Life List: A Birding Podcast

We're continuing conversations with our listeners on the air as we share updates from our home fronts. We have lots of links to share this week!

• Check out Ed Yong's account of his recent pelagic experience with Alvaro's Adventures in his newsletter
• While you're at it, make sure to read An Immense World by Ed Yong
• We get tons of questions about thermal scopes. This article by one of our listeners, Jonathan Ley, is a thorough comparison of brands and models. 
• Here's a fresh Certificate of Appreciation from the USGS to George for reporting a banded Ruddy Turnstone—on a birding trip with Mollee eight years ago! 
• If you know a conservation or community science organization that wants to get the word out to birders, Nighthawk is partnering with the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival to display their information for free at the event. Details and sign up here. 

And don't forget to share your favorite guests with us! We'd love to hear from you. 

Our hearts go out to all affected by Hurricane Helene. 

Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.

Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.

George is just back from the Pantanal, and today, we're chatting about that. But first...

• The oldest photo in eBird? Looks like it's this (now extinct) Laughing Owl!
• And check out this illustration of the species on Birds of the World (sign-in required). 
• George has two trip reports from Brazil. Check out Safari Brazil: The Pantanal and Brazil's Atlantic Forest: Itatiaia National Park. 
• And peep the Spotted Bamboowren while you're at it! 

Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.

Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.

We're back with a listener question episode! 

• We mention Project Phoenix—check out the details here. 
• Subscribe to our newsletter and send us your questions below ⬇️⬇️

Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.

Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.

This week, we're joined by Lillian Stokes and Matt Young to share in the laughs, research, and stories behind their jam-packed new book, The Stokes Guide to Finches of the United States and Canada. Learn more and preorder it here before the book is published on September 17!

Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.

Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.

We're three busy birders this week with tales ranging from the backyard to the wonders of the deep oceans. Grab a drink and enjoy this classic Life List chat with us—tangents and all.

Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.

Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.

Phil's been there, done that, and has the stories to prove it. This week we chat about his recent oceanic expeditions and upcoming book.

• Have a taste of western Australia and the Lesser Sundas via Phil's recent eBird trip report
• Get notifications for Habitats of North America, coming out this winter
• Order Habitats of the World: A Field Guide for Birders, Naturalists, and Ecologists

Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.

Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.

Holly and Billi have spanned continents in their incredible career feats. Today, we're chatting about the challenges and adventures that they've had along the way.

• Meet Holly via Birds Caribbean and Instagram
• Meet Billi via Biodiversity Research Institute and Instagram
• Check out the beautiful Black Bee-eater that we talk about in the episode
• And yes, The Birding Co-op has announced its 2025 tour schedule! 

Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.

Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.

Here's a story with some drama, discovery, and mysteries yet unsolved! Hear all about the background of discovering the Andean Storm-Petrel (Oceanites barrosi), straight from the source! Here's the paper that was published: Resolving the conflictive phylogenetic relationships of Oceanites (Oceanitidae: Procellariiformes) with the description of a new species

Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.

Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.

Jason and Dexter bring all the joy this week!

• Check out Jason and Dexter on Instagram
• Learn about the In Color Birding Club...
• And the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin
• Don't forget to listen to the Bird Joy Podcast

P.S. Jason is co-leading a Hillstar Nature tour in Puerto Rico in 2025!

Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.

Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.

This is a beers-after-hours-type conversation with Ken Behrens: author, bird and nature guide, and co-host of Naturally Adventurous Podcast. We chat about the ups and downs of summertime birding, travel, and food Ken misses from his old home in Madagascar.

Please let us know: What do you think about the American Birding Association's Listing Areas and Regions?

And you can learn more about Ken's tours, books, and media on his website. 

Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.

Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.