BirdNote Daily

Latest Episodes:

Montezuma Oropendola - The Golden Pendulum Sep 22, 2024

Show notes

In a clearing where an ancient Mayan city once stood, the Montezuma Oropendola perches and sings. His courtship display is astonishing: he swings by his feet and sings, his tail describing a golden pendulum – the very source of his name in Spanish – oropendola.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks.

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.

Prions Filter-Feed Like Whales Sep 21, 2024

Show notes

Birds called prions have an especially creative approach to getting their food. They pass seawater through their mouths and filter it to catch tiny animals such as krill and other small crustaceans. It’s similar to how baleen whales feed, leading to the prion’s nickname: the whale-bird. The sides of their bills have comb-like structures. Small food items get trapped in the combs as water flows past. In Greek, the word “prion” means saw, which refers to the bird’s highly specialized mouth.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks.

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.

Yellow-Billed Cuckoo or Rain Crow? Sep 20, 2024

Show notes

In addition to their scientific names, birds are also given "official" English names. Take the bird commonly known as the rain crow, for example, officially referred to as the Yellow-billed Cuckoo by the American Ornithological Society. Its scientific name is Coccyzus americanus. Of course, the bird doesn’t care what you call it, so long as it has plenty of hairy caterpillars to snack on.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks.

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.

Sofia Barboza on Becoming More Aware of Birds Sep 19, 2024

Show notes

When climate scientist Sofia Barboza was living in New York City, she found it challenging to connect with the outdoors the same way she had growing up in Pennsylvania. Returning to live in Pennsylvania as an adult, Sofia brought along her new awareness of birds and their effects on mental health.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks.

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.

Migrations: You're Going the Wrong Way! Sep 18, 2024

Show notes

During migration, some birds change orientation, often by a full 180 degrees, and travel almost the same distance — but in the opposite direction — as the rest of their species. The phenomenon is called misorientation. First-year birds are particularly susceptible. Many vagrant birds never find their way back on course, but some do, getting more comfortable with the route each year.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks.

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.

Rosa Malagon on Leading Hikes in Florida Sep 17, 2024

Show notes

Rosa Malagon grew up believing that birds hold spiritual significance, thanks to teachings from her Mexican heritage that her mother would share. Now working for the Hispanic Access Foundation, Rosa helps connect Latino-led nonprofits with funding from the U.S. Forest Service. She also leads monthly hikes in central Florida, sharing her love for birds and the outdoors with her community.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks.

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.

Swallows on Wires Sep 16, 2024

Show notes

Once nesting season ends, swallows know it's time to party! Whether they nest as single pairs or in large colonies, both adults and juveniles now gather on electrical wires by the dozens, socializing before they migrate. Migrating by day – and foraging for insects as they go – swallows (including this Violet-green Swallow) head south to Mexico and Central and South America.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks.

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.

Seabirds in the Desert Sep 15, 2024

Show notes

The White-vented Storm-Petrel is a small black and white seabird found off the coasts of Chile and Peru. Storm-petrels spend their entire lives at sea, except when nesting. Scientists had long been mystified about just where this species nests. A search lasting eight years led them to a site 50 miles inland in the Atacama desert, a place often compared to the surface of Mars. They employed dogs specially trained to sniff out seabirds. The dogs helped locate White-vented Storm-Petrel nests tucked into mineral deposits deep in the desert.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks.

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.

Cowbird Mafia Sep 14, 2024

Show notes

Brown-headed Cowbirds have a sneaky approach to parenthood. They lay eggs in the nests of other songbirds, and the songbird hosts often raise the cowbird chick as their own. It’s called nest parasitism. But sometimes the hosts throw out the odd-looking egg. And when that happens, the cowbirds sometimes retaliate by destroying the hosts’ other eggs. Scientists call this “mafia behavior,” likening it to organized crime groups enforcing their demands on unwilling business partners.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks.

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.

Playful Keas Sep 13, 2024

Show notes

Keas are large alpine parrots from New Zealand. Intelligent and social, they have olive-green plumage, a red rump, and a long, curved beak. Keas produce a distinct warbling call, a “play call,” that sounds — and functions — much like a human’s contagious laughter. Scientists made recordings of captive Keas making warbling calls, then played them for wild Keas. They began playing harder and even engaged birds that hadn’t been playing. Hearing it seemed to put them in a playful mood, even when they were alone.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks.

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.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected