Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
Amazing Aquatic American Dipper
The American Dipper stands on a rock in a stream, bobbing up and down on its long legs - "dipping" - hence the name. But watch! This nondescript bird steps off a small boulder right into the torrent,…
Published on 2 years, 3 months ago
Seeing the Rainbow in a Bird’s Feathers
We make it a habit to detail the broad and beautiful spectrum of bird colors, but iridescent feathers are undoubtedly among the most mesmerizing. When sunlight hits the Bufflehead’s dark head feather…
Published on 2 years, 3 months ago
Kelp in the Eagles’ Nest
A pair of Bald Eagles will reuse their nest each year and repair it with new tree branches. But recently in British Columbia, scientists came across an eagle nest made largely out of dried kelp. Back…
Published on 2 years, 3 months ago
Woodpeckers Carve Out Roost Cavities, Too
In spring, we often hear woodpeckers hard at work, carving out nest holes in tree trunks. And now that fall has arrived, we may hear that excavating sound again. Some woodpecker species stay year rou…
Published on 2 years, 3 months ago
Migration Takes Guts — Until It Doesn’t
This Bar-tailed Godwit makes one of the longest migrations of any animal — a 7,200-mile non-stop flight each autumn from western Alaska to New Zealand. In his book A World on the Wing, Scott Weidensa…
Published on 2 years, 3 months ago
Cowbird Song and Password
As most young male birds get ready to leave the nest, they learn their species’ song by hearing their male parent sing it again and again. They imprint on their father’s song. So how does a Brown-hea…
Published on 2 years, 3 months ago
Parrots Using Video Chat to Keep in Touch
Knowing how clever parrots are, researchers wanted to see how they’d respond to another parrot saying hi on a tablet or phone. After being trained how to start a call, many parrots chatted amiably on…
Published on 2 years, 3 months ago
New Zealand Bellbird
A forest in New Zealand rings with the sound of bellbirds, also known as Korimako or Makomako. Many bellbirds sing together, especially in the morning. Pairs sing duets. And a pair may counter-sing w…
Published on 2 years, 3 months ago
Juvenile Shorebirds Head South
Like most juvenile shorebirds, this young Black-bellied Plover was abandoned by parents that began their southbound flights from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge a few weeks earlier. It will join …
Published on 2 years, 3 months ago
The Private Lives of Public Birds
Jack Gedney’s book, The Private Lives of Public Birds, is dedicated to the familiar birds we see and hear in our neighborhoods. Illustrated by Anna Kus Park, the book shares charming vignettes about …
Published on 2 years, 3 months ago