The Science of Birds
Ivan Phillipsen
10 Listeners
1 Comment
All episodes
Best episodes
Top 10 The Science of Birds Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Science of Birds episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Science of Birds for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Science of Birds episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Female Birdsong
The Science of Birds
04/19/22 • 21 min
This episode—which is Number 50— is all about Female Birdsong.
Songs are one of the things we love most about birds. They define the soundscapes of the natural world.
Even though humans have been surrounded by singing birds for millions of years, we still have some misconceptions about birdsong. Today’s episode is about a misconception of sex differences in birds... Of who sings and who doesn’t.
~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~
Links of Interest
- The Forgotten Female: How a Generation of Women Scientists Changed Our View of Evolution
- Female Bird Song Project
- Video of Superb Fairy Wren female Singing
- Singing female Cerulean Warblers [Video]
4 Listeners
1 Comment
1
Bluebirds
The Science of Birds
06/03/24 • 53 min
This is Episode 97. It’s all about bluebirds: the three North American species in the genus Sialia: The Eastern Bluebird, Western Bluebird, and Mountain Bluebird.
For centuries, these beloved birds have been celebrated in paintings, poems, songs, and Disney cartoons.
The Eastern Bluebird is the state bird of Missouri and New York, while the Mountain Bluebird is the state bird of Idaho and Nevada.
And, apparently, the Mountain Bluebird was the inspiration for the original Twitter logo.
But bluebirds aren’t just cultural icons. They’ve also become valuable study subjects for scientists in the fields of ornithology and general biology. Research on these little birds has led to insights about the way the natural world works—from evolution, to ecology, behavior, diseases, and genetics.
Links of Interest
~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~
3 Listeners
Woodpeckers
The Science of Birds
10/29/20 • 36 min
Summary
Learn about the amazing birds in the family Picidae—the woodpeckers. These charismatic birds have a suite of adaptations that make them excellent at the job of excavating wood.
In this episode, we first summarize the key features of woodpeckers.
Then we’ll look at the evolution and modern-day diversity of the family.
We discuss many of the special adaptations of woodpeckers, which they use as they go about their day, foraging.
How woodpeckers breed and communicate and a bit about their conservation status round out the episode.
Links to Some Things Mentioned in this Episode
- Dean Hale Woodpecker Festival in Sisters, Oregon (USA)
2 Listeners
The Origin of Birds
The Science of Birds
09/19/20 • 25 min
Episode: 1Summary
Learn about the deep evolutionary origin of birds and follow their history up to the great extinction that happened 66 million years ago.
First, I discuss what we mean when we say “bird.” What characteristics separate modern birds from other animal groups?
Then I discuss the evidence—both historical and recent—that scientists have used to determine the evolutionary history of birds.
Finally, we arrive at the answer of where birds fit on the tree of life.
Research Citations
- Discovery of collagen protein in Tyrannosaurus femur (Asara et al. 2007. Science)
- Archaeornithura, the earliest known true ancestor of birds (Wang et al. 2015. Nature Communications)
Errors and Clarifications
Error - 05:39 min: I say that scientists have genome sequences for 'all living birds.' What I meant was that we have genome sequences for representative species within each of the living bird families.
2 Listeners
Cormorants and Shags
The Science of Birds
07/03/24 • 63 min
In this episode—which is Number 99—we dive into the fascinating world of cormorants and shags, members of the avian family Phalacrocoracidae. These sleek, hook-billed birds are known for their distinctive silhouettes, often seen drying their wings on seaside cliffs or wetland trees. Cormorants and shags have a long history of varied human interactions, from being vilified and hunted to being revered and even trained to catch fish.
These birds are exceptional divers, utilizing their streamlined bodies and webbed feet to hunt underwater. Their feathers are less waterproof than those of other aquatic birds, which aids in diving but necessitates their iconic wing-drying behavior. Cormorants can be found across the world, thriving in diverse habitats from coastal cliffs to freshwater lakes.
They face significant conservation challenges. Human persecution and disturbances, habitat destruction, and climate change threaten several species, some of which are critically endangered.
Links of Interest
- Brandt's Cormorants [VIDEO]
~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~
2 Listeners
Giant Birds: Go Big or Go Home
The Science of Birds
05/26/22 • 28 min
This is Episode 52.
Today, we’re talking about bird species that are way, way bigger than your average chickadee or finch.
Our focus will be on evolutionary lineages that spawned some very large bird species. Species whose ancestors had been much smaller, millions of years earlier.
We’ll look at a bunch of interesting giant birds throughout history. Then we’ll talk about some scientific explanations for why these critters got so big in the first place.
~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~
Links of Interest
2 Listeners
The Northern Cardinal
The Science of Birds
05/06/22 • 32 min
This is Episode 51. Our bird of interest today is the Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis.
This species is widespread across the eastern and southern US. It’s so well-known and loved that it’s the state bird for 7 states—more than any other species.
Northern Cardinals are among the most abundant birds in North America. They’re familiar denizens of backyards that visit feeders all year long. So it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that ornithologists have done a lot of research on this abundant and conspicuous species.
~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~
2 Listeners
The Biodiversity of Birds
The Science of Birds
09/22/20 • 23 min
Episode: 3
Summary
Birds are an incredibly successful and diverse group of animals.
In this episode, you’ll get an overview of the origin of avian species diversity and its present-day distribution across the planet.
I offer some definitions of ‘biodiversity’ with respect to birds. We’ll discuss why this diversity is important.
Links to Some Things Mentioned in this Episode
Research Citations
- Genetic research leading to the species split between the Winter Wren and Pacific Wren (Toews and Irwin. 2008. Molecular Ecology)
Errors and Clarifications
Clarification - 07:25 - I say that the Clements Checklist has 10,721 bird species. This is true. However, this number includes about 160 extinct species. So this means there are 10,561 extant (i.e. living, non-extinct) bird species on the planet today.
2 Listeners
Competition Between Bird Species
The Science of Birds
09/22/20 • 23 min
Episode: 2
Summary
Learn about the ways that different bird species compete with each other over food and other resources.
I first talk about the concept of the ecological niche, since this is so important to this episode's topic.
Then, I get into the different forms of competition between bird species and present the possible outcomes of that competition.
Lastly, I briefly touch on the general approaches that scientists take in studying interspecies competition in birds.
Links to Some Things Mentioned in this Episode
Research Citations
- Competition among scavenging birds in Peru (Wallace and Temple. 1987. The Auk)
- Red-winged Blackbirds vs. Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Weller and Spatcher. 1965. Special Report)
- Birdfeeder dominance hierarchy among 136 bird species in North America (Miller et al. 2017. Behavioral Ecology)
- Competition among tits in Swedish Winter (Alatalo et al. 1987. Ecology)
Errors and Clarifications
Error - 23:04 min: I say that the second type of competition between species is "exploitation interference". I meant to say exploitation competition. I make this error repeatedly in this section. My apologies!
2 Listeners
The Common Kingfisher
The Science of Birds
08/21/24 • 50 min
In this episode—which is Number 102—we dive into the fascinating world of the Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), a small but mighty bird known for its striking blue and orange plumage and remarkable fish-hunting skills. We'll look at this species' behavior, from its iconic plunges into water to catch prey, to how it breeds, including courtship rituals, nest-building, and the challenges of raising chicks.
Learn about the kingfisher's diet and foraging strategies, including how it deals with challenges like refraction at the water’s surface to accurately target its prey. Additionally, I touch on the habitat and global distribution of the Common Kingfisher.
This episode offers a fun exploration of one of the most beloved birds in Eurasia. Tune in to learn more about the "Prince of Piscivory."
Links of Interest
- Kingfisher Diving in Slow Motion [VIDEO]
- Kingfisher Coughing up a Pellet [VIDEO]
- Two male kingfishers fighting [VIDEO]
- Kingfisher family in the nest cavity [VIDEO]
~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~
2 Listeners
Show more best episodes
Show more best episodes
FAQ
How many episodes does The Science of Birds have?
The Science of Birds currently has 113 episodes available.
What topics does The Science of Birds cover?
The podcast is about Life Sciences, Nature, Podcasts, Science, Birds, Biology and Birding.
What is the most popular episode on The Science of Birds?
The episode title 'Female Birdsong' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Science of Birds?
The average episode length on The Science of Birds is 42 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Science of Birds released?
Episodes of The Science of Birds are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of The Science of Birds?
The first episode of The Science of Birds was released on Sep 19, 2020.
Show more FAQ
Show more FAQ
Comments
@podi
Jun 4
someone online said a male eastern bird had 2 nests going. One in the back yard and one in the front yard with deferent females
Like
Reply