Podcast Episodes

Jaegers Give Chase in September

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 P…

8 hours ago

Truffle-Hunting Birds

With their excellent sense of smell, pigs are renowned for sniffing out truffles, a fungus that grows underground and is prized for its taste. But it…

1 day, 8 hours ago

Birding 101: Birding Without Leaving Home

You don’t need fancy binoculars or lavish trips abroad to look for birds. In fact, you don’t even have to leave home — you can enjoy the birds out th…

2 days, 8 hours ago

Spark Bird: Em De Blas and the Vermilion Flycatcher

Em De Blas has years of experience leading bird outings with Chicago BIPOC Birders, the Chicago Ornithological Society, and the Urban Birding Festiva…

3 days, 8 hours ago

Hearing Birdsong Can Help Decrease Anxiety

Many people would tell you that hearing birdsong puts them in a good mood. Recently, scientists have tried to put numbers to this effect that many of…

4 days, 8 hours ago

Nighttime Flights of Songbirds

Some cloudless night in September, when the air is clear, you may see birds flying across the yellow face of the moon! September is peak migration ti…

5 days, 8 hours ago

BirdNoir: Who’s Soaring Overhead?

In this episode of BirdNoir, Private Eye Michael Stein helps a lakefront resident get to know the avian neighbor that’s been flying by each day.

More…

6 days, 8 hours ago

The Crafty Carolina Wren

Though half the size of a robin, the Carolina Wren has a powerful singing voice that seems to come from a much bigger bird. Many people remember thei…

1 week ago

Lyrebirds Shift the Earth

Beavers are well known as ecosystem engineers in North America. In Australia, lyrebirds play a big role in shaping their environment when they use th…

1 week, 1 day ago

Nictitating Membranes — Nature's Goggles

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,…

1 week, 2 days ago