The Science of Birds

Latest Episodes:

The Terror Birds Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts!
~~~

Episode 139 of The Science of Birds takes listeners into prehistory to meet the Terror Birds: giant, flightless predators of the family Phorusrhacidae. Standing as tall as 10 feet, with axe-like beaks and sickle-clawed feet, these birds ruled South America for tens of millions of years after the dinosaurs disappeared.
Host Ivan Phillipsen explores how an isolated continent, some empty ecological niches, and the amazing process of evolution gave rise to these fearsome hunters. Along the way, the episode looks at how they lived, how they hunted, and how the various species ranged from terrifying to surprisingly small.

Links of Interest

Terror Bird scene - Life on Our Planet [VIDEO]
The Time Terror Birds Invaded - EONS [VIDEO]
Terror Birds: The Giant Birds With Guillotine Beaks [VIDEO]
When Giant Terror Birds Were Apex Predators [VIDEO]

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Random Bird Thursday: A Judgemental Songbird with a Long Tail Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These are birds we might overlook, even though they certainly deserve some appreciation and attention.

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⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!

The featured species in this episode is the Himalayan Prinia (Prinia crinigera).

Sound Citations:

Rajeev Lochan, XC797143. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/797143.

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Birds and the Scientific Method Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

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~~~

In this episode, host Ivan Phillipsen steps back from bird facts themselves to explore the process behind them: the Scientific Method. He breaks down how scientific understanding is built, from that first spark of curiosity in the field all the way through hypothesis testing, data collection, and peer review.
To provide a simple example, Ivan walks through a real published study on a familiar backyard bird, tracing how scientists questioned a long-standing assumption about how the species finds its food and designed an experiment to get closer to the truth.
Along the way, the episode touches on hypothesis testing, experimental versus observational study design, and how researchers interpret and discuss their results once the data are in.

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Random Bird Thursday: A Highly Vocal Species With Female Helpers Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

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⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!

The featured species in this episode is the White-throated Magpie-Jay (Cyanocorax formosus).

Sound Citations:

Isain Contreras Rodríguez, XC530762. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/530762.

Guillermo Funes, XC198353. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/198353.

Oscar Campbell, XC278635. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/278635.

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Grebes Aug 30, 2026

Show notes

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts!
~~~

Enter the murky aquatic realm of the family Podicipedidae in Episode 137 of the The Science of Birds podcast. Often mistaken for ducks, loons, or coots, grebes are unique, fascinating waterbirds with some bizarre physical traits and behaviors.

The episode covers everything from the specialized lobed toes of grebes and rear-positioned legs to their spectacular, highly synchronized courtship dances. Discover the unexpected identity of grebe's closest evolutionary cousins, learn why these diving birds swallow their own feathers, and explore the precarious mechanics of raising chicks on soggy, floating nests.

By the end, you'll know why these fluffy-butted water gremlins are truly great!

Links of Interest

Western Grebe walking on the beach [VIDEO]
Clark's Grebes Rushing Ceremony in Oregon [VIDEO]
Hooded Grebes courtship [VIDEO]
Great Crested Grebes courtship [VIDEO]

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Random Bird Thursday: A Citrus-themed Species with Runny Mascara Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

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⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!

The featured species in this episode is the Orange-headed Thrush (Geokichla citrina).

Sound Citations:

Chuenguey Hwang, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3dXua_kD20

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From the Field: Australia Aug 08, 2026

Show notes

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts!
~~~

In this "from the field" episode of The Science of Birds, Ivan Phillipsen takes you on a journey through some iconic landscapes in Australia. Fulfilling a childhood fascination with the Outback, Ivan splits his two-week adventure between the arid, rust-red deserts of the Northern Territory's Red Centre and the lush, ancient tropical rainforests of Queensland.

Along the way, he shares the excitement of racking up some "lifers" while encountering some of Australia’s unique avian families. From colorful, charismatic parrots and adorable finches to highly sought-after, elusive rainforest dwellers, Ivan details the thrill of tracking down endemic species and observing fascinating bird behaviors in the wild. Beyond the incredible birding, he also sets out to find a few of Australia's most iconic and unusual mammals.

Tune in to hear all about the rewarding highs of birding in the land down under, and get a sneak peek at an exciting future birding expedition he is scouting for 2028!

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

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Random Bird Thursday: A Duet-singer That Uses Bones for Decoration Jul 16, 2026

Show notes

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⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!

The featured species in this episode is the Rufous Cacholote (Pseudoseisura unirufa).

Sound Citations:

Sjoerd Mayer, XC3496. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/3496.

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Random Bird Thursday: A Tiny Island Dweller That Likes Vines Jul 02, 2026

Show notes

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⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!

The featured species in this episode is the Rufous-sided Gerygone (Gerygone dorsalis).

Sound Citations:

Colin Trainor, XC138529. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/138529.

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Red-winged Blackbird Jun 21, 2026

Show notes

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts!
~~~

Episode 135 takes on one of North America's most recognizable birds: the Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus. With a population possibly approaching 200 million, this species is a fixture of wetlands and marshes across the continent, and one of the most intensively studied birds in ornithology.

Ivan explores the biology and behavior that make this bird so compelling: its striking sexual dimorphism, the surprisingly complex story behind those iconic red epaulets, and a breeding system that turns out to be far messier than it first appears. Territorial wars, interspecies conflict, and the occasional human casualty are all part of the picture.

The episode also digs into the Red-winged Blackbird's fraught relationship with agriculture—from the enormous crop damage these birds can cause to the high-tech and sometimes controversial methods farmers use to manage them. And despite being among the most abundant birds on the continent, the species has seen a significant population decline over recent decades.

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

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