BirdNote Daily

J. Drew Lanham is a poet and ornithologist whose work intertwines his lived experience as a Black man in the American south and his love of wilderness. Both have taught him that joy is a source of strength. On Bring Birds Back, Drew describes how he finds radical joy in spending time with birds like the American Robins.

Hear more from Drew about radical joy in season 7 of Bring Birds Back!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Esha Munshi co-founded the Feather Library, a digital library that collects and documents the feathers of Indian birds. Launched in 2021, the library has high-resolution photographs of more than 100 bird species. This library is open to everyone — whether you’re a researcher, birdwatcher, conservationist, or an ordinary person who came across a feather.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The word “loon” comes from the Old Norse word for “lame.” Because their feet are so far back on their bodies, loons cannot walk on land. But in flight, they’re graceful, and under water, they're swift in pursuit of fish. Red-throated Loons – like this one – breed in the far north and winter along both coasts of the United States.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The cheerful-voiced Chestnut-collared Longspur shares their northern prairie breeding range with grazing cattle. Although heavy grazing can have adverse effects, breeding densities of longspurs jump by two, three, or even 10 times when ranchers graze their cattle responsibly on native prairies. Two centuries ago, the birds were probably more abundant on prairies used by bison than on untouched stands of tall grass.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Great Black-backed Gulls have a reputation as serious predators of other birds like puffins, grebes, and songbirds as big as a grackle. Just over a century ago, these birds were nearly wiped out by feather hunters and egg collectors. And though their populations recovered with help from environmental protections, Great Black-backed Gulls are in decline once again — and scientists are still trying to figure out why.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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As he trained to be an arborist, Thomas Poulsom started developing two new interests: birds and building with LEGO bricks. After first building a European Robin, he went on to create LEGO models of more than 75 species. Thomas became one of the first LEGO fans to have his designs produced as an official set.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Red Knot is a true marathon traveler, flying up to 9,000 miles between the Arctic tundra and Tierra del Fuego. But their journey depends on a critical stopover: Delaware Bay, where they feast on horseshoe crab eggs to refuel. Overharvesting of horseshoe crabs once drastically reduced this essential food supply, but thanks to ongoing protections, Red Knots still have a fighting chance.

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More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Mustafa Santiago Ali has been an environmental activist and policymaker for nearly three decades. The work has taught him that everyone has a story to tell – and those stories can drive change. For Bring Birds Back, Mustafa shares a poem about the interconnection between people and nature called, The Birds Been Prayin’ For Us.

Listen to the full episode in season 7 of Bring Birds Back!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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The Virginia Rail is a secretive bird, a relative of coots and cranes. And it's a bird you'll more often hear than spy. The rail takes its name from its narrow body (you know the saying, "as skinny as a rail") an adaptation to its favorite marshy habitats. A Virginia Rail walks hidden, squeezing through dense reeds and grasses. You can count yourself lucky if you have actually seen a Virginia Rail.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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Of the four nuthatch species living in the United States, the most common are the Red-breasted Nuthatch and the White-breasted Nuthatch. The nuthatch's insistent call matches its aggressiveness. As they work their way down a tree trunk, nuthatches can spot — and eat — all the tasty morsels missed by the rest of the birds working their way up the tree.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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