Podcast Episodes

The Peacock's Tail: More Than Meets the Eye

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. But it seems to get the special attention of female…

Published on 1 year, 1 month ago

The Bustard and the Bee-eater

The massive Kori Bustard struts across the savannahs of Eastern and Southern Africa. Its crested head sits on top of a long neck and stilted legs. And this winged giant has a colorful companion. A sm…

Published on 1 year, 1 month ago

Meadowlarks and Grasslands

The clear, whistled music of the Eastern Meadowlark (seen here) is the unmistakable anthem of eastern North America's farmlands and open country. The Western Meadowlark and its sweet, liquid notes ep…

Published on 1 year, 1 month ago

Hear White-throated Sparrows Learning to Sing

The White-throated Sparrow’s melancholy whistle is hauntingly beautiful. But when you hear an adult sparrow performing, just know that the bird wasn’t always an expert singer. In the fall, listen for…

Published on 1 year, 1 month ago

Flyin' in the Rain

Most birds are mostly waterproof. Their feathers, aided by oil from preen glands, keep them pretty watertight. So why do birds avoid flying during rainstorms? It may have more to do with the air than…

Published on 1 year, 1 month ago

How to Help Birds that are Far Away

University of Puget Sound professor Peter Hodum studies seabird conservation. And he says that if you can’t do something to address a problem, find someone who can.

More info and transcript at BirdNot…

Published on 1 year, 1 month ago

Banding Birds

Willistown Conservation Trust in Pennsylvania carries out bird banding to help researchers understand bird populations. Led by licensed bird banders, a team of volunteers catches birds using mist net…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Welcoming Back Winter Birds

Although we may think of autumn as the end of the growing season, a sort of winding down in the natural world, for birds it’s as much a season of renewal as the spring. In the colder months, we welco…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Cedar Waxwings - Sleek and Handsome

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 e…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Prairie Warblers - An Early Successional Species

Despite their name, Prairie Warblers nest in tree farms of recently planted pines, in fields overgrown with scattered shrubs, and in clearings under power lines. Biologists call these “early successi…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago