Free Daily Podcast Summary
Birds of a Feather Talk Together: Daily Summaries Delivered
by John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart
Birds of a Feather Talk Together is a birding and birdwatching podcast for beginners and experts alike, blending expert ornithology with curiosity, storytelling, humor, and real-time discovery.Hosted from Chicago by married Field Museum ornithologists and curators John Bates and Shannon Hackett, alongside birding enthusiasts RJ and Amanda Pole, the podcast explores the fascinating world of birds through conversations that are educational, approachable, and fun.Each episode dives into bird behavior, bird migration, bird identification, bird songs and calls, backyard birds, conservation, bird intelligence, evolution, ecology, and the science behind how birds live and adapt. From hummingbirds, owls, woodpeckers, warblers, and herons to rare bird sightings, viral bird stories, and surprising animal behavior, every episode uncovers something remarkable about the natural world.What makes the show unique is the mix of professional scientists and newer birders learning in real time together. Whether you’re an experienced birder, a casual birdwatcher, or completely new to birding, the conversations are designed to make ornithology accessible and engaging without losing the depth of the science.The podcast regularly features stories and research connected to the Field Museum, listener-submitted bird sightings, birding adventures, wildlife conservation topics, and current events from across the birding world.If you love birds, birdwatching, nature podcasts, wildlife, science storytelling, animal behavior, or simply want to better understand the birds around you, Birds of a Feather Talk Together will help you see the natural world in a whole new way.
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- 4 days ago37 min
154: Chimney Swifts: The Birds That Almost Never Stop Flying 🐦
How long can a bird stay in the air without landing? This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're diving into the incredible world of the Chimney Swift—one of North America's most unique birds. These aerial specialists spend nearly their entire lives on the wing, eating, drinking, courting, and even collecting nesting material while flying. Outside of nesting and nighttime roosts, they rarely land at all. And when they finally do stop flying, they don't perch on branches like most bir...
- 1 weeks ago51 min
153: Slate-throated Redstart (or Whitestart) with David Vander Pluym
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're joined by ornithologist David Vander Pluym to explore a fascinating bird from Central America and South America: the Slate-throated Redstart—also known as the Slate-throated Whitestart. David is a graduate student at the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science whose research focuses on bird ecology and migration. Before beginning graduate school, he spent years studying birds along the Colorado River in Arizona and California, ...
- 2 weeks ago19 min
152: Carolina Wrens: Why One of North America's Loudest Little Birds Deserves Your Love 🐦
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're taking a closer look at one of North America's most energetic and recognizable backyard birds: the Carolina Wren. This episode was inspired by listener Rebekah, who wrote to us asking if we could convince her to appreciate Carolina Wrens a little more. Like many birders, she noticed just how loud these tiny birds can be around your house—and wondered what makes them so special. Challenge accepted! Field Museum ornithologists and Curators of...
- 3 weeks ago28 min
151: Black-billed Cuckoos: One of North America's Most Mysterious Birds 🐦
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we explore one of North America's most secretive and fascinating birds: the Black-billed Cuckoo. Often heard more than seen, Black-billed Cuckoos are mysterious forest birds known for their elusive behavior, unique adaptations, and surprising diet. In this episode, we dive into what makes this species so unusual, from its preference for hairy caterpillars that many other birds avoid to its remarkable migration and nesting behaviors. Field Museum ...
- Jun 29, 202652 min
150: California Condors with Christian Flores - The Incredible Comeback of North America's Largest Bird 🦅
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're joined by zoologist and science communicator Christian Flores (better known as @crikeyitschristian) for a deep dive into one of the greatest conservation success stories in modern history: the California Condor. Once soaring alongside mammoths, saber-toothed cats, giant ground sloths, and other Ice Age megafauna, California Condors have survived for tens of thousands of years—only to come perilously close to extinction in the 1980s. In this...
- Jun 22, 202647 min
149: Birding Australia, New Zealand & Beyond + Shannon’s Cochlear Implant Update 🐦🌏
We're officially back with a brand-new episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together! After a short break, the full crew returns to catch up on birding adventures, international travel, spring migration, and some exciting personal updates. Field Museum ornithologists and curators of birds John Bates and Shannon Hackett join RJ and Amanda Pole for a wide-ranging conversation that takes us from Australia and New Zealand all the way back to Chicago. John shares stories from his recent travels acro...
- Jun 15, 202647 min
148: Club-Winged Manakins: The Bird of the Year That Makes Music With Its Wings 🐦🎵
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're revisiting one of the most extraordinary birds we've ever covered—and the official winner of our 2026 Bird of the Year tournament: the Club-winged Manakin. While we're getting ready to return with brand-new episodes next week, we couldn't resist taking another look at the bird that captured the hearts of our listeners and earned the title of 2026 Bird of the Year. Native to the cloud forests of South America, the Club-winged Manakin is famo...
- Jun 8, 20261h 33m
147: Peter Kaestner: The First Birder to See 10,000 Bird Species in the Wild 🐦
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're revisiting one of our favorite interviews with legendary birder Peter Kaestner—the first person in history to see more than 10,000 bird species in the wild. While John continues his birding adventures in New Zealand and Australia, we thought it was the perfect time to revisit this incredible conversation. Peter recently came up on the podcast when Shannon recognized one of his recordings of a Rwenzori Turaco, reminding us just how remarkabl...
About Birds of a Feather Talk Together
Birds of a Feather Talk Together is a birding and birdwatching podcast for beginners and experts alike, blending expert ornithology with curiosity, storytelling, humor, and real-time discovery.Hosted from Chicago by married Field Museum ornithologists and curators John Bates and Shannon Hackett, alongside birding enthusiasts RJ and Amanda Pole, the podcast explores the fascinating world of birds through conversations that are educational, approachable, and fun.Each episode dives into bird behavior, bird migration, bird identification, bird songs and calls, backyard birds, conservation, bird intelligence, evolution, ecology, and the science behind how birds live and adapt. From hummingbirds, owls, woodpeckers, warblers, and herons to rare bird sightings, viral bird stories, and surprising animal behavior, every episode uncovers something remarkable about the natural world.What makes the show unique is the mix of professional scientists and newer birders learning in real time together. Whether you’re an experienced birder, a casual birdwatcher, or completely new to birding, the conversations are designed to make ornithology accessible and engaging without losing the depth of the science.The podcast regularly features stories and research connected to the Field Museum, listener-submitted bird sightings, birding adventures, wildlife conservation topics, and current events from across the birding world.If you love birds, birdwatching, nature podcasts, wildlife, science storytelling, animal behavior, or simply want to better understand the birds around you, Birds of a Feather Talk Together will help you see the natural world in a whole new way.
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