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Annakacygna – The Ultimate Bird Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

Like today’s swans, the extinct species Annakacygna hajimei and Annakacygna yoshiiensis were quite large. But unlike their modern relatives, these birds lived most of their lives out at sea, and their fossils reveal remarkable adaptations to this unusual lifestyle. This led the researchers who first described these species to dub them “the ‘ultimate bird’ that ever existed.”

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Towhees' Distractive Plumage Oct 26, 2025

Show notes

Both this Eastern Towhee and the Spotted Towhee of the West sport a black or dark brown hood and back. And when they fly, their tails flash white. When a hawk gives chase, the towhee's flashing tail-feathers draw the predator's attention. Momentarily distracted, the hawk may come up with just a couple of tail feathers — as the towhee escapes into the underbrush. So if you see a towhee missing a couple of tail feathers, it may be that the flash of white — the distractive plumage — saved its life.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Endangered 'Akiapōlā'au Oct 25, 2025

Show notes

The 'Akiapōlā'au is a bright yellow bird with a black eye mask, found only in the upper elevations on the Big Island of Hawai'i. But its most distinct feature is its totally unique, uneven bill. The top of the bill is long, skinny, and curved like a sickle. Once abundant, habitat loss and disease from mosquitoes has taken a toll on the 'Akiapōlā'au population. In a race against extinction, people are working to restore habitat and control deadly invasive species to save Hawai'i’s rarest birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Quirky Words for Patterned Birds Oct 24, 2025

Show notes

Descriptive names can be a great help when you’re getting to know a new bird. Some species have common names that put their plumage pattern front and center – like the Five-striped Sparrow. If you encounter a bird described as flammulated, lineated, banded, or barred, keep an eye out for their namesake stripes and streaks!

BirdNote is grateful to the many contributions of Dr. Gordon Orians, and for his ongoing support of the show.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Elegant Black Tern Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

Elegant Black Terns breed in summer on secluded wetlands across the northern states and Canada. Because of major losses of wetlands in their breeding range — especially in Canada's prairie provinces — Black Tern numbers have dropped dramatically since the 1960s. The future of this beautiful bird depends on protecting and restoring high-quality wetlands. Recent research shows that artificial nest platforms can enhance the terns' breeding success.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Dave Mull and the Courage of Steller’s Jays Oct 22, 2025

Show notes

Skateboarder and birder Dave Mull remembers the first time he heard a Steller’s Jay imitating a Red-tailed Hawk. “These Steller's Jays were pretending to be something they were not, kind of tricking the world,” he says. It got him into the mindset that he could attempt a terrifying new skateboard trick called the “stump jump.”

Music in today's episode is by Dave Mull, inspired by the endemic species on Santa Cruz Island, CA.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Nature’s Alarm Clock: Which Rooster Crows First? Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

Roosters don’t need to set an alarm to tell them when it’s time to crow — their internal circadian clock lets them anticipate sunrise with remarkable accuracy. To us sleepy humans, it may seem like they all start crowing at once. But scientists have found that roosters follow a strict social hierarchy: only the top bird can issue the first cock-a-doodle-doo of the day!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Hudsonian Godwit Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

Hudsonian Godwits are tough birds to find, and they were once thought extinct due to overhunting. After nesting at sites scattered in the High Arctic, they migrate south on a route that takes them over the ocean from Canada to South America. In spring, they head north through the Great Plains. Populations are estimated to be in the tens of thousands today, but like many arctic nesters, they are a threatened species.

This episode is brought to you in memory of longtime BirdNote fan and supporter, Philip Stoller, and with thanks to his family for their support.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Seabirds Thriving on Volcanic Slopes Oct 19, 2025

Show notes

In August 2008, Kasatochi Island erupted in the middle of auklet breeding season, burying tens of thousands of chicks in hot ash. At first, the auklets’ future on the island appeared bleak. But in just a few years, the birds had returned in force. Thousands nested within the innumerable chambers left behind by sea-cooled lava.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Beaks and Grosbeaks Oct 18, 2025

Show notes

Beaks suited for opening tough, hard seeds — thick, conical beaks — evolved in more than one lineage of birds. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are related to cardinals, which also have powerful beaks. Evening Grosbeaks belong to the finch family, which includes goldfinches and crossbills — an entire family of seedeaters. But both these grosbeaks were named before their family connections were fully understood.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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