Episode Details
Back to EpisodesBirds 101 with Alison Kondler: Bird Calls, Birding Tips, Bird Feeders, Myths, and More
Description
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, we're joined by Alison Kondler, an Audubon Master Birder—or as we like to call it, a certified bird guru. Alison wows us with her eerily accurate bird calls and shares her immense birding knowledge. We chat about the rarest birds you can spot in Colorado, the best apps for bird identification, why the American Ornithological Society (AOS) is renaming North American birds that are named after people, how to squirrel-proof your bird feeder, tips for turning your yard into a borderline bird sanctuary, and she finally settles the debate on whether birds are in fact government drones. If you're a bird lover—or even bird curious—this episode is for you.
We wrap the show with a lively debate about whether thru-hiking belongs in the Olympics, the triple crown of underrated wildlife, a former guest obliterating the Arizona Trail FKT, and a generous dose of shameless self-promotion.
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Interview with Alison Kondler
Time stamps & Questions
00:03:30 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and apply to be a 2025 blogger OR vlogger!
00:11:14 - Introducing Alison
00:11:50 - What is an Audubon Master Birder?
00:13:45 - What does someone do with this certification?
00:15:10 - Was your family very into birds?
00:16:07 - When did you first interact with birds?
00:17:10 - What's the outcome of interacting with birds?
00:20:30 - How long did it take you for your calls to be indistinguishable from birds?
00:22:20 - Can you make other animal sounds?
00:25:19 - What are the most common birds you'll hear in Colorado?
00:27:45 - What are the rarest birds you'll hear in Colorado?
00:29:40 - Discussion about the common ages of birders
00:30:37 - What's your take on the movie The Big Ear?
00:31:50 - How do you prove that you've seen all the birds you claim?
00:32:57 - What Colorado birds would people travel from out of state to see?
00:33:50 - What's your take on pet birds?
00:34:17 - Which birds are the asshole birds?
00:35:44 - What's the easiest bird call to teach to others?
00:37:40 - How do you pick the right bird feeder for your yard?
00:39:35 - On a scale of 1 to 10, where do you stand on squirrels?
00:41:45 - What is the prettiest bird call?
00:43:20 - Bird call trivia
00:45:35 - How do you get rid of woodpeckers on your house?
00:47:40 - What's