Birdwatching, birding, twitching… whatever you call it, it’s got everything: quests, rare finds, elaborate gear, a sprawling universe of characters, and a deeply committed fandom. Sound familiar? In this episode, host Dr. Scott Taylor is joined by NYT best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ed Yong to explore how modern birding became more accessible than ever (hello, Merlin and eBird), why it can feel like an open-world RPG, and what the Pokémon comparison misses.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

1. How Ed Yong fell into birding after moving to Oakland, and why the “virtuous cycle” of noticing more makes you want to keep looking
2. Why Merlin is more than an ID tool, and how eBird functions like “the last good social network” without clout-chasing
3. The ethics and culture of birding today, from playback debates to the weird social dynamics of rare sightings, plus why birding is such a powerful way to connect to place, community, and change

All audio, video, and images in this episode are either original to Okay, But... Birds (© Okay Media, LLC) or used under license/permission from the respective rights holders. Bird media from the Macaulay Library is used courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as follows:

1. Oak Titmouse audio contributed by Thomas G. Sander, ML110924
2. Oak Titmouse video contributed by Timothy Barksdale, ML406704
3. Northern Pygmy-Owl (Rocky Mts.) audio contributed by Rob Faucett, ML25653
4. Pine Siskin audio contributed by Matthew D. Medler, ML163369
5. Northern Shrike (American) audio contributed by Lucas DeCicco, ML515306
6. Surf Scoter video contributed by Timothy Barksdale, ML402125