Random Bird Thursday: A Highly Vocal Species With Female Helpers

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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~⚠️ 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.Support the show

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

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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~⚠️ 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_kD20Support the show

👕 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 websiteSupport the show

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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~⚠️ 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.Support the show

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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~⚠️ 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.Support the show

👕 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 websiteSupport the show

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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!The featured species in this episode is Jameson's Snipe (Gallinago jamesoni).Sound Citations:Niels Krabbe, XC238296. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/238296.Niels Krabbe, XC47237. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/47237.Niels Krabbe, XC238308. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/238308.Support the show

👕 Bird Merch —  Get yourself some bird shirts!~~~This is Episode 134. Ivan takes on one of the most iconic bird families in the avian world: Accipitridae—the hawks, eagles, kites, buzzards, harriers, and Old World Vultures. It's a massive and diverse group with no good nickname, though Ivan has a few suggestions.The episode covers the key traits that make these birds such formidable predators—from their hooked bills and locking talons to the bony "brow ridge" that gives them their signature scowl. Ivan also digs into the family's staggering diversity: 249 species across 73 genera.Along the way, there's some evolutionary biology, a Weirdo Alert, and a look at the ancient giant that makes today's largest eagles seem modest by comparison.Links of InterestHaast's Eagle episode of the Blurbs podcastHarpy Eagle video in Spanish, by Alberto Lobato [VIDEO]Wild Latitudes: Worldwide birding and nature tours.Link to this episode on the Science of Birds websiteSupport the show

👕 Bird Merch —  Get yourself some bird shirts!~~~In this From the Field episode Ivan takes listeners along on a two-week scouting trip to Romania where he explored the country's remarkable natural landscapes in preparation for a future birding tour. There's just one catch: his binoculars broke almost immediately after arriving.Despite that setback, Ivan racks up some lifers and shares highlights from two very different corners of the country. First, he heads to the Danube River Delta on the Black Sea coast—widely considered the best birding site in Europe—where he had an unforgettable day exploring the maze of channels by boat. Then he crosses the Carpathian Mountains into Transylvania, where ancient forests, castles, charming villages, stork nests, and bears round out the adventure.Link to this episode on the Science of Birds websiteSupport the show