The Science of Birds

This episode—which is Number 46—is about  a special place in the Malay Archipelago where two bird worlds collide. This region lies between Southeast Asia and Australia, between the Indian and Pacific…

This episode is all about forensic ornithology. This is a field where specialists use scientific techniques to identify bird species from trace evidence. Evidence like maybe a bit of feather, a bone …

This episode—which is Number 44—is about the relationship between coffee production and bird conservation. 

We'll get into how do different types of coffee cultivation affect birds, and the conservati…

This episode—which is Number 43—is all about the Common Loon, Gavia immer. People in Europe may know it as the Great Northern Diver.

This bird is a symbol of the northern wilderness in North America. …

2021 is over, yo! So it's time for the Annual Review Episode! 

We’ll be looking back at some highlights of bird science in the year 2021. What fascinating things did ornithologists and other biologist…

This episode is all about birds in the family Hirundinidae. These are the swallows and martins.

Other than when they’re nesting, swallows are in the air almost all day long. This aerial lifestyle and …

Ecologists and ornithologists have been studying the effects of wildfire on bird populations all over the world. Their research has resulted in many fascinating discoveries about the relationships be…

This is a special episode, and the first of its kind. I answer questions from my listeners. It’s a fun, mixed bag of bird factoids.

Who were these lucky people who got to contribute to this episode? T…

This episode is about the seven bird species in the family Cathartidae: the New World vultures and condors.

This group includes species like the Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, and Andean Condor.

Among …

Birds, probably more than any other aerial creatures, have amazed and inspired us with the grace and power of their flight. So just how do they do it?

In this episode, we'll look at the physics and an…

This episode is all about penguins. All penguins belong to the family Spheniscidae.

Penguins are among the most bizarre and specialized birds in the world. Few other birds represent such a departure f…

In this episode, we’re going to look at wetlands as habitats for birds.

We’ll start with how to recognize—how to define—a wetland ecosystem. Then, we’ll get into why these ecosystems are so important …

This episode is all about the bird species in the genus Geococcyx. There are only two: the Greater Roadrunner and the Lesser Roadrunner. 

People in North America have revered the Greater Roadrunner fo…

eBird is a digital archive of bird observations. It’s a database of observations from across the planet. eBird users connect to the database via the Internet, to both contribute data and access data.

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This episode is all about birds in the family Columbidae. These are all the world’s many species of pigeons and doves.

These birds are more exotic and interesting than many of us give them credit for.…

Alaska is a truly amazing place that is still dominated by nature. It’s a wonderful region to explore for anyone who loves birds and charismatic megafauna. Many of Alaska’s vast natural areas are rel…

The Shoebill is a tall, gray bird that appears more dinosaur-like than most members of the class Aves. You aren’t likely to confuse it with any other bird. It possesses a unique and impressive combin…

We hear the terms ‘artificial intelligence’ and ‘AI’ all the time these days. Beyond the issue of evil robots taking over the world, AI technology is helping scientists do some pretty amazing things …

New World Warblers are all the birds in the family Parulidae. You’ll sometimes hear these birds referred to as ‘Wood-Warblers.’

New World Warblers are among the most celebrated and sought after birds …

This episode is all about how birds choose their mates and the evolutionary outcomes of those choices.

A lot of what we’re talking about today has to do with sexual selection, which is a special form …