The Science of Birds

Flowers and Feathers: The Importance of Birds as Pollinators


Listen Later

This is Episode 90 and it’s all about the importance of birds as plant pollinators.

If I had to use only one word for the topic of this episode, it would be ornithophily. The definition of ornithophily is “the pollination of flowers by birds.”

Today, I’ll be focusing mostly on the ecological relationships between plants and the birds that pollinate them. Another way to look at all of this would be through the lens of evolution—the fascinating ways that plants and birds have co-evolved with respect to pollination.

I’ll make another podcast episode, at some point, about bird and plant co-evolution. We’ll touch on it today, but the main focus is ecology. 

Pollination ecology is actually an entire subdiscipline that many scientists have dedicated their careers to studying. It’s really interesting stuff!

  ~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website 

Support the show

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Science of BirdsBy Ivan Phillipsen

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

717 ratings


More shows like The Science of Birds

View all
BirdNote Daily by BirdNote

BirdNote Daily

1,152 Listeners

Living Planet by DW

Living Planet

122 Listeners

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,925 Listeners

Outside/In by NHPR

Outside/In

1,427 Listeners

Nature Guys by Nature Guys

Nature Guys

517 Listeners

Sidedoor by Smithsonian Institution

Sidedoor

2,166 Listeners

The American Birding Podcast by American Birding Association

The American Birding Podcast

636 Listeners

In Defense of Plants Podcast by In Defense of Plants

In Defense of Plants Podcast

1,208 Listeners

Ologies with Alie Ward by Alie Ward

Ologies with Alie Ward

23,310 Listeners

The Wild with Chris Morgan by KUOW News and Information

The Wild with Chris Morgan

3,274 Listeners

Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't by Tony Santore

Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't

502 Listeners

Native Plants, Healthy Planet by Pinelands Nursery, Bleav

Native Plants, Healthy Planet

259 Listeners

Relax With Animal Facts by Stefan Wolfe

Relax With Animal Facts

602 Listeners

Completely Arbortrary by Completely Arbortrary

Completely Arbortrary

1,192 Listeners

Life List: A Birding Podcast by George Armistead, Alvaro Jaramillo, and Mollee Brown

Life List: A Birding Podcast

144 Listeners