Laura Erickson's For the Birds

"For the Birds" began airing on KUMD in Duluth, MN, in May, 1986, and is the longest continually-running radio program about birds in the U.S. Hundreds more episodes are available for free at http://www.lauraerickson.com/radio/.

Natural Sciences

Update frequency: every 3 days
Average duration: 5 minutes
Episodes: 267
Years Active: 2023 - 2025

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Nocturnal Migration: Navigation

How can birds find their way in the dark? The answer is nuanced, so today's program is condensed from the much longer blogpost.

00:05:16 | Thu 11 Sep 2025

Nocturnal Migration: Why?

Why do birds with poor night vision migrate at nighttime?

00:05:53 | Wed 03 Sep 2025

Sixty Years

Laura got a crush on the boy in front of her in homeroom sixty years ago this week!

00:05:58 | Tue 02 Sep 2025

Summer of the Flickers

Thirty-one years ago, Laura and her family had some very memorable experiences with two baby flickers.

00:08:28 | Tue 26 Aug 2025

Why do birds migrate?

How can some birds survive a Minnesota winter while others must leave?

00:07:11 | Fri 22 Aug 2025

Armchair Lifers

When the American Ornithological Society's Committee on Classification and Nomenclature announces their annual changes to the official Checklist, birders take notice!

00:07:03 | Thu 21 Aug 2025

August Bird Movements

Even as species decline, bird migration is thrilling to behold.

00:05:39 | Tue 19 Aug 2025

A Little Boy Turns Five

Laura's world seems fresher, more magical, and genuinely miraculous now that she's a grandma.

00:06:53 | Thu 14 Aug 2025

The Omega and the Alpha

For many birds, the end of summer marks the beginning of spanking new feathers. Too bad adults have to go through that awkward molt to get them.

00:05:47 | Wed 13 Aug 2025

The Bold and the Beautiful

Laura talks about hummingbirds and gives some tips to make life better for our backyard hummingbirds.

00:05:37 | Tue 12 Aug 2025

Beyond Florida: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Horrible news on the bird as well as human front is making it hard for Laura to keep up.

00:08:34 | Mon 04 Aug 2025

Florida: Why I Love It, and Why I'm Boycotting It, Part I

Laura’s many visits to Florida have forged beautiful memories of family, friends, and birds. But she’ll not be returning while the state hosts and even celebrates horrifying ICE facilities, including…

00:07:53 | Tue 29 Jul 2025

Sunbathing, Blue Jay Style

One of Laura's readers got photos of a Blue Jay sunbathing, or "sunning," last week, reminding Laura of when she first learned about this interesting behavior. His photos, along with information abou…

00:06:22 | Tue 22 Jul 2025

O Frabjous Day! Callooh! Callay!

On July 14, BB the Pileated Woodpecker turned up in Laura's yard with a daughter!

00:07:22 | Wed 16 Jul 2025

WHOA! I'm quoted in a special edition of LIFE!!!

Back in 2022, Laura was interviewed by a writer for LIFE magazine. It totally slipped her mind until one of her friends read the article, which is on newsstands now.

00:06:48 | Wed 09 Jul 2025

Putting All Your Eggs in One Basket, Part 2

Watching backyard nests can be very joyful, when starlings or predators don't intervene.

00:05:09 | Tue 08 Jul 2025

Putting All Your Eggs in One Basket, Part 1

As much as Laura loves watching baby birds, she is very reluctant to look for nests.

00:04:25 | Fri 04 Jul 2025

Biological Realities, Part 2

Birds don’t ostracize individuals from their social flocks based on “objective sex-based differences.” That would undermine their civil society.

00:05:02 | Thu 26 Jun 2025

Biological Realities, Part 1