. Bird of paradise. Writer Trisha Mukherjee, who is also a yoga teacher, discusses the connections these …

The Sociable Weaver’s Colonial Nest

October 25th, 2023

1:34

When it comes to nests, common sense suggests that large birds build large nests, and small birds build small nests. But in fact, some species of smaller birds build large nests. None, though, builds anything like the …

Ornate Hawk-Eagle: the Elegant Eagle

October 24th, 2023

1:42

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 …

Altitudinal Migration

October 23rd, 2023

1:45

Yellow-eyed Juncos sometimes make a migration of sorts — not from north to south, but from the high mountains to the lowlands or the other way around. It’s called altitudinal migration. In the warm summer months, some …

Strange Sounds

October 22nd, 2023

1:41

What an amazing array of sounds birds have to offer! The call of a male Yellow Rail sounds like someone tapping two small stones together. And Turkey …

The Crows’ Night Roost

October 21st, 2023

1:45

Crow experts think big communal roosts provide warmth, protection from predators, shared knowledge about food sources, and a chance to find a mate. …

Letter to a Kentucky Warbler

October 20th, 2023

1:41

In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham reads a letter he has written to a Kentucky Warbler, an “uber-skulky” species that’s hard to find but …

Hummingbirds - To Feed or Not to Feed?

October 19th, 2023

1:42

Have you wondered about the right time to remove your hummingbird feeders during fall? Consider leaving your feeders hanging for a week or two after you’ve seen the last hummingbird of the season, just in case a late …

Spark Bird: Thomas Poulsom and the LEGO Robin

October 18th, 2023

1:45

As he trained to be an arborist, Thomas Poulsom started developing two new interests: birds and building with LEGO bricks. After first building a …

The Return of the Extinct Little Blue Macaw

October 17th, 2023

1:41

Even if the name Spix's Macaw doesn’t ring a bell, you might recognize this bird. It’s Blu, from Rio, the animated film! Also known as the Little Blue Macaw, the species went extinct in the wild due to hunting for the …

Preserving John Edmonstone

October 16th, 2023

1:40

John Edmonstone was born on a timber plantation in British Guiana, and enslaved by Scotsman Charles Edmonstone. He learned taxidermy techniques by accompanying a naturalist on expeditions. In Scotland, he became a free …

Sungrebe: Baby on Board

October 15th, 2023

1:45

Birds have developed many strategies for protecting their young. But only one species can tuck its chicks into pouches under its wings, then fly the young to safety. It’s the Sungrebe of Central and South America. …

From Alaska to Omaha, Then on to Brazil

October 14th, 2023

1:45

Blackpoll Warblers make one of the longest migrations taken by a songbird in the world. Blackpoll Warblers that breed in Alaska fly southeast in the …

Letter to an Olive-sided Flycatcher

October 13th, 2023

1:45

In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham reads a letter he has written to an Olive-sided Flycatcher, a beloved bird that he pleads with to visit …

Canada Geese - Migratory or Not

October 12th, 2023

1:42

It's the time of year that geese migrate south for the winter. Isn't it? So why are there so many geese still hanging around, setting up housekeeping …

The Ballet of the Grebes

October 11th, 2023

1:42

When a pair of Western Grebes decides it’s time to mate, they call loudly and approach one another. Each bird curves, then straightens, its long neck …

Ornithographies

October 10th, 2023

1:45

Photographer Xavi Bou creates incredible images of birds and their movements by combining his love of photography and technology with his love for …

Clean Nestboxes in October

October 9th, 2023

1:42

It’s a wistful moment when your backyard birds — like these Black-capped Chickadees — depart their nestboxes. By October, it’s time for one last duty …

Left Foot or Right? Handedness in Birds

October 8th, 2023

1:39

A parrot’s eyes are located on the sides of its head. So, if it wants to look at something — say, a delicious piece of fruit — it has to cock its head one way or the other do it. And if it looks with its left eye, then …

Emperor Penguins Launch from the Ocean

October 7th, 2023

1:45

These Emperor Penguins feed on fish and squid in the icy ocean. Getting into the sea is easy, but getting out is another story. How does a penguin …

Letter to a Pileated Woodpecker

October 6th, 2023

1:42

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 …

Ducks - Diving and Dabbling

October 5th, 2023

1:45

Autumn brings many species of wintering ducks and seabirds to our waters. Watch carefully. Some dabble along the surface, feeding along shallow edges …

Janet Ng on Surveying Waterbirds by Kayak

October 4th, 2023

1:41

Wildlife biologist Janet Ng works for the Canadian Wildlife Service. And for her waterbird surveys, one of the most important tools of her trade is a …

Bumblebee Hummingbird: The Mexican Buzzer

October 3rd, 2023

1:41

Mexico's Bumblebee Hummingbird is one of the smallest birds in the world. Less than 3 inches in size and weighing less than a bottlecap, they’re easily confused with a bumblebee as they buzz by. But as tiny as they are, …

Crows Recognize Individual Faces

October 2nd, 2023

1:41

To find out if a crow can recognize an individual human face, Professor John Marzluff of the University of Washington wore a mask while trapping, banding, and then releasing seven American Crows on campus. Later, when …

Migrations: BirdCast

October 1st, 2023

1:41

A blip on weather radar might not be a cloud — it could be thousands of birds! Biologists use radar to keep track of migratory birds, insects, and …

Hooded Merganser

September 30th, 2023

1:34

Hooded Mergansers, affectionately known as “Hoodies,” nest across most of the northern US and well into Canada. They’re especially prevalent around the Great Lakes, though some winter as far south as Florida. By …

Letter to an Eastern Wood-Pewee

September 29th, 2023

1:45

In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham reads a letter he has written to a wood-pewee, a flycatcher with an “understatedly simple and …

HawkWatch

September 28th, 2023

1:41

After hawks and eagles, some of the sharpest eyes belong to hawk-watchers, experienced spotters who count raptors during spring and fall migration. Groups like HawkWatch International organize census counts of hawks …

Strange Chickadee Songs of Massachusetts Islands

September 27th, 2023

1:38

The song of the Black-capped Chickadee pretty much the same throughout the U.S. and Canada — with just a few exceptions, like on some Massachusetts islands. Chickadees on Martha’s Vineyard and tiny Tuckernuck Island …

Monk Parakeets: Little Green-Blue Invaders

September 26th, 2023

1:45

Monk Parakeets, also known as Argentine Parrots, are native to South America but have become popular as pets – thanks in part to their intelligence …

Millicent Ficken Studied How Birds Play

September 25th, 2023

1:45

Millicent Ficken spent her career studying bird behavior and communication. The first woman to earn a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from …

Who Likes Suet?

September 24th, 2023

1:37

Chickadees and titmice, nuthatches and jays, and woodpeckers, like the Pileated pictured here, all love suet. As do birds whose beaks can’t open seeds, like tiny kinglets, and almost any wintering warbler. The Brown …

Brown-headed Nuthatches of Apalachicola National Forest

September 23rd, 2023

1:45

Many Brown-headed Nuthatches make their home in the tall longleaf pines of the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida. Twittering constantly, the …

Trailer: Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant

September 22nd, 2023

1:40

If you're enjoying BirdNote Daily, we think you'll love the podcast, Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant! Journey deep into the heart of the world’s most remote jungles, savannas, tundras, mountains, and deserts with …

Letter to a Dark-eyed Junco

September 22nd, 2023

1:40

In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham shares a note he has written to a Dark-eyed Junco, which he fondly nicknames “snowbird.”

More info and …

The Power of Albatross Partnerships

September 21st, 2023

1:45

Waved Albatrosses produce such slow-growing, needy offspring that females lay only a single egg every two years. And both parents need to share the load until youngsters can hunt on their own. Albatrosses tend to pair …

Mair Marsiglio on Therapeutic Bird Walks

September 20th, 2023

1:40

Mair Marsiglio is an avid birder, and they are also a psychologist with a background in trauma therapy. A few years ago Dr. Marsiglio worked with the …

Resplendent Quetzal: Mexico’s Sacred Bird

September 19th, 2023

1:45

Found in Southern Mexico and Central America, Resplendent Quetzals have a striking blue tail up to three times the length of their bodies. That's probably why the Aztecs considered this bird a representation of …

Finches Singing Over the Sidewalk

September 18th, 2023

1:41

The songs of two common finches provide a steady soundtrack in cities across North America: the House Finch and the American Goldfinch. While they …

Nesting Niches

September 17th, 2023

1:45

American Robins (like this male seen here with its young), House Finches, and Song Sparrows may all nest within one small garden. By selecting different nesting strata, the species avoid competing for the same nesting …

Raptors in the Mojave Desert

September 16th, 2023

1:45

Desert raptors get most of their water from eating prey animals. Biologist Blair Wolf explains, “if you think of any insect or a mouse or something …

Climate Change Leads Male Birds to Migrate Sooner

September 15th, 2023

1:41

For years, biologists have been seeing migratory birds arriving earlier in the spring due to the effects of climate change. But surprisingly, the …

Amazing Aquatic American Dipper

September 14th, 2023

1:42

The American Dipper stands on a rock in a stream, bobbing up and down on its long legs - "dipping" - hence the name. But watch! This nondescript bird …

Seeing the Rainbow in a Bird’s Feathers

September 13th, 2023

1:45

We make it a habit to detail the broad and beautiful spectrum of bird colors, but iridescent feathers are undoubtedly among the most mesmerizing. …

Kelp in the Eagles’ Nest

September 12th, 2023

1:30

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 …

Woodpeckers Carve Out Roost Cavities, Too

September 11th, 2023

1:45

In spring, we often hear woodpeckers hard at work, carving out nest holes in tree trunks. And now that fall has arrived, we may hear that excavating …

Migration Takes Guts — Until It Doesn’t

September 10th, 2023

1:41

This Bar-tailed Godwit makes one of the longest migrations of any animal — a 7,200-mile non-stop flight each autumn from western Alaska to New …

Cowbird Song and Password

September 9th, 2023

1:45

As most young male birds get ready to leave the nest, they learn their species’ song by hearing their male parent sing it again and again. They imprint on their father’s song. So how does a Brown-headed Cowbird, raised …

Parrots Using Video Chat to Keep in Touch

September 8th, 2023

1:30

Knowing how clever parrots are, researchers wanted to see how they’d respond to another parrot saying hi on a tablet or phone. After being trained how to start a call, many parrots chatted amiably on calls and stayed on …

New Zealand Bellbird

September 7th, 2023

1:45

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, …

Juvenile Shorebirds Head South

September 6th, 2023

1:35

Like most juvenile shorebirds, this young Black-bellied Plover was abandoned by parents that began their southbound flights from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge a few weeks earlier. It will join other young …

The Private Lives of Public Birds

September 5th, 2023

1:45

Jack Gedney’s book, The Private Lives of Public Birds, is dedicated to the familiar birds we see and hear in our neighborhoods. Illustrated by Anna Kus Park, the book shares charming vignettes about the birds’ behavior …

Migrations: The Triumphant Comeback of the Aleutian Cackling Goose

September 4th, 2023

1:33

Aleutian Cackling Geese, which have a slighter build and shorter beak than Canada Geese, build their nests on a chain of islands off the western coast of Alaska. In the 1700s, fur traders introduced foxes to the …

Swifts Roost in Chimneys

September 3rd, 2023

1:30

What could bring crowds of people out after sunset on a September evening to stare at  ... a chimney? Swifts, of course! Scores of swifts form a …

The Alula

September 2nd, 2023

1:36

Adjusting the flaps on an airplane’s wing allows a pilot to control lift and drag — and the design of these flaps was inspired by the wings of birds. …

Birding with a Baby

September 1st, 2023

1:45

Writer Jen Sizeland has found peace through watching birds throughout her life, so she wanted that for her child, too. When she was pregnant, she sought to introduce her unborn child to birdsong. As a newborn, she and …

Migrations: Indigo Bunting, Master Stargazer

August 31st, 2023

1:45

The stars appear to rotate in the sky, raising the question of how birds can use stars to navigate during migration. Ornithologist Stephen Emlen …

Birds Love Sunflowers

August 30th, 2023

1:39

Found throughout North America, the common sunflower can grow up to ten feet high, towering over other herbs and grasses. And that’s only half the story: their roots can reach just as deep in the soil. They’re rugged, …

The Harsh Beauty of Grackle Songs

August 29th, 2023

1:41

Ranging from metallic hisses to electronic yodels, sounds of grackles may not be music to our ears—but they have their own rough beauty, a …

Moon-Watching for Migrating Birds

August 28th, 2023

1:45

Before the high-tech gadgets used to track bird migration today, there was moon-watching: a technique dreamed up in the 1940s by ornithologist George …

Watching Birds' Behavior

August 27th, 2023

1:40

To distinguish one bird from a similar one, watch how the bird moves. Does it flick its wings? Bob up and down? Flip its tail? The White-breasted Nuthatch (right) works its way down the trunk of a tree, while the Brown …

Where Do Fledglings Go?

August 26th, 2023

1:39

By late summer, most birds hatched in spring are on their own, without help from their parents. Where do they go? Young migratory birds will head south in late summer or fall, in the pattern of their species. But most …

Arizona Woodpecker and the Sierra Madre

August 25th, 2023

1:45

Found in the Sierra Madre, the Arizona Woodpecker has a special connection to the mountain range. Sharing mid-elevation pine and oaks with fellow border straddlers, these small brown birds with white and brown cheeks …

Do Crows Sing?

August 24th, 2023

1:36

It’s been said that if someone knows only three birds, one of them will be the crow. They’re common, easy to see, and even easier to hear. But crow voices are complicated. Altogether, crows may use 30 sound elements in …

Southern Lapwings Defend Their Nest

August 23rd, 2023

1:45

Nature educator Johanne Ryan shares her observations of Southern Lapwings, shorebirds that make their nests on the ground in open areas and vigorously defend them. If a potential predator approaches, the parent will …

Why Do Some Birds Flock?

August 22nd, 2023

1:32

When birds like these Dunlin form flocks, each individual is less likely to be captured by a predator. Some shorebirds that forage with their heads down, like godwits, will flock with birds that forage with their heads …

A Song That Has Survived for Thousands of Years

August 21st, 2023

1:42

Sometimes, a species’ song changes over the course of a few decades. But a bird that lives in the mountains of eastern Africa, the Forest …

Pigeons and Head-bobbing

August 20th, 2023

1:45

Pigeons seem to bob their heads as they move, like they’re grooving to an internal tune. But what look like head bobs are actually momentary pauses of the head while they walk. Their eyes are fixed in their sockets, so …

Clair de Loon

August 19th, 2023

1:45

August 22 is the birthday of renowned French composer, Claude Debussy. Born in 1862, Debussy is known for his impressionistic sonic portraits, like La Mer, about the sea. But one of his best known works is an earlier …

Birds Crossing the Pacific

August 18th, 2023

1:42

Over 12,000 miles across at its widest point, you might think the Pacific Ocean is a barrier that even high-flying birds can’t cross. Think again – some species make the trip every year as part of their life cycle. …

Bellbirds Turn It Up to 11

August 17th, 2023

1:45

The four species of South American bellbirds can make a real racket, including this Bearded Bellbird. Hidden in the tree canopy, males cannot see one another as they sing — but they sure can hear each other! Their …

Lilli Holden on the Ecology of Vacant Lots

August 16th, 2023

1:45

In her grandmother’s neighborhood in Chicago, Lilli Holden made an early connection with the outdoors by playing in a vacant lot with a large old …

What's Behind Those Lustrous Red Feathers?

August 15th, 2023

1:45

Male Northern Cardinals, Scarlet Tanagers, and House Finches all have striking red plumage that’s thought to play a role in attracting mates. Males …

Some Birds Have Two Voices

August 14th, 2023

1:45

The amazing vocal organ found in most birds, the syrinx, has two sides, with different sets of muscles and nerves controlling each side.  That lets …

The Most Abundant Birds in North America

August 13th, 2023

1:43

By August, most birds in North America have finished nesting, bringing billions of new birds into the world. So many birds. It might make you wonder: what is the most abundant bird in North America?

More info and …

The Best Nest

August 12th, 2023

1:45

Some birds woo a mate by building the best nest. Males of many weaverbird species construct a series of intricately woven nests to impress a …

Andean Condors Soar for Hours Without Flapping

August 11th, 2023

1:38

In the blue skies over the Andes Mountains, Andean Condors look majestic, with a ten-foot wingspan. While flying, according to researchers from Argentina and the UK, Andean Condors only flap one percent of the time. One …

Ospreys Never Stop Building

August 10th, 2023

1:31

Ospreys are remarkable nest builders. Many reuse their massive stick nests from the previous year, but continue tinkering with it once the nesting season begins. And the nest transforms along with the growing chicks. …

Great Horned Owls in the Neighborhood

August 9th, 2023

1:45

Not all owls live in the deep woods. Many Great Horned Owls make their homes in urban areas. Though mostly nocturnal, Great Horned Owls are also active early in the morning and just after sunset, offering a chance to …

Pheasants of Detroit

August 8th, 2023

1:45

Because of its abundant open space, Detroit, Michigan has a thriving ring-necked pheasant population. The birds have endeared themselves to many by …

Finding the Links Between Plants and Birds

August 7th, 2023

1:36

There are many great tools for identifying birds, some of them right on your phone. If you’re stumped on an unfamiliar plant species, iNaturalist is …

Creating an Inviting Habitat

August 6th, 2023

1:31

Bird feeders and birdbaths are great ways to attract birds to your yard, but they aren’t the only ways to entice our feathered friends. Planting an area densely with native shrubs, trees, and other vegetation can create …

Blind Snakes and Screech-Owls

August 5th, 2023

1:41

During the breeding season, when Eastern Screech-Owls capture the worm-like reptiles known as blind snakes, they deliver them to their chicks alive …

Chickadee Line-up

August 4th, 2023

1:45

You'll find the Black-capped Chickadee across the northern US into Canada. The Carolina Chickadee holds sway in the Southeast. Hear the husky voice …

Great Kiskadee: Unconventional Flycatcher

August 3rd, 2023

1:42

An unusual flycatcher called the Great Kiskadee takes on much bigger opponents, sometimes even riding on the back of a falcon for a few seconds to drive them off. Chunky and robin-sized, kiskadees live along wooded …

Fruit as a Bribe

August 2nd, 2023

1:42

In summer, many shrubs bear fruit that birds find irresistible. Elderberries, serviceberries, blackberries, dogwood berries, mulberries, and currants …

Seeing a Chicago Beach in a New Way

August 1st, 2023

1:45

Mikko Jimenez is a PhD student doing research on bird migration. Growing up in Chicago, he played beach volleyball at Montrose Beach, a popular spot …

Sandhill Crane Families Stick Together

July 31st, 2023

1:45

Sandhill Crane families form a close bond. A pair of adults might travel north with their young from the previous summer, along with grown-up …

Sleeping on the Wing

July 30th, 2023

1:35

Some swifts and frigatebirds stay aloft for months. But for a long time, scientists did not know if the birds might be sleeping on the wing. A 2016 study provided answers. Tiny devices attached to the heads of …

Sparrows Sing in Arizona Monsoon

July 29th, 2023

1:45

Midday temperatures in southeast Arizona soar above 100 degrees during the month of July. But relief is coming. A summer monsoon refreshes the …

Stowaway Birds

July 28th, 2023

1:37

When they migrate, tiny songbirds that spend most of their lives on land fly hundreds of miles over the ocean at a stretch – and they get tired. A recent study suggests that birds migrating over busy shipping routes in …

Paradise-Whydah

July 27th, 2023

1:45

A few times each year, the Eastern Paradise-Whydah puts on its party clothes. This small finch is found in East Africa, and males and females generally share the same nondescript appearance. But when it’s time to mate, …

Magpie-Jay Flocks Are Led by Females

July 26th, 2023

1:34

Found in much of Central America, White-throated Magpie-Jay flocks are family groups led by a dominant female. They include a mate and several female offspring that bring food to the primary female and her young. It’s …

Birds, Nests, and Camouflage

July 25th, 2023

1:45

Bird nests can be hard to find, often hidden in plain sight. Is the clever camouflage simply the result of using building materials that the birds …

Great Blue Herons on Land

July 24th, 2023

1:23

Throughout much of North America, the Great Blue Heron graces waterways, ponds and lakes. They’re built for hunting fish and amphibians along the water — so it might be a surprise to see one stalking across a field, not …

Birds in Summer - The Heat of the Day

July 23rd, 2023

1:45

Just a few weeks past the solstice, and the real heat of summer is yet to come. Some shorebirds are already on their way south, but most songbirds …

Nest Boxes Help Bring Birds Back

July 22nd, 2023

1:35

Wherever you live, chances are a sweet-singing, cavity-nesting bird would be happy to perform in your yard — and it might stick around if you offer …

Architecture for Avians

July 21st, 2023

1:40

During her first year at the Yale School of Architecture, Kenyan graduate student Barbara Nasila was tasked to design a hypothetical outdoor pavilion …

The Value of a Dust Bath

July 20th, 2023

1:31

It might sound strange, but dirt helps birds scrub themselves clean. Birds of all sizes (like the Eurasian Skylark seen here) often scrape a depression in the ground and flick dirt onto their bodies, shimmying to shake …

Song Neighborhoods

July 19th, 2023

1:45

Birds of the same species don’t always sing exactly the same as each other. But those that live near each other sometimes have similar songs. Scientists refer to this pattern as a song neighborhood. It’s less like a …

“Clearing” by Camille T. Dungy

July 18th, 2023

1:45

In this episode, writer Camille T. Dungy shares the poem “Clearing” from her new book, Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org

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What Makes Feathers Both Strong and Light

July 17th, 2023

1:35

Bird feathers are famously light, but they’re also strong, holding up under tricky flying and high winds. They’re made of beta keratin, a tougher …

How Toucans Stay Cool

July 16th, 2023

1:45

The Toco Toucan of South America has evolved to stay cool in the sweltering heat of the tropics. Relative to its body size, the Toco Toucan has the …

Eavesdropping on Babies

July 15th, 2023

1:41

Around this time of year, many baby birds are begging their parents for food. A Hairy Woodpecker chick calls from its nest carved deep within a dying tree. A Great Horned Owl juvenile reminds his parents "Hey! I'm over …

Milkweed: A Whole Ecosystem on a Plant

July 14th, 2023

1:45

Milkweed plants are important to Monarch butterflies, which depend on milkweed to raise their caterpillars. But Monarchs aren’t the only ones who benefit from milkweed. Scientists once documented hundreds of insect …

Why Do Owls Bob Their Heads?

July 13th, 2023

1:42

If you were to stand face to face with an owl, including this Great Gray Owl, it would eventually move its head, bobbing rhythmically from side to …

Bill McKibben on Leaving Behind a Better World

July 12th, 2023

1:33

 Writer and environmentalist Bill McKibben has been pushing for climate solutions for decades. Now in his 60s, Bill’s working to organize people aged …

Grounded Geese

July 11th, 2023

1:45

In spring and summer, the paths around local ponds might have some fluffy obstacles: young goslings along with their caring and defensive parents. …

Seabirds Thriving on Volcanic Slopes

July 10th, 2023

1:42

In August 2008, Kasatochi Island erupted in the middle of auklet breeding season, burying tens of thousands of chicks in hot ash. At first, the auklets’ future on the island appeared bleak. But in just a few years, the …

Just Whose Ducklings Are Those?

July 9th, 2023

1:37

It’s spring, and a female duck swims across a pond with ducklings in tow. Some of the youngsters might not be her own. Wood Ducks and others may lay some of their eggs in other ducks’ nests — or in the nests of other

How Birds Produce Sound

July 8th, 2023

1:45

Nearly all birds produce sound through an organ unique to birds, the syrinx. In many songbirds, the syrinx is not much bigger than a raindrop. Extremely efficient, it uses nearly all the air that passes through it. By …

Music of a City Lake

July 7th, 2023

1:35

A city lake is one of the most prized places in a fast, growing environment. It’s also often difficult to distinguish all of the bird calls from each …

The Elegant Black Tern

July 6th, 2023

1:45

Elegant Black Terns breed in summer on secluded wetlands across the northern states and Canada. Because of major losses of wetlands in their breeding range — especially in Canada's prairie provinces — Black Tern numbers …

Isaiah Scott on Birds in Gullah Geechee Culture

July 5th, 2023

1:45

Isaiah Scott is a twenty-year-old birder who already runs a popular Instagram account called Ike’s Birding Hikes. He has a passion for learning more …

Bald Eagles’ Daredevil Cartwheel Flight

July 4th, 2023

1:27

Two eagles locking talons high above the ground might look like they’re risking injury, but it’s a normal courtship behavior called the “cartwheel …

Clean Beach Week

July 3rd, 2023

1:45

This week is Clean Beach Week. Many busy beaches are also where declining species such as Piping Plovers and Least Terns have their nests. Keeping litter off the shore helps make sure that birds don’t pick up plastic …

Megapodes - Mound-Builders

July 2nd, 2023

1:31

There’s a group of birds that lay their eggs underground — in geothermally heated burrows, or  warm sands, or even mounds of organic material warmed by the heat of decomposition. These megapodes or mound-builders — like …

Wetland Birds Thrive

July 1st, 2023

1:45

While nearly a third of North American bird species are in decline, many birds that depend on wetlands are thriving. Duck breeding populations in …

Traveling with Blue-winged Teal

June 30th, 2023

1:32

Noticeably smaller than Mallards, Blue-winged Teal wings have large patches of powder blue edged in emerald. Blue-winged Teal are long-distance migrants, traveling from nesting areas in Canada and the U.S. to South …

The Color of Birds' Eyes

June 29th, 2023

1:45

Peer into the world of birds, and eyes of many different colors peer back. While eye color isn’t tied to one group of birds or another, a common …

Dudley Edmondson on Black Outdoor Role Models

June 28th, 2023

1:45

As a kid in Columbus, Ohio, Dudley Edmondson came to love being outside, despite having few outdoor role models who looked like him. As he progressed …

Yellow Warblers in a Changing World

June 27th, 2023

1:45

In spring and summer, Yellow Warblers sing from treetops to stream sides. While their beauty and songs commonly light up our most vibrant months, …

Tree Swallows and Feathers

June 26th, 2023

1:41

Tree Swallows glisten in the June sunlight, as they swoop and glide, their arcs interlacing in the air. When a white feather flutters down among them, one swallow snatches the feather in its bill and flies upward, as …

How Many Eggs to Lay?

June 25th, 2023

1:45

When nesting, most birds lay a predictable number of eggs. Bald Eagles: 2. Bluebirds: 4 to 6. Mallards: 10 to 12. But how do they determine when they have laid the right number? To find out, scientists experimented by …

Seeds of Attraction

June 24th, 2023

1:42

What is it that draws us to a romantic partner? Birds have lots of ways to catch the attention of a mate. Most cranes duet with prospective partners for years before they begin breeding. Crested Auklets of both sexes …

The Lustrous Purple Gallinule

June 23rd, 2023

1:45

What’s the most colorful bird in the U.S.? The Scarlet Tanager? Maybe the Painted Bunting? Well, consider one more lustrous candidate: the Purple …

World Rainforest Day

June 22nd, 2023

1:41

Tropical rainforests are stunning places. Despite covering a small part of the Earth’s surface, they support half of the world’s biodiversity. The …

Incarcerated Women Helping Raise Butterflies

June 21st, 2023

1:45

This spring, Bring Birds Back host Tenijah Hamilton traveled to Washington state to meet up with incarcerated women who are part of the Sustainability in Prisons Project. They’re helping raise the caterpillars of …

California Condor

June 20th, 2023

1:34

During the days of mammoths and saber-toothed cats, California Condors thrived over much of the continent. Today, they're one of the most endangered birds in the US. The condor's main survival problem is high mortality …

Holy Chickens

June 19th, 2023

1:45

The modern chicken, a descendant of the Red Junglefowl, was domesticated thousands of years ago. But chickens haven't always just been farm animals. During the Iron Age in the Middle East, the rooster's morning call …

Black-bellied Plover, Arctic Nester

June 18th, 2023

1:41

In the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, June days offer almost continuous daylight to breeding birds, including this Black-bellied Plover. At this high latitude, Black-bellied Plovers can complete their breeding cycle …

Baby Birds Move Out of the Nest

June 17th, 2023

1:45

After they leave the nest but before they take flight, many baby birds - especially robins and flickers - spend time on or near the ground. If you see such a baby bird, and your first thought is to "rescue" it, the …

The Endangered 'Akiapōlā'au

June 16th, 2023

1:45

The 'Akiapōlā'au is a bright yellow bird with a black eye mask, found only in the upper elevations on the Big Island of Hawai'i. But its most distinct feature is its totally unique, uneven bill. The top of the bill is …

Cliff Swallow--Strength in Numbers

June 15th, 2023

1:45

Cliff Swallows gather in spring, in nesting colonies of up to 3,700 nests. Look for swarms of them under bridges, under the eaves of barns, or even …

Birds Need Water in Summer

June 14th, 2023

1:41

Summer is a crucial time to keep your backyard birds supplied with water for drinking and bathing. Birdbaths set at different heights serve a great variety of birds. A wide, shallow birdbath that deepens a bit in the …

Why Do Birds Flick Their Tails?

June 13th, 2023

1:45

The way that some birds flick, wag, or flare their tails can be distinctive. A flicking or flashing tail might suggest to a predator that a bird is …

Gull-billed Tern

June 12th, 2023

1:42

The Gull-billed Tern are terns with black caps and unusually thick bills– like a gull. This lets them eat more types of prey than other terns that …

Marsh Voices at Sunrise

June 11th, 2023

1:32

In marshes across the country, birds awaken on a summer morning. Tall dense grasses and reeds often make marsh birds hard to see, but their voices carry easily across the lush, green landscape. You can hear birds like …

Dry Tortugas Archipelago

June 10th, 2023

1:38

From a bird's perspective, the Dry Tortugas, a cluster of islands in the Gulf of Mexico, can be a life-saver. Millions of migratory songbirds fly …

Changing How You Hear the World

June 9th, 2023

1:45

We often hear from listeners that BirdNote has changed the way they see and interact with the world around them. It's had that impact for those of us who help make the show, too. There’s so much life and song and joy …

An Unlikely Burrowing Owl Boomtown

June 8th, 2023

1:40

The Umatilla Chemical Depot in Oregon, a landscape dotted with a thousand concrete bunkers, may not look like an ideal haven for birds.  But the site has taken on a new life — as a luxury subdivision for Burrowing Owls. …

Behind the Scenes

June 7th, 2023

1:45

It takes a lot to bring you the rich sounds of birds yodeling, cooing, and screeching to you each day. It's a meticulous process of researching, …

'Akē'akē

June 6th, 2023

1:45

Known locally as 'Akē'akē, the Band-rumped Storm-Petrel is one of the smallest and rarest seabirds that nests in the Hawaiian Islands. To protect the nests of these rare birds, scientists have to find them… but it’s not …

Birdnote’s Chirpy Cheerful Theme Song

June 5th, 2023

1:45

Listeners are always curious about the origin of BirdNote's theme song. In this show, learn how Grammy-Award winning artist Nancy Rumbel and the BirdNote team created the theme. BirdNote is an independent nonprofit …

Insects Are Essential

June 4th, 2023

1:39

Insects sustain our ecosystems, as a food source and pollinators of 90% of all plants. But their numbers have dropped by half in the last 50 years, …

How the Woodcock’s Journeys Connect Us

June 3rd, 2023

1:45

In this show, Marcus Rosten shares his involvement in a study of the American Woodcock with the New York State Department of Environmental …

Lilli Holden on Birding with Students in Chicago

June 2nd, 2023

1:45

Lilli Holden is an emerging environmental leader in Chicago. She visits local schools and leads students outside to see birds. Lilli says the …

Binoculars 101

June 1st, 2023

1:45

A decent pair of binoculars can considerably enhance your enjoyment of birds. In this episode, Dara Miles Wilson — a naturalist with Montgomery Parks …

Lauren Pharr on Being a Black Field Biologist

May 31st, 2023

1:45

For her PhD, Lauren Pharr took on a challenge: studying Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, which make their nests high in pine trees. But as a Black woman …

The Freedom Song: Harriet Tubman’s Barred Owl Call

May 30th, 2023

1:45

Harriet Tubman was a heroic abolitionist in the cause to end chattel slavery. She was also an excellent astronomer and naturalist — and an expert …

The Robin Rescue

May 29th, 2023

1:40

When Adé Ben-Salahuddin stopped to help a trapped young bird on his way home from work, he found an unexpected source of help: an older Black woman …

The Red-winged Blackbird

May 28th, 2023

1:45

The Red-winged Blackbird is the theme bird for this year’s Black Birders Week. Deja Perkins, who helps organize the event, introduces us to this species and what the bird represents to her and to Black Birders Week. 

City Gulls - Rooftop Nesters

May 27th, 2023

1:41

Juvenile Glaucous-winged Gulls are taking flight over downtown Seattle. In Chicago, young Ring-billed Gulls are heading for Lake Michigan. And before …

Barn Swallow, Natural Pest Control

May 26th, 2023

1:45

Barn Swallows have adapted to nesting near people, and build their cup-shaped mud nests in barns or garages, or on protected ledges, often near each other. The good news? These twittery, flittery birds love to eat the …

The Secretarybird: Eagle on Stilts

May 25th, 2023

1:41

The Secretarybird of sub-Saharan Africa looks like a slim eagle set on the long, slender legs of a crane. Secretarybirds can fly but prefer to hunt on foot, walking over 20 miles a day and dispatching their prey with …

Making Wind Farms Safer for Birds

May 24th, 2023

1:45

Climate change poses a big threat to all life on earth, and birds are no exception. Garry George is the director of the Clean Energy Initiative for the National Audubon Society, and he says that wind turbines are …

Voices and Vocabularies - Robin's Evening Song

May 23rd, 2023

1:41

During the day, an American Robin, a member of the thrush family, sings a lovely, familiar song of rich phrases. But as the sun begins to set, robin song takes on a different character. From sunset until dark, a robin …

Voices and Vocabularies - Songs Long and Short

May 22nd, 2023

1:41

When a Sage Thrasher, perched on a clump of sagebrush, tips its head back to sing, the notes rush forth. They often sing non-stop for at least two minutes. In stark comparison, the song of this Brewer’s Blackbird lasts …

Drinking on the Wing

May 21st, 2023

1:35

Many birds drink while standing — dipping their beaks into a pond or birdbath, taking a beakful, and then tossing their heads back to swallow the …

Western Tanagers Are Flashes of Bright Color

May 20th, 2023

1:45

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 …

Instrumental Bird Sounds

May 19th, 2023

1:41

Birds communicate with a fascinating array of instrumental sounds, and nearly all are made with their feathers or bills. The territorial drumming of a woodpecker - like this Black-backed Woodpecker - is one example. …

Júlia d’Oliveira on Recreating Extinct Animals

May 18th, 2023

1:45

Júlia d’Oliveira is a paleoartist who brings extinct species to life in artwork. For each species she illustrates, she learns everything she can about the species to come up with a realistic portrait. Júlia hopes her …

Don’t Separate People from Nature

May 17th, 2023

1:39

The environmental movement has historically been very white. As a conservation scientist for the National Wildlife Federation, Corina Newsome works with government agencies to make sure that conservation plans will …

Birds that Sound Like Cats

May 16th, 2023

1:45

Named after their distinctive cat-like “mew” call, Gray Catbirds are mimic thrushes, related to mockingbirds and thrashers. They can imitate a wide variety of noises, from songbirds to mammals to frogs. Noisy and …

Brooklyn's Blue Jays

May 15th, 2023

1:37

Brooklyn’s Prospect Park covers more than 500 acres — many of them covered in trees. One bird species that calls the park home is the strikingly …

Bee Hummingbird

May 14th, 2023

1:40

The Bee Hummingbird, found only in Cuba, is the smallest bird in the world. An absolute miniature, even among hummingbirds, it measures only two and …

The Eyes of an Owl

May 13th, 2023

1:41

Peer into an owl's face – there is something almost human about its large, forward-facing eyes. The Great Gray Owl, which stands two feet tall and weighs 2 and 1/2 pounds, has eyes larger than those of most humans! …

Chickadees Clean Up After the Youngsters

May 12th, 2023

1:45

Imagine this Black-capped Chickadee flying toward its nest, carrying fresh insects for its chicks. A moment later, it emerges with a tiny white pouch in its bill. The chickadee drops the object into the vegetation …

Working to Protect the Capercaillie

May 11th, 2023

1:41

The native pinewood forests of the Scottish Highlands are home to many species, but among the most striking is the Western Capercaillie – the largest living grouse species. Their future in the highland forests is under …

Parakeets Underground

May 10th, 2023

1:45

Burrowing Parakeets excavate deep nest tunnels in sandstone and limestone cliffs in Argentina and Chile. The colony’s many tunnels zigzag and …

Spring Birdsong in the Arctic

May 9th, 2023

1:41

Spring has reached the Arctic. Low-growing wildflowers carpet slopes of tundra, and arriving migratory birds begin to sing: Lapland Longspurs, Hoary …

Learning to Listen - Patterns in Songs of the Song Sparrow

May 8th, 2023

1:45

Heidi Hoelting, a musician, listens carefully to the songs of birds. In her piano studio at her home in the woods, she wrote down several variations …

What Are Birds Saying

May 7th, 2023

1:27

A bird’s crest is made up of a slender array of feathers on top of its head. These feathers are a bit longer and can be spiked up or slicked back, depending on what the bird is trying to communicate. Even birds without …

A Drive Along on a Bar Ditch

May 6th, 2023

1:32

In the rural Southeast, roadside ditches – known as “bar ditches” – carry on for miles. The term bar ditch probably comes from their construction, …

Great Horned Owl III

May 5th, 2023

1:39

This Great Horned Owlet - about 2-1/2 months old and already as big as its parents - is quite well feathered, although its underparts remain downy. …

American Kestrel

May 4th, 2023

1:45

The American Kestrel is the smallest, most numerous, and most widespread North American falcon. This bird is built for speed, its long pointed wings often bent back at the tip. While hunting, kestrels hover above an …

Pigeons Make Milk

May 3rd, 2023

1:38

Pigeons, one of the most ancient of domesticated animals, feed their nestlings a peculiar, milky substance, straight from the adult’s beak to the …

American White Pelicans

May 2nd, 2023

1:36

American White Pelicans have a nine-foot wingspan, nearly that of the California Condor. In summer, they breed mainly in the interior west of the United States and Canada, favoring shallow portions of lakes, marshes, …

California Quail, Up and Running

May 1st, 2023

1:45

The most distinctive characteristic of the California Quail is the black, forward-facing topknot that juts out from its forehead like a small flag. The California Quail – the state bird of California – builds its nest …

How Much Birds Sing

April 30th, 2023

1:35

A typical songbird belts out its song between 1,000 and 2,500 times per day. Even though most bird songs last only a few seconds, that's a lot of warbling! A Yellowhammer, a European bunting, may sing over 3,000 times a …

Thirsty Rufous Hummingbird

April 29th, 2023

1:45

Hummingbirds need to consume five times their body weight each day. This Rufous Hummingbird of the West is looking for flowering plants to quench …

Delhi’s Jain Bird Hospital is Free

April 28th, 2023

1:32

At Charity Birds Hospital, a small staff takes care of approximately twenty-six hundred  birds at a time, providing antibiotics, medicine, food, and a safe place to rest for injured or sick birds. The hospital is run …

The Plover and the Hurricane

April 27th, 2023

1:45

Piping Plovers are tiny, sand-colored shorebirds that nest on the beach. They’re threatened in much of their range. But plovers have gotten a boost …

Sean Hill on Nature, Place, and Black Life

April 26th, 2023

8:06

Poet Sean Hill performs three poems that encapsulate his dynamic relationship to birds, travel and life as a Black wanderer in the great outdoors. …

A Lost Hummingbird is Found Again

April 25th, 2023

1:45

The Santa Marta Sabrewing is a hummingbird species so rare, they’ve only been documented twice in recent years. Native to the mountains of Colombia, …

White-throated Swifts

April 24th, 2023

1:31

A pair of White-throated Swifts twists and turns, sailing through the air. Dashing headlong across the canyon toward an unyielding wall, the birds disappear at the last second into a slender crevice. This swift is aptly …

The Early Bird

April 23rd, 2023

1:45

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 …

The Legendary Phoenix

April 22nd, 2023

1:45

The ancient Greeks and Egyptians described a mythical bird called the Phoenix, a magnificent creature that was a symbol of renewal and rebirth. …

What’s a Field of Grass to a Bird?

April 21st, 2023

1:45

Although a field of grass might not seem like valuable habitat at first, many birds have adapted to nest in grassland habitats and nowhere else. In …

House Wrens and Dummy Nests

April 20th, 2023

1:37

There may be no busier bird during the nesting season than a male House Wren. Just a day or so after completing his spring migration from the tropics, the male House Wren claims a territory and checks out several …

Raising the World’s Deadliest Bird

April 19th, 2023

1:41

You might think the first bird species that humans raised in captivity would be a relatively small one, like a chicken. But evidence suggests that …

Spring Migration Across the Globe

April 18th, 2023

1:41

Each spring, millions of birds head north. From Ecuador, beautiful Scarlet Tanagers fly to the eastern US and Canada, many traversing the Gulf of …

Great-tailed Grackle

April 17th, 2023

1:45

Great-tailed Grackles live up to their name. The glossy black males trail their long, V-shaped tails behind them as they fly, almost like a plane towing a banner ad. And while not quite as flashy, the brown-feathered …

Brewer’s Sparrow, Sagelands Singer

April 16th, 2023

1:41

One of the most musical and complex bird songs in the US is that of the Brewer's Sparrow. It's a veritable aria, ringing forth from the sagebrush of …

Recycle Your Eggshells to Help Nesting Birds

April 15th, 2023

1:45

Female birds need to eat calcium to have enough of the mineral to lay their eggs. But it can be hard to find enough of it to eat in nature. We can help our backyard birds by offering them some extra calcium in bird …

The Eagle Eye

April 14th, 2023

1:27

Ever heard the term “eagle eye”? An eagle’s vision is incredibly sharp, and its eyes can weigh more than its brain. The secret to the bird’s exceptional vision is the density of visual cells – the rods and cones – of …

Magpies Help Each Other Remove Tracking Devices

April 13th, 2023

1:45

Tracking birds can be tricky — even with GPS technology. Around 70% of bird species are just too small to carry a GPS battery. But recently, …

Stefania Gomez - Swifts

April 12th, 2023

3:19

Each September, thousands of Vaux's Swifts roost in the chimney of Chapman Elementary School in Portland, Oregon, a stopover on their southern …

A Kettle of Vultures

April 11th, 2023

1:42

In the daytime, hot air rises as the sun heats the ground. The rising column of air is called a thermal, and it’s the perfect way for a Turkey …

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet Tunes Up

April 10th, 2023

1:35

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is one of the smallest songbirds on the continent, weighing in at just a little more than half a chickadee. Mostly green and hard to spot, it hovers in mid-air as it catches tiny insects. In …

Nest Building

April 9th, 2023

1:45

Want to try building a nest? Consider this... An average American Robin weighs less than three ounces. An average person weighs 170 pounds, or 1,000 times as much as a robin. A robin's nest, made of grass and mud, …

Cuckoos - Tent Caterpillar Birds

April 8th, 2023

1:39

One of two species of cuckoos in North America, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, pictured here, lives in broadleaf forests throughout the East and riparian stands in the Southwest. They were common breeding birds in the …

From Bobwhite Coveys to Pairs

April 7th, 2023

1:45

Throughout winter, Northern Bobwhites gather in groups called ‘coveys’ to search for food during the day and share warmth at night. These small quail arrange themselves in a circle, with their tails in the center and …

Monk Parakeets

April 6th, 2023

1:34

If you live in the U.S., parrots might seem like ambassadors from far-off rainforests. Especially since the Carolina Parakeet, a native species once …

Camille T. Dungy on Nature and Motherhood

April 5th, 2023

10:39

Writer Camille T. Dungy’s book Trophic Cascade deals with themes of nature and becoming a mother. The title is an ecological term, referring to the …

Rapid Evolution in the Galápagos Islands

April 4th, 2023

1:45

Scientists have long thought that new species took a very long time to emerge. This thinking has now changed dramatically. On an island in the Galápagos, researchers Rosemary and Peter Grant discovered that a hybrid …

Kari Sasportas on Advocating for Autistic Birders

April 3rd, 2023

1:45

For Kari Sasportas, who helps lead the Feminist Bird Club of Boston, birding is a way to become absorbed in the sensations of the outside world — …

White-crowned Sparrow

April 2nd, 2023

1:42

The White-crowned Sparrow pours out its song over and over on spring and summer days-and even on moonlit nights-often up to 15 times a minute. Now here's a curious thing: Just as people in different regions may have …

Spring Rain Refreshes a Desert

April 1st, 2023

1:40

Springtime in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in southeastern California. Cacti and wildflowers glisten with raindrops, and birds begin to sing. A House Finch, a Bewick's Wren, a Cactus Wren, a Mourning Dove, and …

Have You Ever Seen a Tom Turkey's Beard?

March 31st, 2023

1:33

With his brilliantly colored plumage fanned out in display, this tom (male) Wild Turkey is a handsome sight to behold. He has a bright red head, long …

A Natural Feast for Hummingbirds

March 30th, 2023

1:45

Hoping to attract hummingbirds to your yard or balcony? One way is to grow native plants. Native plants provide cover, and they offer nectar in spring and summer. They also attract insects, the most important part of a …

Kingbirds Steal from Wasps

March 29th, 2023

1:37

Kingbirds are robin-sized flycatchers that excel at plucking insects from the air. They’ll even tackle prey as big as cicadas. Finding naturally-camouflaged cicadas hidden among the leaves is hard work. But two species …

Robins and Earthworms: The Backstory

March 28th, 2023

1:45

When glaciers pushed south into what is now the U.S. around 20,000 years ago, they scraped off the soil layer and spelled the end of native earthworms except in the southern states. So the earthworm plucked by the robin …

Common Yellowthroat

March 27th, 2023

1:33

Common Yellowthroats are one of the most abundant warblers in North America. They’re adaptable birds, thriving in places that pickier warblers pass over. So it’s easy to find yellowthroats in urban areas. Check for them …

Responsible Birdfeeding

March 26th, 2023

1:45

A clean feeder is a life-and-death matter to some birds. To protect the birds at your feeder, clean it at least once a week, more often if necessary. Rake the ground underneath, too. Pine Siskins are especially prone to …

Fastest Bird on Two Legs

March 25th, 2023

1:45

Imagine an Ostrich, an Emu, a roadrunner, and the world’s fastest man and woman, all lined up for a race. Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt holds the men’s …

The Bobolink's Remarkable Journey

March 24th, 2023

1:32

As Bobolinks return to North America from the tropics each spring, they have good reason to sing with joy. The two-ounce birds have completed one of …

Melanin Makes Feathers Stronger

March 23rd, 2023

1:32

Many species have black feathers on the trailing edge of their wings, regardless of what color most of their feathers are. Birds as different as …

Birds Expanding the Human Imagination

March 22nd, 2023

1:45

Glenn Albrecht grew up in a “bird lover’s paradise” in western Australia. But when he saw how coal mining displaced communities, polluted the air and …

Squirrel or Bird?

March 21st, 2023

1:31

Identifying birds by ear means getting familiar with each species’ unique voice. And that means learning the other voices in the ecosystem, too. Squirrels and chipmunks make calls that can sound a bit like bird calls at …

Spring Bursts Forth

March 20th, 2023

1:45

People often say that spring “bursts” forth. But this seasonal change isn’t like flipping a switch. It’s more like a series of waves breaking slowly. Robins and bluebirds return north in March. During April, more …

American Woodcock

March 19th, 2023

1:38

At sunset, the male American Woodcock - a plump, robin-sized bird - walks slowly on short legs from the cover of the forest to a nearby clearing. After a few sharp calls, the woodcock takes flight. As it spirals upward, …

Zone-tailed Hawks Mimic Vultures

March 18th, 2023

1:43

Zone-tailed Hawks of the American Southwest look a lot like Turkey Vultures. And they often soar among groups of Turkey Vultures. By consorting with …

Pigeons Love Cities - But We Loved Them First

March 17th, 2023

1:45

Though some might see them as winged rats in today’s cities, pigeons have a long-standing bond with people -- especially in our urban environment. From Mesopotamia, 7000 years ago, to the urban skyscrapers of today, …

Spark Bird: Jerome Gaw at the Aquarium

March 16th, 2023

1:45

When Jerome Gaw got the chance to volunteer at the Aquarium of the Pacific, he was stoked. He'd loved sharks and marine life since he was a kid. But …

How Do Birds Brake from Flight?

March 15th, 2023

1:45

Birds are often admired for their ability to fly. But braking just in time to avoid a crash landing is amazing by itself. How does a robin go from …

Poisonous Birds

March 14th, 2023

1:45

The world is full of poisonous creatures. Some butterflies, beetles and frogs use bright colors to warn birds and other predators that they’re full …

Counting Ducks with Alison Vilag

March 13th, 2023

1:43

Alison Vilag has worked for half a decade as a fall and spring waterbird counter at remote migration hotspots around Lake Superior. For weeks, every day from sunrise to nearly sunset, Alison is outside in frigid and …

Drumming with Woodpeckers

March 12th, 2023

1:45

Like a jazz player beating out a drum roll, a woodpecker uses its bill to rap out a brisk series of notes. Early spring resounds with the percussive …

Bushtits

March 11th, 2023

1:33

Weighing about as much as four paperclips, Bushtits are smaller than many hummingbirds. And they take full advantage of their diminutive size. While …

The Chihuahuan Meadowlark

March 10th, 2023

1:34

In 2022, ornithologists recognized the Chihuahuan Meadowlark as a separate species rather than a subspecies of the Eastern Meadowlark. Named after …

The Delightfully Odd Magellanic Plover

March 9th, 2023

1:45

The Magellanic Plover is known for being a bit of an oddball. These shorebirds have a round body like a dove and even feed their young with milk produced in a part of their digestive system called the crop — a rare …

The World's Most Abundant Bird

March 8th, 2023

1:42

An estimated 1.5 billion Red-billed Quelea live in Africa today, making them the most abundant of all wild birds. The sparrow-sized Red-billed Quelea flock together in groups so large, from a distance they appear to be …

Black Swifts Reach for the Moon

March 7th, 2023

1:42

Tracking devices revealed that Black Swifts spent over 99% of their time in the air during the winter, almost never touching the ground for months. What’s more, the swifts flew to incredible heights, reaching the …

Adaptations for Flight

March 6th, 2023

1:45

Birds evolved not only wings, but many other adaptations that make it possible to fly. Feathers provide insulation, waterproofing, and a lightweight …

Birds Move from Fresh to Salt Water

March 5th, 2023

1:42

To hear a Common Loon in the wild during summer, you’ll need to find a northern, freshwater lake where a pair is nesting. But to find that same Common Loon in winter, you’ll likely need to look on a saltwater bay. This …

Sage Thrasher and Sagebrush

March 4th, 2023

1:45

The glorious song of the male Sage Thrasher rings out every spring from tracts of sagebrush throughout the West. Sagebrush was once widespread in the Great Basin region, and so were the thrashers. But huge areas of …

To Beta or Not to Beta

March 3rd, 2023

1:42

Male Lance-tailed Manakins pair up to perform choreographed courtship displays for females. Known as cooperative courtship, it involves one alpha …

Diving Birds Are Dense

March 2nd, 2023

1:37

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 …

Black-billed Magpie

March 1st, 2023

1:45

The Black-billed Magpie is a familiar sight throughout much of the West. The magpie's bulky nest is a rough sphere of sticks nearly three feet …

Dreading the Terns

February 28th, 2023

1:45

In June of 2022, Adé Ben-Salahuddin worked as a volunteer research assistant on a tiny island off the coast of Maine at a Common Tern breeding …

Northern Saw-whet Owl - A Bird with a Lot to Say

February 27th, 2023

1:32

For such a small owl, the Northern Saw-whet has a lot to say. And a lot of ways to say it. Males weigh about as much as an American Robin. And they send out at least 11 different calls, including “toot-toot-toot” …

Rough-legged Hawk

February 26th, 2023

1:45

After breeding on Arctic cliffs and tundra hillsides in summer, Rough-legged Hawks winter throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Open country is their ideal territory, where the small rodents they depend on are usually so …

Common Eiders Favor Close Relatives

February 25th, 2023

1:38

Some species of birds try to save energy by tricking others into incubating their eggs. But if the parasitic female is a related species, she may have an advantage. After studying the nests of Common Eiders, such as the …

Volunteer for Project FeederWatch

February 24th, 2023

1:45

Project FeederWatch is a community science project studying over 100 species of birds that spend their winters in North America. From November through April, people count the birds they see at a bird feeder, whenever …

A Heron Nest Starts with Just One Stick

February 23rd, 2023

1:41

During winter and early spring, Great Blue Herons build their nests high in the treetops. The male delivers the supplies to the nest site stick by stick, as the female arranges things. It’s the perfect childhood home …

On Pigeon Patrol at the Train Station

February 22nd, 2023

1:45

Vahé Alaverdian of Falcon Force, along with his Harris’s Hawk named PacMan, have partnered with the San Francisco Municipal Railway to deter pigeons from El Cerrito del Norte Station, where the situation had gotten …

New Sam Peabody

February 21st, 2023

1:41

In late winter, White-throated Sparrows erupt into song, easily set to human words: “Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody.” Or “Oh, sweet Canada, Canada, Canada.” But something changed since those classic memory aids were …

Annakacygna – The Ultimate Bird

February 20th, 2023

1:45

Like today’s swans, the extinct species Annakacygna hajimei and Annakacygna yoshiiensis were quite large. But unlike their modern relatives, these birds lived most of their lives out at sea, and their fossils reveal …

Wilson’s Phalarope

February 19th, 2023

1:41

If any bird is an anomaly, it’s the Wilson’s Phalarope. In a birdbook, Wilson’s Phalaropes are found among the sandpipers. But they forage while …

Feeding Frenzy

February 18th, 2023

1:45

It's late winter at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island, Florida. Many birds have finished nesting, and young birds are …

The Cactus Wren’s Signature Voice

February 17th, 2023

1:34

Most wrens in North America are small, furtive birds that stay deep in the vegetation. But the Cactus Wren is large, bold, and brassy. These wrens …

Join the Great Backyard Bird Count

February 16th, 2023

1:45

Over the course of four days in February, the Great Backyard Bird Count gathers heaps of info about birds all over the world — and helps people connect with their local birds. Anyone can participate with the Merlin Bird …

Protecting the Rimatara Lorikeet

February 15th, 2023

1:43

With brilliant crimson chests, green backs and blue crests, Rimatara Lorikeets are stunning birds. The last native population of the lorikeets …

For White-throated Swifts, Love Is in the Air

February 14th, 2023

1:45

For some birds, love is in the air. When a pair of White-throated Swifts wants to get to know each other, they meet up — on the wing — high above the ground. The birds grasp one another and, clinging together, tumble …

Salt Flats as Bird Habitat

February 13th, 2023

1:33

In the Salt Flats of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, the Indigenous Taino people found a way to harvest salt long before Europeans arrived. But this unique …

Double-jointed Hawks and Convergent Evolution

February 12th, 2023

1:45

Crane Hawks of Central and South America and African Harrier-Hawks both have legs that bend forward and backward. Each bird’s wonderfully peculiar …

Why the Black Skimmer Skims

February 11th, 2023

1:30

That’s not a distant dog barking. It’s a Black Skimmer in flight, at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. This striking, black-and-white bird with a red bill and red feet has a most unusual way of …

Participate in Project NestWatch

February 10th, 2023

1:45

Organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Project NestWatch is made up of volunteers around the world who monitor bird nests, reporting whether …

Small Birds Mob Big Ones

February 9th, 2023

1:36

When smaller birds join forces to ward off larger birds, it's called mobbing. This behavior — like calling your family for help — is used by many bird species. The best time to observe mobbing is spring and early …

The Mississippi Sandhill Crane Makes a Comeback

February 8th, 2023

1:45

While most Sandhill Cranes migrate, the Mississippi population lives year-round in wet pine savanna near the Gulf Coast. Their dependence on this …

Winter Birds Love Suet

February 7th, 2023

1:41

Birds at a suet feeder... What a burst of vitality on a chilly morning! What's the attraction? A cake of suet, suspended from a branch in a small wire feeder. Suet is beef fat, a high-energy food critical for birds' …

Renaming the San Pedrito

February 6th, 2023

1:29

The Puerto Rican Tody is a tiny green bird found only in Puerto Rico, where the species is called San Pedrito. But the scientific name for these birds is Todus mexicanus, despite the fact that they don’t live in Mexico …

Winter Birds of Southern Florida

February 5th, 2023

1:45

It’s winter in North America — a good time to head for the subtropical realms of South Florida and listen to the region’s birds, such as the secretive Mangrove Cuckoo pictured here. Rarely seen, it sings sporadically in …

Birds Are Evolving Rapidly - Today

February 4th, 2023

1:38

House Finches are evolving rapidly and visibly. In 1941, some captive House Finches from California escaped near NYC. They spread rapidly and are now …

Watch Animals Migrate with Journey North

February 3rd, 2023

1:28

An organization called Journey North consists of a network of community scientists who observe local animal migrations – everything from monarch butterflies to Gray Whales to birds. Observing these seasonal changes can …

Voices and Vocabularies - How Birds Sing So Loudly

February 2nd, 2023

1:45

When a Carolina Wren like this one sings, something remarkable happens. These birds can sing so loudly that you almost have to shout to be heard over …

Cranes’ Voices Across the Globe

February 1st, 2023

1:42

There are fifteen species of cranes across the globe, found everywhere but Antarctica and South America. During the winter, cranes forage and rest together by the thousands. Listen in to the voices of cranes from all …

Singing for Julián Chiví

January 31st, 2023

1:45

In the 1980s, mining companies made plans for huge open-pit mines in the mountains of Puerto Rico. An organization called Casa Pueblo successfully …

Turkey Vultures and Gas Pipelines

January 30th, 2023

1:38

Do vultures detect carrion by sight or by smell? The lightbulb moment came to ornithologist Kenneth Stager when a Union Oil employee told him of …

Great Blue Heron, Alone Again

January 29th, 2023

1:41

Great Blue Herons nest in colonies, in adjoining trees or with several nests in one tree. But by autumn, the adults and gangly young have left the …

Birdhouses in Turkey

January 28th, 2023

1:41

It’s easy to imagine that putting up a birdhouse or nestbox is a relatively recent practice. But in Turkey, it has a long history. Since at least the …

If You See a Bird with Leg Bands

January 27th, 2023

1:45

If you see a wild bird with a small metal band around its leg, that means researchers have given the bird a unique ID to keep track of it over the course of its life. You can report the sighting to the Bird Banding …

The Big Thicket - America’s Ark

January 26th, 2023

1:41

Tucked away in southeast Texas is one of the most remarkable enclaves of nature. Known as The Big Thicket, this region is home to ten different ecosystems, including cypress bayous, arid sandylands, palmetto thickets, …

Cuba’s Giant Eagles

January 25th, 2023

1:45

Thousands of years ago, giant raptors lived on what is now Cuba. Gigantohierax is an extinct genus of eagles whose fossils have been found in local cave deposits and tar seeps. With an estimated weight of nearly 30 …

Clever Nuthatches

January 24th, 2023

1:40

Of the four nuthatch species living in the United States, the most common are the Red-breasted Nuthatch, seen left here, and the White-breasted Nuthatch, on the right. The nuthatch's insistent call matches its …

Birds Winter at the Salton Sea

January 23rd, 2023

1:41

California's Salton Sea is hot and smelly - and it's also a Mecca for thousands of wintering birds. This inland sea formed when the Colorado River …

Northern Cardinal - Meet the Cardinal

January 22nd, 2023

1:45

Is there any doubt about the identity of America's best known red bird? Surely it's the cardinal or, as you'll find it in a bird book, the Northern …

Common Poorwills Can “Hibernate”

January 21st, 2023

1:36

Common Poorwills don’t sing much when the mercury drops. But they can do something else that is remarkable. As the winter cold deepens, these petite …

An Ever-Growing Library of Bird Sounds

January 20th, 2023

1:31

Most of the bird sounds you hear on BirdNote come from the Macaulay Library, a vast collection of over one million bird calls and songs curated by …

Woodpeckers Love Ants

January 19th, 2023

1:45

Woodpeckers, as a group, eat far more ants than most other birds do. Many other vertebrates tend to avoid ants because of their stings or because of the noxious chemicals they contain, like formic acid. But woodpeckers …

The Skatebirder

January 18th, 2023

1:45

Dave Mull is not your typical birder — he's a professional skateboarder, or a “skatebirder” as he puts it. He brings binoculars with him when he …

Identifying a Bird in Flight

January 17th, 2023

1:41

One of the most difficult skills to pick up as a birdwatcher is how to identify birds in flight. You have to sort through a series of visual clues …

Saving the Puerto Rican Parrot

January 16th, 2023

1:45

In 2017, Hurricane Maria tore through the island, causing widespread destruction for both people and for birds. The critically endangered Puerto Rican Parrot was devastated by the storm when they lost their food …

Thick-billed Euphonia - Deceitful Mimic

January 15th, 2023

1:32

Northern Mockingbirds can learn to mimic the sounds of just about any bird. They mimic to show off, not to deceive. But this Thick-billed Euphonia, a tiny songbird in South America, employs what scientists call …

King Penguins - World's Largest Kazoo Band

January 14th, 2023

1:45

While it’s still winter in many parts of North America, it’s summer in Antarctica. And the King Penguins are singing! Some form breeding colonies …

Help eBird Fill in the Gaps

January 13th, 2023

1:33

eBird, an online tool for submitting bird observations, allows scientists to keep track of birds around the world. eBird now has over one billion

Yellow-rumped Warbler - The Winter Warbler

January 12th, 2023

1:41

By winter, most warblers have migrated south. But the Yellow-rumped Warbler, which birders affectionately call “butterbutt” is a lesson in adaptation, notes Bryan Pfeiffer, a writer, naturalist, and educator who lives …

Spark Bird - Glenn Albrecht and the Gray Fantail

January 11th, 2023

1:45

Glenn Albrecht grew up in western Australia, where he became enamored with birds.As he grew up, Glenn witnessed how coal mining devastated the Australian countryside — and the birds that lived there. He’s since become …

The Song of the Canyon Wren

January 10th, 2023

1:45

The Canyon Wren makes its home on the steep rocky outcrops and vertical stone cliffs of the coulees and mesas of the West. The birds are found from …

BirdNoir: Staging a Bird-Murder

January 9th, 2023

1:45

In this episode of BirdNoir, the Private Eye sees some suspicious activity: a House Sparrow tries to steal a nestbox from Tree Swallows, but then flees the scene in terror. He stakes out the nestbox to see what the Tree …

The Music of Herring Gulls

January 8th, 2023

1:42

For some of us, it’s hard to get excited about gulls. But they are just as fascinating – and have as much to tell us – as other birds. Take the …

A Wide World of Crows

January 7th, 2023

1:43

Crows are found on every continent except South America and Antarctica. And while there are a lot of similarities, there are a lot of differences, too. Imagine a powder-gray crow with a pink beak. There’s one thing they …

Bohemian Waxwings Wander South

January 6th, 2023

1:45

In winter, when snow blankets the northern states, nearly all of the songbirds that graced the days of summer are gone. But there’s one special winter visitor that fills the absence: the Bohemian Waxwing. In autumn, …

The Acoustic Value of the Cloud Forest

January 5th, 2023

1:45

The Mashpi cloud forest in Ecuador grows where water vapor from the Amazon meets the Andes mountains. A lush forest home to over 400 bird species, it …

Ptarmigan Toes

January 4th, 2023

1:45

With its rubbery-sounding rattles and clownish red eyebrows, the ptarmigan is quite the stand-out northern bird. As winter approaches, the ptarmigan’s feet grow feathers, and its claws grow longer. All that added …

Meadowlark and the Monster

January 3rd, 2023

1:41

In this story from Nimiipuu culture, Meadowlark is likened to the ‘reporter’ of Western grasslands, singing its song from the tops of fenceposts and …

The Music of Long-tailed Ducks

January 2nd, 2023

1:41

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 …

Wrens from North to South

January 1st, 2023

1:45

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 …

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

December 31st, 2022

1:41

National Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is birdy at any time of year. But in winter, this mixture of cypress swamp and pineland comes alive with migratory songbirds. On a warm, sunny morning, birds are active all …

Catching Woodpeckers High in the Trees

December 30th, 2022

1:37

When scientists need to capture birds for research, they often use a mist net, a length of fine mesh strung between two poles on the ground. But what …

The Butcherbird

December 29th, 2022

1:45

The Northern Shrike breeds in the tundra and taiga of the north, but migrates south into the lower 48 for the winter. It has a pleasing and rhythmical song, which it sings even in winter. But its song belies a rather …

A Pigeon’s Eye View

December 28th, 2022

1:35

In 1907, a German pharmacist named Julius Neubronner invented the pigeon camera. It was a small camera strapped to a pigeon’s breast — like a …

Birdbaths in Winter

December 27th, 2022

1:42

Does the image of a frozen birdbath bring to mind a small yellow bird with ice skates? Birds need water in all seasons, for drinking and for bathing. When the water is frozen, you can thaw it with hot water. Or go the …

Moonwalking Manakins

December 26th, 2022

1:45

The Golden-headed Manakin is a tiny bird with dance moves that would turn a pop star green with envy. Johanne Ryan, a nature educator who lives in …

The Verdin’s Winter Roosts

December 25th, 2022

1:29

For small songbirds, surviving a cold winter night can be challenging. Their bodies lose heat faster than those of larger birds. So little birds have …

The Red-shouldered Hawk - One Gorgeous Bird of Prey

December 24th, 2022

1:45

Sharp, insistent cries signal the presence of one of North America’s most beautiful birds of prey: the Red-shouldered Hawk. There’s no mistaking this …

Spark Bird: H. Jon Benjamin’s Bird Reports

December 23rd, 2022

3:24

When the COVID pandemic started, comedian and actor H. Jon Benjamin and his family moved to a secluded house by a creek in upstate New York. And living there, he started to get really interested in birds. He began …

A Crossbill's Beak Does the Job

December 22nd, 2022

1:41

A close look at this Red Crossbill reveals a curious adaptation. The long tips of the upper and lower bill don't meet, but instead cross over each other. The Red Crossbill bites between the scales of a cone and pries …

The Rusty Blackbird’s Unique Beauty

December 21st, 2022

1:45

In the fall, Rusty Blackbirds get new feathers with reddish-gold highlights that have a unique and subtle beauty. Their complex little song might …

Earthworms - A Superfood in Cold Storage

December 20th, 2022

1:37

This American Robin has caterpillars and an earthworm in its beak. But which food source is the real prize? Everyday earthworms are higher in protein than beef or chicken. You’d have to eat about a pound of soybeans to …

The Wood Thrush as a Symbol for Inner Peace

December 19th, 2022

1:38

When we think of a bird to represent peace, many of us might think of doves. Deja Perkins, an urban ecologist, says that the Wood Thrush is the bird …

Piracy Among Raptors

December 18th, 2022

1:45

One bird of prey may steal another's meal, a behavior that biologists call piracy, or kleptoparasitism. The prey may change hands several times, …

Attu and Its Island-hopping Rock Ptarmigan

December 17th, 2022

1:44

Attu, at the western end of Alaska’s Aleutian chain, is home to the Rock Ptarmigan. Although grouse are not long-distance fliers, Rock Ptarmigans can cross open water, so they occur from one end of the Aleutians to the …

Greater Chicago’s Bird Diversity

December 16th, 2022

1:45

Judy Pollock, the founding president of the Bird Conservation Network, says the Chicago area is crucial to birds, and has a grassroots conservation …

The Benefits of a Raven's Black Feathers

December 15th, 2022

1:45

It turns out, a raven's black plumage works quite well in the desert. Black feathers do conduct the sun’s warming rays, but they concentrate that …

Birds Can Keep the Beat

December 14th, 2022

1:41

The Scaly-breasted Wren lives in Central and South America, and has a lengthy song of whistled notes separated by pauses. By analyzing song recordings, researchers found that Scaly-breasted Wrens can precisely measure …

An Owl Is Mobbed

December 13th, 2022

1:45

A pint-sized Northern Pygmy-Owl, not much bigger than a pine cone, hoots from a tree-top on a winter morning. Before long, this diurnal owl - a determined predator of small birds and mammals - will attract a mob of a …

Dave Mull and the Courage of Steller’s Jays

December 12th, 2022

1:45

Skateboarder and birder Dave Mull remembers the first time he heard a Steller’s Jay imitating a Red-tailed Hawk. “These Steller's Jays were …

A Bird Walk 65 Million Years Ago

December 11th, 2022

1:41

For today’s bird walk, we’re going to need binoculars, sunscreen, hiking boots, annnnnd a time machine. Let’s set our course for the late Cretaceous …

Of Grouse and Gizzards

December 10th, 2022

1:45

During winter, the Greater Sage-Grouse is wholly reliant on its namesake species — sagebrush — for both shelter and for food. Scientists call this …

Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers

December 9th, 2022

1:45

These Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers appear nearly identical, but the Hairy Woodpecker is larger than the Downy, with a distinctly longer bill. And it doesn't have the black spots on its outer tail feathers like the Downy. …

Clark’s Nutcracker and the Whitebark Pine

December 8th, 2022

1:45

Clark’s Nutcracker is a clever corvid that has a special relationship with a tree called the whitebark pine. The tree’s cones don’t open on their own, and Clark’s Nutcracker is one of the few species that can pry them …

Wing-clapping

December 7th, 2022

1:36

For most birds, wings are for flying. But for Rock Pigeons, they’re also for clapping. When the pigeons erupt into flight, some may slap their wings together above their bodies in a “wing clap.” A male Rock Pigeon will …

Puffling Patrol

December 6th, 2022

1:37

Just off the southern coast of Iceland, the Westman Islands are home to many of the country’s several million Atlantic Puffins. When puffin hatchlings, known as pufflings, get confused by the lights of the city, …

Wilson's Warblers Benefit from Shade-grown Coffee

December 5th, 2022

1:45

Early this fall, the tiny Wilson's Warbler began its long migration to Belize, where it winters. Navigating by the stars, the 1/4-ounce bird made a series of night flights spanning more than 2500 miles. This warbler …

Get Involved

December 4th, 2022

1:42

Go outside this weekend. Feel the wind in your hair. Listen to a bird. Discover a new park. Then get involved! Volunteer to lead your own bird walk. …

Diving Birds – Below the Surface

December 3rd, 2022

1:35

By December, an array of diving birds that nested at far northern latitudes are wintering on temperate waters across the continent. If we could watch …

Strange Places for a Nest

December 2nd, 2022

1:45

Birds are resourceful. Wherever they live, even in the biggest cities, they find clever places to build their nests. An initiative from the Cornell …

Are Northern Forest Owls Coming South This Winter?

December 1st, 2022

1:37

The boreal forest stretches across Canada and Alaska, a huge expanse of woods, wetlands and wilderness. And it’s full of magnificent forest owls that …

The Woodcock’s Silly Walk

November 30th, 2022

1:45

When it comes to silly walks, no bird outdoes the American Woodcock’s one-of-a-kind strut. It goes like this: take one step forward, then rock your …

Dowitchers Get a Second Wind

November 29th, 2022

1:36

The two American species of dowitchers, Long-billed and Short-billed, are similar in appearance but have distinctive calls. And they’re some of the continent’s most dramatic songsters. On their northern breeding …

New Homes for Cockatoos

November 28th, 2022

1:40

The alpine forests of Australia’s southeast are home to an iconic pint-sized gray parrot with a bright red mohawk, and a call that’s been described as a “flying creaky gate”. The Gang-gang Cockatoo has seen significant …

Why Birds' Feet Don't Freeze

November 27th, 2022

1:45

Have you ever watched ducks walking around in freezing temperatures and wondered why their feet don't freeze? And how do birds, including this Northern Flicker, sit on metal perches with no problem? Birds' feet have a …

The Avocets of Bolivar Flats

November 26th, 2022

1:43

The shallow waters and wide mudflats of the Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary northeast of Galveston, Texas, are alive with thousands of gulls, …

Spark Bird: Maya Higa and Bean

November 25th, 2022

1:45

When Maya Higa started interning at a zoo, she wasn't especially into birds — until she began rehabilitating a Red-tailed Hawk named Bean. Meanwhile, Maya was doing live-streams of herself singing and playing guitar on …

Titmice Lead the Way

November 24th, 2022

1:36

In winter, many songbirds join flocks made up of multiple species that travel around looking for food, benefitting from safety in numbers. But a bird …

Snake-Eagles Are Awesome

November 23rd, 2022

1:45

When a soaring Short-toed Snake-Eagle spots a delicious snake, it swoops down, grabs it with its talons, then tears off the snake’s head. Still on the wing, it swallows the entire snake, head first. Smaller than Bald …

Molly Adams on Birding with Long COVID

November 22nd, 2022

1:45

For Molly Adams, the founder of the Feminist Bird Club, getting COVID didn’t just mean a week or two under the weather. Like other people with long …

Bird Names in Meskwaki

November 21st, 2022

1:45

The poet Ray Young Bear writes in both English and Meskwaki, his first language. He says that the task of passing on Indigenous languages feels …

Return of the Snowbird

November 20th, 2022

1:41

You may see Dark-eyed Juncos in the summer, but come fall, many more — those that have been nesting in the mountains or farther north — arrive to spend the winter. These juncos often visit birdfeeders for winter …

Beaks and Bills

November 19th, 2022

1:45

A bird’s bill is an incredible multi-tool — good for preening feathers, building a nest, self-defense, scratching, displaying, building a nest, and …

Bringing Condor Home

November 18th, 2022

1:45

Tiana Williams-Claussen is a member of the Yurok Nation and Director of the Yurok Tribe Wildlife Department. In this episode, she shares the story of how the California Condor, known as Prey-go-neesh in the Yurok …

Partial Migration - Killdeer Play Leap Frog

November 17th, 2022

1:45

The cries of a Killdeer are familiar across most of the US during spring and summer. But where do they go in winter? Killdeer that breed in the southern half of the US and along the Pacific Coast are year-round …

Bears at the Bird Feeder

November 16th, 2022

1:34

In bear country, food left outside or uncovered trash cans can become irresistible targets for bears looking for a quick snack. But even if you’ve put away any human food, don’t forget about bird feeders. Bears are …

Geese in V-formation

November 15th, 2022

1:44

Autumn…and geese fly high overhead in V-formation. But what about that V-formation, angling outward through the sky? This phenomenon — a kind of synchronized, aerial tailgating — marks the flight of flocks of larger …

A Grandchild’s Song for Robins

November 14th, 2022

1:45

Ray Young Bear is a writer, musician and a member of Meskwaki Nation. He considers himself a word collector, writing poetry in both English and …

Three Worldwide Raptors

November 13th, 2022

1:33

Consider three species of raptors: the Barn Owl, Peregrine Falcon, and Osprey. They’re on every continent except Antarctica. Each has a specialized hunting prowess distinct from the other. They can fly great distances. …

Surf Scoters Stand Out

November 12th, 2022

1:36

Surf Scoters are large colorful sea ducks. The male Surf Scoter’s huge red-orange bill with its white and black spots really stands out. It is a …

Haley Scott on New York's Indigenous Landscapes

November 11th, 2022

1:45

Haley Scott lives in the Bronx, where she helps other people experience the joy of New York’s wildlife as a bird walk leader. But she maintains a connection with another community of birds outside the city, on the …

Boreal Chickadees Stay Home for the Winter

November 10th, 2022

1:43

Boreal Chickadees live in the boreal forest year-round. How do they survive the harsh winter? First, during summer, they cache a great deal of food, both insects and seeds. Then in fall, they put on fresh, heavier …

Wenfei Tong on Seeing Ourselves in Birds

November 9th, 2022

1:45

For biologist and writer Wenfei Tong, the line between people and animals has always felt fuzzy — or maybe feathery, in the case of birds. Wenfei …

Screech-Owls Go Fishing

November 8th, 2022

1:42

Screech-owls are opportunistic diners. In the Pacific Northwest, they’ll prey on small birds, crayfish, large ants, or earthworms. In Arizona, pocket …

Learning to Sing from a Blackbird

November 7th, 2022

1:45

Many years ago, when writer and musician Ray Young Bear was training his singing voice, he took a kind of vocal lesson from the blackbirds. “they have the most complicated song in the world — high pitches and low notes, …

Pulling Rank at the Birdfeeder

November 6th, 2022

1:42

Birdfeeders full of seeds or suet can spark nonstop action. Chickadees flitter in and out. Finches expertly crack one seed after another, while jays, …

Pelicans Go Fishing

November 5th, 2022

1:45

There are two kinds of pelicans in North America – the American White Pelican and the Brown Pelican. And they’ve evolved different tactics to catch …

Providing Homes to Purple Martins

November 4th, 2022

1:45

In the Southeast, on the lands of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw, Purple Martins nested in dried gourds hung up by Native Americans. This relationship might have developed because Purple Martins defend their turf, …

BirdNoir: The Squirrel Mafia

November 3rd, 2022

1:45

In this episode of BirdNoir, the Private Eye hears from his friend Danny, who is having his bird feeders pilfered by a pack of rowdy squirrels. While a determined squirrel thief is hard to stop, the detective gives …

Great Horned Owls Calling

November 2nd, 2022

1:45

A fledgling Great Horned Owl calls to be fed. Judging from the young bird's persistence, the parents seem to be responding only with calls, not with food. These entreaties can go on for weeks. Both parents let the …

Ray Young Bear on Meskwaki Spirituality

November 1st, 2022

1:45

Ray Young Bear, a writer and member of the Meskwaki Nation, says that birds are important to Meskwaki spirituality. He says the reverence that …

Who’s Afraid of Corvids?

October 31st, 2022

1:45

Of all the birds out there, the corvid family — the crows, ravens, and jays — might have the spookiest reputation. But this idea that corvids are spooky is far from universal — it's mainly in the Western world, as …

Frigatebirds - Seabirds That Can't Get Wet

October 30th, 2022

1:37

Frigatebirds are seabirds, but one thing you’ll never see is a frigatebird floating on the ocean. Why not? Because their feathers, unlike those of nearly all other seabirds, are not waterproof. Instead, frigatebirds are …

Designing a Spider Web to Evade Bird Collision

October 29th, 2022

1:45

One of the lesser known hazards of a bird’s life — when flitting from shrub to shrub — is collision with spiders’ webs. And when a bird flies through …

The Field Guide to the Birds of Colombia

October 28th, 2022

1:45

Arguably the most bird rich country on Earth, Colombia is the home of about 20% of all bird diversity worldwide. And there’s a lovely book published …

The Five Birds You’re Scared Of

October 27th, 2022

1:45

Author and bird enthusiast Ashley C. Ford says that it’s good to have a list of at least five birds that you’re scared of — like the six foot tall cassowary — just to keep you honest. “It's very important to humble …

Geese Whiffling in for a Landing

October 26th, 2022

1:41

Looking at a Canada Goose, you might not think their bodies are designed for fancy flying. But watch as a flock of geese comes in for a landing at a lake and you might be surprised. If the flock comes in too fast or too …

Meet the Blue Jay

October 25th, 2022

1:45

If we had to pick one bird’s voice to symbolize our Eastern woodlands, the Blue Jay’s voice would likely be it. And as a frequent visitor to back …

Spark Bird: Kenn Kaufman

October 24th, 2022

1:45

As a young child, Kenn Kaufman ventured into his neighborhood in search of the tigers, bears, and dinosaurs, but quickly found that Indiana doesn’t have those. So he set his sights on the next best thing: figuring out …

House Sparrows Can Open Doors

October 23rd, 2022

1:45

House Sparrows are ingenious birds that have learned a highly specialized skill: how to open automatic doors. House Sparrows have been seen activating electric-eye sensors to fly into restaurants, supermarkets, and home …

Powder Down

October 22nd, 2022

1:35

Hidden below the outer breast feathers of herons, pigeons, doves, tinamous, bustards and some parrots are patches of special down feathers. These …

The Firebird’s Bright Outfit

October 21st, 2022

1:45

You might have heard of the Phoenix, the legendary bird who bursts into flames and is reborn from its ashes. Well, its literary cousin is the Slavic myth of the Firebird, an elusive creature whose feathers burn and …

One Species Caring for Another

October 20th, 2022

1:34

In North America, the European Starling has gained a bad reputation for competing with native bird species for nest cavities. But researchers in Ontario, Canada, were surprised to see three Hairy Woodpecker nestlings …

Bird Sound Types and Qualities Part I

October 19th, 2022

1:45

Since it’s often hard to see a bird, veteran birders characterize the sounds of birds in order to identify them. So what words do they use? Well, they use “whistle,” for example, to describe the sound of this …

An Inclusive Approach to Bird-a-Thon

October 18th, 2022

1:45

Bird-a-thon is Massachusetts Audubon’s biggest fundraiser. Teams of birders spend 24 hours competing to observe as many bird species as they can, to encourage people to donate. But Meghadeepa Maity, who helped organize …

Birdability at the World Series of Birding

October 17th, 2022

1:45

Team Nuthatch competed in the 2022 World Series of Birding. The team was organized by Birdability, a group that promotes accessibility in birding, and consisted of people with different disabilities. Despite challenging …

Ravens and Crows - Who's Who?

October 16th, 2022

1:45

Is that big black bird a crow or a raven? How can you tell? Ravens (seen right here) often travel in pairs, while crows (left) are seen in larger groups. Also, study the tail as the bird flies overhead. A crow's tail is …

Here Come the Merlins

October 15th, 2022

1:36

Smaller than a pigeon — but fierce enough to knock one from the air — are the powerful, compact falcons known as Merlins. Climate change is pushing …

The First North American Wildlife Refuge

October 14th, 2022

1:45

In the center of Oakland, California, is Lake Merritt. People row in it, picnic and jog around it, and it's a place of respite within the city. And it hosts waterbirds such as ducks, geese, egrets, pelicans, cormorants, …

Listening in on Birds

October 13th, 2022

1:45

Collecting data on wild birds is crucial for their conservation. But it requires huge amounts of effort. One way to help streamline the process is …

Ancient Murrelet Migration

October 12th, 2022

1:41

We're used to birds migrating north to south and south to north. But the Ancient Murrelet migrates east to west and back across the North Pacific. …

Ranching and Birding in Uruguay go Hand-in-Hand

October 11th, 2022

1:45

In the Departamento de Maldonado of Uruguay, lives a biologist, Nicolás Marchand, who has been working with ranchers to make conservation and …

Leave the Leaves

October 10th, 2022

1:38

To help backyard birds through the winter, do less. Leave the leaves or rake them under plantings. The tasty insects and spiders underneath will be food for the towhee and this Song Sparrow. Don’t deadhead. Pine Siskins …

Acorn Woodpecker Granaries

October 9th, 2022

1:38

The Acorn Woodpecker is found in parts of the western US. It chips small recesses out of trees to fit the acorns it will harvest throughout the fall. A family of Acorn Woodpeckers may use this storage tree, or granary, …

October Migrants - Look Who's Back!

October 8th, 2022

1:45

In the October sunlight, a Lincoln's Sparrow – like this one – sings energetically from a hedgerow. Soon a Fox Sparrow chimes in. Both nested in …

What’s in a Name? A Bird!

October 7th, 2022

1:45

Names are conventions, right? But some names contain something special: a bird! For example, the name Paloma comes from the colloquial name in …

Protecting New York’s Piping Plovers

October 6th, 2022

1:45

Chris Allieri started the NYC Plover Project in spring 2021, after seeing people and dogs disturb plover nests at a popular beach. He realized how …

The Haunting Voice of the Common Loon

October 5th, 2022

1:45

The call of the Common Loon brings to mind a summer visit to northern lakes. A "yodel" call is given by a male on his breeding territory. With his neck outstretched, the male waves his head from side to side, sending …

Uruguayan Fields of Gold for Birds and Ranchers

October 4th, 2022

1:41

In the smallest South American country, Uruguay, in-between its two largest ones, Brazil and Argentina, lives Joaquín Aldabe, a biologist and …

Tykee James on Recovering America's Wildlife Act

October 3rd, 2022

1:45

Tykee James is a Senior Government Affairs Representative at The Wilderness Society in DC. Gridlock in Washington can be a real challenge to protecting birds, but a bill called Recovering America's Wildlife Act is …

The Hardy Harlequin

October 2nd, 2022

1:45

Some ducks don't sound like ducks at all. Some, like the Harlequin, squeak. Harlequins are unique in other ways, too. Quick and agile in rushing white water, they dive to the bottom of mountain streams for food, and use …

Green Heron

October 1st, 2022

1:36

The Green Heron forages on the banks of small bodies of fresh water. Relying on its plumage for camouflage, it perches motionless — body horizontal and stretched forward — waiting for small fish to come close. This …

The Birdsong Chameleon

September 30th, 2022

1:45

Found in Australian forests, male Superb Lyrebirds can mimic calls well enough to convince the bird they’re imitating that the lyrebird is one of their own! While males sing to attract mates, females imitate the calls …

Seabirds in the Desert

September 29th, 2022

1:37

The White-vented Storm-Petrel is a small black and white seabird found off the coasts of Chile and Peru. Storm-petrels spend their entire lives at sea, except when nesting. Scientists had long been mystified about just …

Woodpeckers as Keystone Species

September 28th, 2022

1:45

Woodpeckers - including this Northern Flicker - are master carpenters of the bird world. They're called "keystone" species for their crucial role in …

The Gulf of Fonseca’s Restaurant and Restoration

September 27th, 2022

1:40

The Gulf of Fonseca is shared between El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Ecologist Salvadora Morales studies best management practices in shrimp …

The Roost That Saved a Refuge

September 26th, 2022

1:45

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge was once where some of the country’s dirtiest weapons were produced, like mustard and sarin gas and napalm. The discovery of roosting Bald Eagles in the 1980s helped …

Dippers on the Elwha

September 25th, 2022

1:40

In 2014, the dams on the Elwha River in Washington State were removed. As the river ran free again, salmon from the Pacific were able to spawn upstream for the first time in 100 years, dramatically improving conditions …

Bird in Flight, Strong but Light

September 24th, 2022

1:42

The feathers of a bird are, for their weight, among the strongest structures in the world. The bones of this Magnificent Frigatebird weigh less than its feathers! To further reduce weight while maintaining strength, …

The Bird of Freedom

September 23rd, 2022

1:45

There’s a bird in Cuba with plumage in blue, red and white — the same colors as the nation’s flag. The Tocororo, or Cuban Trogon, is the national …

Hear White-throated Sparrows Learning to Sing

September 22nd, 2022

1:38

The White-throated Sparrow’s melancholy whistle is hauntingly beautiful. But when you hear an adult sparrow performing, just know that the bird …

Chestnut-collared Longspur

September 21st, 2022

1:32

The cheerful-voiced Chestnut-collared Longspur shares its northern prairie breeding range with grazing cattle. Although heavy grazing can have …

The Western Sandpiper’s Winter Migration

September 20th, 2022

1:45

Along the coast of Sinaloa in México, there are species of shorebirds with one of the longest migrations in the Western Hemisphere. One such species is the Western Sandpiper, here known as el playerito occidental, wants …

The Feminist Bird Club

September 19th, 2022

1:45

The Feminist Bird Club, or FBC for short, is a birding group that’s intentional about making sure people from all backgrounds feel welcome, says FBC board member Jeana Fucello. At this group’s events, birding and social …

An Albatross Surfs the Wind

September 18th, 2022

1:27

By moving from the faster high air to slower low air, or vice versa, an albatross can propel itself forward. In a series of sinuous loops, the albatross surfs the wind, up and down, repeating the pattern over and over …

Why Are There Flightless Birds?

September 17th, 2022

1:45

The ability to fly seems to define birds. But there are more than 50 species of flightless birds throughout the world — from the Ostrich and Kiwi to …

BirdNoir - The Hair Bandit

September 16th, 2022

1:45

 In this episode of BirdNoir, the P.I. gets a call from someone desperate over a bird stealing a tuft of her precious Pomeranian’s fur. The detective is able to ID the thief, a bird with so light a touch that it can …

Putting the Hum in Hummingbird

September 15th, 2022

1:45

To figure out the source of a hummingbird’s hum, scientists built a special rig to measure air pressure, twelve high-speed cameras, and over 2000 microphones to observe hummingbirds fluttering in place at an artificial …

Connecticut Warbler

September 14th, 2022

1:41

Connecticut Warblers nest in the northern boreal forests, migrate through the Midwest, and winter in the rainforests of South America. Even with all that traveling, you rarely see one of these birds. Though their loud, …

Inspired by A Lake and a Sister

September 13th, 2022

1:45

Marina Castellino and her sister Marcela share a love of birds, especially those living in Mar Chiquita, one of South America’s largest wetlands. …

Nuthatches Sweeping the Nest

September 12th, 2022

1:27

White-breasted Nuthatches aren’t the toughest birds on the block — but when it comes to their nests, they know how to put up defenses. Squirrels …

All Those Fish in a Puffin's Beak

September 11th, 2022

1:45

Puffins fly under water into schools of slender fish, filling their large beaks. Fish are wedged into the gape, the stretchy skin at the beak hinge, …

Snail Kite - Bird of the Everglades

September 10th, 2022

1:41

When Florida became a state in 1845, the legislature declared the Everglades, America's largest wetland, totally worthless. In 1905, Napoleon …

Warbler Migration in Ohio with Kenn Kaufman

September 9th, 2022

1:45

Every spring in Northwest Ohio, the shores of Lake Erie transform into a birder’s paradise. Birder and author Kenn Kaufman, who lives in this area, says that of the many species that migrate through here, one group of …

Catching Kori Bustards for Science

September 8th, 2022

1:45

In the animal world, large, charismatic species tend to get the most attention. But for the Kori Bustard, the largest flying bird in Africa, that attention hasn't translated to a ton of scientific research. Katherine …

Birds Can Eat Toxic Berries

September 7th, 2022

1:45

Many bird species can eat the fruits of plants that are toxic to humans —even the white berries found on poison ivy. These birds just aren’t sensitive to the compounds in the berries that are irritating or poisonous to …

The Wilson’s Phalarope’s Dance

September 6th, 2022

1:45

Marcela Castellino works as a conservation specialist for Manomet’s Flyways team, visiting wetlands, salt lagoons, and salt flats around Mar Chiquita in Argentina, one of South America’s biggest salty wetlands. She …

A Bird Migrates South, Step by Step

September 5th, 2022

1:42

Wood Thrushes migrate more than 2,000 miles each way, between their summer breeding territories in the US and Canada to where they winter in Central America. During migration, the birds will fly for hundreds of miles at …

The Fine Art of Dabbling

September 4th, 2022

1:32

Picture this Gadwall duckling swimming slowly across a pond, skimming the water’s surface with its broad, spatulate bill. This behavior is called …

Jaegers Give Chase in September

September 3rd, 2022

1:45

A tern or gull plunges headfirst into the water, then bounces aloft grasping a small fish in its bill. But before the bird can swallow its catch, a …

Bald Eagles Fledge

September 2nd, 2022

1:37

When young Bald Eagles fledge, the event is the culmination of nearly a year’s work by the parents. Let’s recap how it might have gone: male and …

Banding Birds

September 1st, 2022

1:45

Willistown Conservation Trust in Pennsylvania carries out bird banding to help researchers understand bird populations. Led by licensed bird banders, …

Including Female Birds in Conservation Plans

August 31st, 2022

1:45

For many species of birds, scientists know more about the males than the females. And that’s a problem when making a conservation plan for a species that maps out which habitats to protect. Joanna Wu, a PhD student at …

Male Mallards Disappear

August 30th, 2022

1:40

By late summer, the male Mallard’s need for fancy feathers to attract the females has passed. These birds have molted, and their bright feathers are …

Owls Migrate, Too

August 29th, 2022

1:45

When you think of bird migrations, you might think of a bluebird or a robin first. But some owls do migrate – such as the Short-eared Owl, which flies south for the winter. Northern Saw-whet Owls were once thought …

Cedar Waxwings - Sleek and Handsome

August 28th, 2022

1:41

When courting in spring, male and female Cedar Waxwings communicate with distinctly different calls and, perched side by side, often pass back and forth between them a berry or other small fruit or even a flower petal. …

Jays Identify Good Nuts by Shaking Them

August 27th, 2022

1:38

Some birds stash unopened seeds for use later. But how do they know which seeds are worth the trouble, before expending the energy to open them? A …

At the Escarpment

August 26th, 2022

1:45

Long, upward slopes called escarpments offer a good chance of seeing some of the many raptor species found in Belize. Shaped like a compact Red-tailed Hawk, White Hawks are white overall with black markings and scan the …

August Molt

August 25th, 2022

1:45

By August, many birds have just completed the intense rigors of nesting and raising young and now undergo a complete molt. Molt is a cyclic process …

Ding-dong Ditched!

August 24th, 2022

1:45

In this episode of BirdNoir, the P.I. gets a call from Mrs. Pico, a friendly woman who always has homemade cookies ready for visitors. But someone’s playing a trick on her: knocking on the door and then disappearing! …

What Osprey Chicks Reveal About Pollution

August 23rd, 2022

1:45

Biologist Erick Greene has been taking blood samples from Osprey chicks in northwest Montana for years. Ospreys eat fish, so toxins in the water …

Protecting Petrels that Live on a Volcano

August 23rd, 2022

1:45

The ‘Ua’u or Hawaiian Petrel is an endangered species once thought extinct or nearly so. But in recent decades, biologists have relocated some of …

Lights Out for Bird Migration

August 22nd, 2022

1:38

Many birds migrate at night, taking advantage of less turbulent conditions and cooler temperatures. But that also means that migrating birds  can get …

Crested Auklets Entice Their Mates with Scent

August 21st, 2022

1:45

Crested Auklets are small seabirds that nest on remote cliffs in the Northern Pacific and the Bering Sea. But it’s their smell that really sets these birds apart. They smell like tangerines! Experiments show that …

Night Singers

August 20th, 2022

1:45

A bird like the Whip-poor-will is a true night bird – feeding, and mating, and nesting in the dark. But for about a week each spring, male Yellow-breasted Chats also sing in the darkness as they call out to the arriving …

Building Chimney Swifts a New Home

August 19th, 2022

1:45

Public radio station WYSO in Yellow Springs, Ohio, renovated a historic schoolhouse to move into. But there was a bird problem: the old chimney had …

Raising the Clever ‘Alalā

August 18th, 2022

1:45

The ‘Alalā is a crow species that only lives on Hawai’i. In the 1990s, the species was on the verge of extinction. So biologists decided to raise …

How Birds Stay Cool

August 17th, 2022

1:45

On a hot summer’s day, watch a bird such as a crow — or this Purple Martin — very carefully. You’ll never see them sweat, because birds don’t have …

Saving Honeycreepers from Avian Malaria

August 16th, 2022

1:45

Avian malaria has devastated native Hawaiian birds called honeycreepers. And now, climate change is allowing the mosquitoes that carry the disease to spread into the last mountain refuges of highly endangered …

The Women Who Fought the Feather Fad

August 15th, 2022

1:41

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the human fascination with bird feathers went a little too far. Women’s hats and dresses featured extravagant feathers from birds both near and far. The trade in feathers drove …

The Phoebe and the Pewee

August 14th, 2022

1:45

The Eastern Phoebe (pictured here) is one of the most familiar flycatchers east of the Rockies. Because the Eastern Phoebe repeats its name when it sings, it’s a pretty straightforward voice to identify and remember. …

The Peacock's Tail: More Than Meets the Eye

August 13th, 2022

1:41

When a male Indian Peafowl unfurls its magnificently-colored tail and shakes it, it creates an ultra low frequency sound that we humans can’t hear. …

A Book for Beginning Birders

August 12th, 2022

1:44

After countless birding adventures of her own, Sharon Stiteler — who’s also known as Birdchick — decided to write a book that could serve as a fun …

Hawai‘i’s One-of-a-Kind Bird Diversity

August 11th, 2022

1:45

Hawai‘i is home to many birds found nowhere else. In a stunning example of natural selection, birds called honeycreepers evolved to fill many …

The Secret Lives of Goldfinches

August 10th, 2022

1:45

American Goldfinches are one of our most familiar birds, but they lead lives that are anything but ordinary. These birds will sometimes raise two …

Native Hawaiian Names for Birds

August 9th, 2022

1:45

Noah Gomes is an educator and researcher with a life-long love of birds and a passion for Hawaiian culture and language. His research into Native …

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Find new listeners

  • A dedicated website for your podcast
  • Web embed players designed to convert visitors to listeners in the RadioPublic apps for iPhone and Android
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Understand your audience

  • Capture listener activity with affinity scores
  • Measure your promotional campaigns and integrate with Google and Facebook analytics
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Engage your fanbase

  • Deliver timely Calls To Action, including email acquistion for your mailing list
  • Share exactly the right moment in an episode via text, email, and social media
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Make money

  • Tip and transfer funds directly to podcastsers
  • Earn money for qualified plays in the RadioPublic apps with Paid Listens