A bird's ability to sing has long fascinated and enchanted we people. But how do birds sing, do all birds sing and why do they sing? These are important questions, and maybe we will ever answer some of them.

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Notes:

• Larynx: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larynx
• Syrinx: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrinx_(bird_anatomy)
• Songbirds: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songbird
• White Bellbird: https://ebird.org/species/whibel2?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Common Nightingale: https://ebird.org/species/comnig1
• Bell Miner: https://ebird.org/species/belmin1?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Superb Lyrebird: https://ebird.org/species/suplyr1?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Eurasian Bullfinch: https://ebird.org/species/eurbul?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Eastern Whipbird: https://ebird.org/species/easwhi1?siteLanguage=en_AU

Today we are meeting the Woodpeckers, those chisel faced birds that spend all day banging their head into a tree, sounds frustrating. Well as it turns out the Woodpeckers are evolved for a life of a tree pecking. In this episode we will find out how they do it, why they do it, and how they avoid a concussion.
 
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:

• Wrynecks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wryneck
• Piculet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piculet
• Black-backed Woodpecker: https://ebird.org/species/bkbwoo?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Northern Flicker: https://ebird.org/species/norfli 
• Gila Woodpecker: https://ebird.org/species/gilwoo?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Ground Woodpecker: https://ebird.org/species/growoo1?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Tongues: https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/news/science/woodpeckers-hammer-without-headaches/ 
• Tail feathers: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/3-a26-freshman-seminar-the-nature-of-engineering-fall-2005/47a3837503f2449db79f7d54ec71e171_wp_tail_feathev1.pdf
• Sapsuckers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapsucker 
• Acorn Woodpecker: https://ebird.org/species/acowoo
• Drumming: https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/woodpecker-knocking-actually-drum-solo-scientists-say-rcna49456
• Ivory-billed Woodpecker: https://ebird.org/species/ivbwoo
• Ivory-bill rediscovery?: https://earthsky.org/earth/ivory-billed-woodpecker-isnt-extinct/

There is a famous Swiss case from 1474 of a rooster that was put on trial for the unnatural crime of laying an egg. It is a silly story of human folly, as is so often the case. But this strange tale does lead to a deeper and more interesting point about avian gender, how it is radically different to mammals, and how in some rare cases a hen can maybe turn into a rooster. How is that possible? Tune in to find out and we even have a little surprise at the start of the show as well.

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:

• Rooster burned at the stake: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-009-6331-3_13
• BBC story on gender flipping birds: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40016817 

Who doesn't love a Wren? They're adorable stub-tailed birds with beautiful voices. But wait! Are we talking about the same bird? As it turns out there are hundreds of unrelated birds that are called Wrens. The state of play when it comes to what is and isn't a Wren is wild, and this episode we do a full review of all the wrens buzzing around out there.

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:

• Eurasian Wren: https://ebird.org/species/winwre4?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Ture Wrens: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wren
• Australasian Wrens: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasian_wren
• New Zealand Wrens: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_wren
• Antbrids: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antbird
• Wren-babblers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pnoepyga
• Old World Babblers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_World_babbler
• Jungle Babblers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pellorneidae
• Ovenbirds:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovenbird 
• Wren-warblers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calamonastes

A slightly different episode to look at three birds with odd names. We will look at how the Turkey, the Jamaican Mango and the Gouldian Finch got their names. What do these birds have to do with each other? Nothing whatsoever, but maybe we can find a theme in there somewhere. 

Really though, this is just a shameless plug for my second podcast, What's Up With That Bird's Name, available only through 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:

• Wild Turkey: https://ebird.org/species/wiltur
• Ocellated Turkey: https://ebird.org/species/ocetur1/
• Turkey changed its name: https://theconversation.com/why-does-turkey-want-other-countries-to-start-spelling-its-name-turkiye-199390
• Guineafowl: https://ebird.org/species/helgui?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Jamaican Mango: https://ebird.org/species/jamman1?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Indian Golden Oriole: https://ebird.org/species/ingori1/
• Gouldian Finch: https://ebird.org/species/goufin3?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Finch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finch
• John Gould: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gould
• Elizabeth Gould: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Gould_(illustrator)

The Egg War is the rather bizarre story of how a colony of Common Murres on the Farallon Islands off the coast of San Francisco sparked conflict during the American Gold Rush in the 1850-60s.  It is a wild tale of murder, piracy, lighthouse keepers with delusions of grandeur and an awful lot of people wearing hats. Join me for a silly story.

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:

California Gold Rush: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush
Farallon Islands: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farallon_Islands
Common Murre: https://ebird.org/species/commur?siteLanguage=en_AU
Auks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auk
Murre eggs: https://americanornithology.org/distinctive-egg-color-variations-in-common-murres/
The Egg War: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/when-california-went-war-over-eggs-180971960/
Penguin eggs: https://www.capetownetc.com/news/penguin-egg-whites-may-turn-clear-when-boiled-but-this-is-not-a-breakfast-idea/ 

Eggs may be an every day mundane thing. Something that lives in your fridge and that you see all the time. And yet, they are little marvels of nature. So join me today as we learn everything there is to know about eggs.

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:

• Hummingbird eggs: https://abcbirds.org/blog21/hummingbird-eggs/
• Ostrich eggs: https://www.americanostrichfarms.com/blogs/news/all-about-ostrich-eggs-and-what-you-can-do-with-them
• Emu eggs: https://hmnh.harvard.edu/emu-eggs
• Tinamou eggs: https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2022/01/19/high-gloss-eggs/
• Calcium in eggs: https://nurturing-nature.co.uk/gardening-for-wildlife/birds-need-calcium-to-lay-their-eggs-where-do-they-get-it-from/
• Blue eggs: https://www.thespruce.com/why-robin-eggs-are-blue-4161031
• Anatomy of an egg: https://www.scienceofcooking.com/eggs/anatomy-of-a-chicken-egg.html
• Brood patch: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brood_patch
• Common Murre eggs: https://www.audubon.org/news/why-are-murre-eggs-so-pointy-new-research-debunks-prevailing-theory

This is Part II of our story on the Chicken. In this episode we will find out how the Chicken was domesticated, and how we changed them to suit our needs and transitioned them from Junglefowl to industrialised factory production line.

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:

• Cockfighting in The Philippines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXK6uog-f6g&ab_channel=VICEAsia 
• World Slasher Cup: https://www.worldslashercup.ph/
• Egyptian Egg Oven: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_egg_oven#:~:text=An%20Egyptian%20egg%20oven%20or,other%20techniques%20of%20the%20time. 
• Sacred Chickens of Rome: https://www.anecdotesfromantiquity.com/the-sacred-chickens-of-rome/
• Gallic Rooster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallic_rooster
• Chicken gene mutation: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26873630/#:~:text=Our%20study%20indicates%20that%20the,been%20important%20for%20chicken%20domestication.
• The Chicken-of-Tomorrow: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/poultry-food-production-agriculture-mckenna
• Hen Fever: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/poultry-food-production-agriculture-mckenna
• Ayam Cemani: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayam_Cemani
• Dong Tao: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dong_Tao_chicken
• Bird Flu: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/03/h5n1-bird-flu-avian-influenza-what-can-be-done/
• RSPCA standards: https://rspcaapproved.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2020_08_MEATCHICKENS_Standard_v1.1.pdf
• Hilltop Eggs: https://www.hilltopsfreerange.com/

In the world today there are some 20 billion chickens. They are the most abundant bird in the world, and almost all of them exist to feed us people. They are the world's  most delicious bird, but where did they come from and what makes them special? Good news, I have the answers to these questions. So join me for Part 1 of our exploration on the domesticated chicken.

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:

• Red-billed Quelea: https://ebird.org/species/rebque1?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Red Junglefowl: https://ebird.org/species/redjun?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Where the word rooster came from: https://www.etymonline.com/word/rooster
• Chicken purring: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOkqOPfMQj4&ab_channel=mercyforanimals
• Tidbitting: https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2017/07/tidbitting-what-it-is-and-why-chickens.html

Long time listeners may remember our episode on pigeons, where I tried to convince two friends that pigeons are amazing. But that episode only looked at the Rock Dove, and the world of pigeons is so much bigger than that. So in this episode we will take a proper tour of the family and learn some reasons to love pigeons.

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:

• Pigeons Volume 1: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1733312/9684204-pigeons-are-disgusting-change-my-mind
• Rock Dove: https://ebird.org/species/rocpig/
• Diamond Dove: https://ebird.org/species/diadov1
• Victoria Crowned Pigeon: https://ebird.org/species/vicpig1
• Pigeon Milk: https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2011/09/mysteries-of-pigeon-milk-explained/
• Pigeons and magnets: https://www.audubon.org/magazine/september-october-2012/how-do-pigeons-find-their-way-home
• Golden Dove: https://ebird.org/species/goldov1
• Orange Dove: https://ebird.org/species/oradov1/
• Crested Pigeon: https://ebird.org/species/crepig1/
• Nicobar Pigeon: https://ebird.org/species/nicpig1/
• Luzon Bleeding-heart: https://ebird.org/species/lubhea1/
• Tooth-billed Pigeon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tooth-billed_pigeon
• A Tale of Two Islands: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1733312/9071817-a-tale-of-two-islands
• Passenger Pigeon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_pigeon
• Blue-eyed Ground Dove: https://ebird.org/species/begdov2?siteLanguage=en_AU