Part 2 of our interview Marky Mutchler to talk about Limpkins.  Marky is a PHD student at the University of Chicago, and is studying limpkins. Limpkins have been seen outside of their range, as far north as Chicago and even Nova Scotia. One limpkin was found dead in Illinois recently, and the dead bird was brought to the Field Museum for research, so we talk to Marky, John, and Shannon to see what they’ve learned. 

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We interview Marky Mutchler this week and talk about Limpkins. Marky is a PHD student at the University of Chicago, and is studying limpkins. If you’re not familiar, Limpkins are a bird that is native to South America and their range covers Florida as well. They’ve been expanding northwards lately, and there were many citing in Illinois this summer. Marky tells us about them being spotted as far north as Nova Scotia as well.  Will they be able to survive winters? How are they finding food in these new locations? Marky talks us through many of the theories and evidence as well. One of the limpkins was found dead in Illinois recently, and the dead bird was brought to the Field Museum for research, so we talk to Marky, John, and Shannon to see what they’ve learned. 

Check out pictures of the bird specimen on our instagram @birds_of_a_feather_podcast 

Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to [email protected]

Enjoy!

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Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we talk about flame bowerbirds. John and Shannon provide a lot of really fascinating information on these incredible birds, from how they can manipulate the size of their pupils, how they use blue objects to attract a mate, and why we don’t know more about these birds in general. 

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Follow us on Instagram for pictures of the birds we discuss, specimen, and more info! @birds_of_a_feather_podcast

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On this week's episode we discuss Blue Jays. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we talk all about Blue Jays.  We talk about how bird flu changed their population, their inconsistent migration, and their relationship with acorns and oak trees. We kick off the episode talking about Sharp-Tailed Grouse in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. 

Check out pictures of the bird specimen on our instagram @birds_of_a_feather_podcast 

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This week we are doing something a little different - we are telling you our origin story. With so many episodes out on different birds, we wanted to give our listeners an explanation of who we are, how we got together, and why we are making this podcast. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart in our Birds of a Feather Talk Together origin story. 

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John talks about the Christmas Bird Count, and then we talk all about the Mallard Duck.  From their sexual dimorphism (for part of the year), to their matching speculum stripes, to how they differ from other ducks. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart in our most recent episode. 

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We kick off the new year talking about the Puteketeke or the Great Crested Grebe. We were following closely while John Oliver's campaign to make this New Zealand's bird of the century, and are so excited to talk about this super cool bird. John Oliver used his show 'Last Week Tonight' to raise awareness about these birds, and in turn raised a ton of awareness about birds in general, particularly in New Zealand. We talk about the Puteketeke's exotic mating dance, to carrying chicks on their back, to whether or not they actually fly? Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart in our most recent episode. 

Exciting announcment - we reached 5,000 downloads! Thank you listeners! 

Questions? Reach out to [email protected] 

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These birds have claws on their wings when they are young, and may be a link back to the dinosaurs. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart, and our guest Jacob Drucker to talk about the Hoatzin. This is a fun episode where we talk about these strange, unique, and downright fascinating birds. 

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Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart, and our guest Jacob Drucker to talk about Rock Pigeons. One of our listeners wrote in and asked us to do an episode on Pigeons, and what a great idea that was! From their navigational abilities, to the impact that humans have had on their evolution, to their color variation, we cover so many interesting topics. You'll gain a new appreciation for these birds, and won't ever look at them the same way. 

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Part 2 of John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart interviewing Jacob Drucker to discuss Hawaiian Honeycreepers. 

Jacob Drucker is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Chicago and the Field Museum studying how birds interact with tropical climates over ecological and evolutionary time. He has spent over a year in Hawaii working with the Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project, as a regular volunteer with the Department of Land and Natural Resources on the Big Island, and as a guide for Victor Emmanuel Nature Tours. His photos have been featured in the American Birding Association’s field guide to Birds of Hawaii. 

This is part 2 of a 2-part episode. 

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Follow us on Instagram for pictures of the birds we discuss, specimen, and more info! @birds_of_a_feather_podcast

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