I love birds. I’m fascinated by American history. But there is not enough writing out there about birds and history! Enter: Robert Francis, whose wonderful Substack, Bird History, is a delight of parrots and passenger pigeons, feathered hats and conservation treaties.

He joins us on the show today to talk all things bird history. Plus: twenty of the weirdest categories for bird names (they’ll crack you up, for reals), finding hope in our feathered friends, and birds of Brooklyn.

You can also follow Robert on Twitter, where he often shares birding factoids, whimsical lists (this one is my current favorite), and fantastic photos.

Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe