Podcast Episodes

Dowitchers Get a Second Wind

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 north…

Published on 10 months, 3 weeks ago

Following the Honeyguide

The Greater Honeyguide's demanding call is not aimed at a member of its own species. Instead, the bird guides people in search of honey through the forest, directly to bee hives. The bird flies to a …

Published on 10 months, 3 weeks ago

Rhea Nesting Is Mind-boggling

A typical bird nest will have maybe four to six eggs neatly arranged by the parent to hunker down on. But in one Rhea nest, you may find between 50 and 80 eggs! And they’re not all from the same set …

Published on 10 months, 4 weeks ago

Moonwalking Manakins

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 Trinidad, describes this bird’s remarkable breeding …

Published on 10 months, 4 weeks ago

Listening From Inside the Egg

Shorebird chicks hatch into a dangerous world, so they need to be vigilant from the start. Researchers in Australia noticed that some shorebird chicks began chirping in their final days in the egg. T…

Published on 11 months ago

Spark Bird: Corina Newsome Meets the Blue Jay

In an ornithology class in college, Corina Newsome was introduced to the Blue Jay. After this, Newsome was determined to learn about the world of birds she had never noticed before.

More info and tran…

Published on 11 months ago

Pigeons Can Correct Their Mistakes Like AI

Birds have to be smart to survive — but their minds often work a little differently than ours do. In a new study, researchers trained pigeons to identify different types of shapes, peck a button to g…

Published on 11 months ago

The Beauty of Webbed Feet

Webbed feet are ideal for birds that swim, on the water’s surface or under. In fact, they’re such a nifty adaptation that they evolved, independently, in several bird groups. Ducks and geese, gulls, …

Published on 11 months ago

Powder Down

Hidden below the outer breast feathers of herons, pigeons, doves, tinamous, bustards and some parrots are patches of special down feathers. These feathers are never molted, and they grow continuously…

Published on 11 months ago

Storm-Petrels: Myth and Reality

Sailors once believed Wilson’s Storm-Petrels foretold a dangerous tempest. There might be a grain of truth: the tiny seabirds might find a little shelter from the gusts near a ship. Wilson’s Storm-Pe…

Published on 11 months ago