Bird of the Week

The Bin Chicken, also known as the Australian White Ibis. It's a bird with a reputation for drinking bin juice. Some people don't really like them. But is that fair? In this episode we take a closer look and see what these bin birds are all about.

Honeyeaters, some people say they're the Hummingbirds of Australia. They are the nectar eating birds of the great southern land. What is there deal? Well this is episode that lays it out.

There is no shortage of Robins in the world. You got some in Europe, North America, Africa, Asia and Australia. Chances are if you're standing somewhere in the world, there is a Robin lurking near by. But of course, almost none of them are related to each other. Is it time for another rant about how useless and silly bird names are? You better believe it.

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Notes:

• European Robin: https://ebird.org/species/eurrob1
• American Robin: https://ebird.org/species/amerob
• Australasian Robins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasian_robin
• Flame Robin: https://ebird.org/species/flarob1
• Rose Robin: https://ebird.org/species/rosrob1?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Torrent Flyrobin: https://ebird.org/species/torfly1
• Japanese Robin: https://ebird.org/species/japrob2
• Siberian Blue Robin: https://ebird.org/species/sibrob
• Indian Robin: https://ebird.org/species/indrob1 
• Robin Accentor: https://ebird.org/species/robacc1

Hybrids, they're strange. So strange that this may not be the episode for everyone, but hey, I'm not here to tell you what to do.

Out in the rainforest of Central and South America there is a family of birds that makes a living by following ants and eating the bugs they disturb. They're the Antbirds and they're pretty neat. In this episode we take a look at what these guys are all about.

To support Bird of the Week and gain access to our second podcast, What's up with that's Bird's Name? click on through to Patreon: www.patreon.com/birdoftheweek

Want birds in your inbox? Drop me a line at [email protected] and I'll hook you up with a free weekly bird.

Notes:

• Antbirds: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/thamno3/cur/introduction#genusThamnophilus
• Bicoloured Antbird: https://ebird.org/species/bicant2?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Ocellated Antbird: https://ebird.org/species/oceant1
• Parasites: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3450647

I've never really been a birder myself. Birding, twitching, getting out in the field and tracking down a bird isn't an activity I've ever taken seriously, mostly because I never really had the time to do. But since going on parental leave I've found myself with hours in the day to fill and a baby who likes getting out and about. So in this episode I present the reflections of a birding novice.

To support Bird of the Week and gain access to our second podcast, What's up with that's Bird's Name? click on through to Patreon: www.patreon.com/birdoftheweek

Want birds in your inbox? Drop me a line at [email protected] and I'll hook you up with a free weekly bird.

Notes:

Aussie Bird Count: https://aussiebirdcount.org.au/

Merlin Bird ID: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

eBird Mobile: https://ebird.org/about/ebird-mobile

The show still exists! We are back and this time we are looking at maybe the world's most boring bird, the House Sparrow. These little brown birds live in pretty much every city in the world. Everyone is familiar with them and they have little of interest to offer anyone, ever. Or do they? Well let's find out.

To support Bird of the Week and gain access to our second podcast, What's up with that's Bird's Name? click on through to Patreon: www.patreon.com/birdoftheweek

Want birds in your inbox? Drop me a line at [email protected] and I'll hook you up with a free weekly bird.

Notes:

• House Sparrow: https://ebird.org/species/houspa
• The War on Sparrows: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1733312/episodes/16461045-the-war-on-sparrows
• Western Australia hates the Sparrow: https://www.dpird.wa.gov.au/siteassets/documents/biosecurity/invasive/birds/sparrows---biosecurity-alert-pf008-23-print.pdf
• How Sparrows came to Australia: https://theconversation.com/city-sparrows-came-to-australia-via-india-59730
• The Sparrow's evolution: https://www.bbcearth.com/news/how-humans-shaped-the-evolution-of-the-worlds-most-common-bird
• Sparrow declining population: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/16/house-sparrow-population-in-europe-drops-by-247m

Today we are going to look at three birds that I think are some of the strangest in the world. Ah... I don't have much more to say about the episodes ... it kinda does what it says on the label. 

To support Bird of the Week and gain access to our second podcast, What's up with that's Bird's Name? click on through to Patreon: www.patreon.com/birdoftheweek

Want birds in your inbox? Drop me a line at [email protected] and I'll hook you up with a free weekly bird.

Notes:

• Greater Vasa Parrot: https://ebird.org/species/vaspar1
• Sungrebe: https://ebird.org/species/sungre1
• Hoatzin: https://ebird.org/species/hoatzi1
• Mousebird: https://ebird.org/species/spemou2

The Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo is one of the most instantly recognisable Australian birds. Big, loud and mischievous. Some people love them, some people ... not so much. But they're smart birds that deserve an episode of their own, so let's do it.

To support Bird of the Week and gain access to our second podcast, What's up with that's Bird's Name? click on through to Patreon: www.patreon.com/birdoftheweek

Want birds in your inbox? Drop me a line at [email protected] and I'll hook you up with a free weekly bird.

Notes:

• Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo: https://ebird.org/species/succoc
• Powder Down: https://www.birdnote.org/podcasts/birdnote-daily/powder-down
• Episode 57 - Parrots: https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/1733312/episodes/14752840-parrots
• Vocal mimicry in parrots: https://www.miragenews.com/vocal-mimicry-in-parrots-why-they-repeat-human-1029293/
• Syrinx: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982222013112
• Cockatoos raid bins: https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2022-09-13/cockatoos-cockies-bin-lid-flip-culture-bricks-bird-cognition/101424194

This episodes is not about birds. This is about Australia's electoral system. How's that for coming out of left field? Why is Bird Guy talking about electoral systems? Good questions, it's something I'm interested in, and Australia had a recent election result that I think is worth taking a closer look at.

If you don't want to hear about that, this probably isn't the episode for you. So no hard feelings if you want to skip this one.

But if you're in the mood for something a little different, join me now.