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Hovering Is Hard Work Feb 25, 2024

Show notes

Hummingbirds are built for hovering flight, with flexible wrists that rotate their wings in a rapid figure-eight motion that generates almost constant lift. Eurasian Skylarks, on the other hand, hovers by fluttering its wings 10-12 times per second, singing all the while. Some raptors such as American Kestrels use a different strategy: by flying into the wind, they can float in place while they scan for prey.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Biomimicry - Japanese Trains Mimic Kingfisher Feb 24, 2024

Show notes

In the 1990s, train engineers in Japan built trains able to travel nearly 170 miles per hour. The problem was that when the trains exited a tunnel, the air in front of their bullet-shaped noses expanded rapidly, creating a loud “tunnel boom.” The chief engineer, a birder, looked to the shape of a kingfisher’s bill to design long, narrow train noses that parted the air. The trains became both quieter and more efficient.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Dining with Sanderlings Feb 23, 2024

Show notes

While many shorebirds have gone south, tiny sandpipers called Sanderlings are easy to find on winter shores. They follow the waves as they lap in and out, probing the swirling sand for prey. They often eat various small crustaceans such as mole crabs, isopods, and amphipods. But they also enjoy miniature clams, polychaete worms, and horseshoe crab eggs. They’ll even catch flying insects or eat plant matter.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Creating Abstract Paintings of Migratory Birds Feb 22, 2024

Show notes

Artist Debra Ramsay became fascinated with the way that birds and their colors mark changes in the seasons. In her “Migrations” project, she painted species seen in New York’s Central Park, creating an abstract design from the three main colors of each bird. Debra layered colors into thick plexiglass panels, so the paintings appear to change when seen from different angles.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Tennessee Warbler, Nectar Thief Feb 21, 2024

Show notes

Tennessee Warblers love drinking nectar, but they do it without helping to pollinate flowers. By tapping a hole into the base of a flower, these warblers enjoy an easy meal while bypassing the flower’s pollen. But they give back to their ecosystems in other ways – such as eating countless insects!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Lesser Yellowlegs, Loud and Proud Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

When the shorebirds called Lesser Yellowlegs sense a threat to their nest, they’ll put up an unforgettable racket to drive the danger away. Smaller and with a shorter bill than the Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs sing to attract mates, while flying or perching up in a tree like a songbird. Although they’re widespread, Lesser Yellowlegs have lost over half their numbers in the last 50 years. Protecting wetlands, addressing climate change, and using sustainable farming practices can all help make sure that this species stays common, loud and proud throughout the Americas.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Nictitating Membranes - Nature's Goggles Feb 19, 2024

Show notes

For most birds, keen eyesight is critical for survival. But many birds lead lives that can be very hard on the eyes — like flying at breakneck speed, racing for cover into a dense thicket, or diving under water to capture prey. Imagine how the chips fly as this Pileated Woodpecker chisels a cavity. Fortunately, birds have evolved a structure for protecting their eyes. Beneath the outer eyelids lies an extra eyelid, called the nictitating membrane. It helps keep the eye moist and clean while guarding it from wind, dust, and hazards.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Finding Food When it Snows Feb 18, 2024

Show notes

Fresh-fallen snow is beautiful, but it poses a challenge to birds. The ground where they found food is now covered by several inches of snow. Birds such as juncos and other sparrows flit under bushes where snow doesn’t cover the ground. Finches and chickadees pick at the seed heads of plants sticking out above the snow, while robins (like this American Robin) seek out dried fruits. Nuthatches and woodpeckers cling to trees as they search for insects within the bark.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Costa Rica Winter Sunrise Feb 17, 2024

Show notes

On a winter morning in Costa Rica, a colorful choir welcomes the day. A pair of Bay Wrens sings a brisk duet just before sunrise. Perched in the upper canopy of the tropical lowland forest, a group of Keel-billed Toucans calls out. In a nearby tree, Purple-throated Fruitcrows (like this one) add their voices to the chorus. Then a male Montezuma Oropendola belts out an electrifying series of notes — one of the most distinctive voices in the tropics. Finally, a Bright-rumped Attila calls from its perch.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Cockatoos and People Trying to Outwit Each Other Feb 16, 2024

Show notes

In several neighborhoods of Sydney, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos have learned ways to open trash bins and grab some leftover food. Researchers found that birds in a given suburb seem to learn their trash bin opening technique from nearby birds, leading to subtle differences in how cockatoos raid the garbage throughout the city. This has pitted two highly intelligent species against each other as people have tried to come up with deterrence methods to keep birds away from the trash.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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