While humans are busy tweeting, birds are busy talking, courting, building, playing, even parenting. Seriously, new scientific research is dramatically changing what we know about birds. Turns out the little critters are pretty brilliant. My guest Jennifer Ackerman write about these new findings in her brilliant new book The Bird Way. Drawing on her personal observations, the latest science, and her bird-related travel around the world, she uncovers all sort of interesting facts about birds including:

• How bird song is a very advanced language
• The interesting way birds experience emotions
• Their incredible sense of smell
• Why birds may be the most advanced species on the planet,
• The secret Ringo Starr of the bird world.