We first reached out to birding expert Laura Erickson to talk about the birds of Harry Potter (check out episode 11!). This episode—the second half of our conversation with her—is filled with her inspirational perspective on life, relatable observations about birding as a hobby, and stories you really have to hear from her in order to believe them. 

Laura’s been watching birds since 1953, but it took two decades and several spark birds (which we’ll discuss) to get out there birding. She’s written more than a dozen books about birds, including National Geographic’s Pocket Guide to the Birds of North America, the American Birding Association’s Field Guide to Birds of Minnesota, and the one she considers most important, 101 Ways to Help Birds. Laura is the first—and, regrettably, only—woman to win the American Birding Association’s highest honor: the Roger Tory Peterson Award for Promoting the Cause of Birding. If you stick around until the end of this episode, you’ll also learn why she’s the self-proclaimed Queen of Bird Shit, which we totally agree with.

USEFUL RESOURCES

• Laura's amazing website (DUH), including the 101 Ways to Help Birds
• The rehab center that took care of Archimedes the Eastern Screech-Owl: Back to the Wild Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
• Robert Nero's book on Great Gray Owls
• Jennifer Ackerman's brilliant book, The Genius of Birds
• Laura's favorite birding guide, The Golden Guide
• Improve your warbler identification—and songs!—with The Warbler Guide
• Get yo'self some bird-friendly, Smithsonian-certified COFFEE

BIRDS WE MENTIONED (IN ORDER)

• Eastern Screech-Owl (Laura's owl!)
• Northern Goshawks
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Great Horned Owl
• Black-Capped Chickadee
• American Robin
• Great Gray Owl
• Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay
• House Sparrow
• Rock Pigeon
• Northern Cardinal
• Blue Jay
• Ovenbird
• Yellow Warbler
• Chestnut-sided Warbler
• American Redstart
• Pacific Golden-Plover

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