Podcast Episodes

Altitudinal Migration

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 s…

Published on 2 years, 1 month ago

Strange Sounds

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 Vultures hissing at one another over a carcass so…

Published on 2 years, 1 month ago

The Crows’ Night Roost

Crow experts think big communal roosts provide warmth, protection from predators, shared knowledge about food sources, and a chance to find a mate. Follow crows to their roost some autumn evening, if…

Published on 2 years, 2 months ago

Letter to a Kentucky Warbler

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 brings “warbler-iffic joy”  when Drew hears them.

Mo…

Published on 2 years, 2 months ago

Hummingbirds - To Feed or Not to Feed?

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, ju…

Published on 2 years, 2 months ago

Spark Bird: Thomas Poulsom and the LEGO Robin

As he trained to be an arborist, Thomas Poulsom started developing two new interests: birds and building with LEGO bricks. After first building a European Robin, he went on to create LEGO models of m…

Published on 2 years, 2 months ago

The Return of the Extinct Little Blue Macaw

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 …

Published on 2 years, 2 months ago

Preserving John Edmonstone

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 Scotlan…

Published on 2 years, 2 months ago

Sungrebe: Baby on Board

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 …

Published on 2 years, 2 months ago

From Alaska to Omaha, Then on to Brazil

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 fall, appearing throughout the Midwest and eastern…

Published on 2 years, 2 months ago