In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These are birds we might overlook, even though they certainly deserve some appreciation and attention. 

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⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!

The featured species in this episode is the Asian Dowitcher (Limnodromus semipalmatus)

Asian Dowitcher sounds (Xeno Canto recordings XC349045 and XC806613)

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~~~

In this episode—which is number 126—Ivan Phillipsen heads to the seashore to explore the iconic Herring Gulls whose calls define the soundscape of coasts across North America and Europe. Listeners meet not just one but two species: the American Herring Gull and the European Herring Gull, nearly identical in appearance but with a surprisingly twisty evolutionary backstory.

Ivan breaks down what makes these gulls such compelling birds: their “menacing” expressions, complex vocal repertoire, opportunistic diets (including bags of Doritos), and clever foraging tricks like dropping clams from the air and tap-dancing for earthworms. He also looks at how these gulls live and raise their young—forming long-term pair bonds, nesting in dense gulleries, and fiercely defending their territories in ways that some unlucky humans have experienced up close.

Once persecuted, then booming, and now declining in some regions, these birds tell a story that’s far more complicated than being “just seagulls.”

Links of Interest

• A Herring Gull “foot pattering” on grass [VIDEO]

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Earlham College - A fantastic place to get an education, especially if you love birds

Bird Merch - See the NEW shirt designs!

Support the show

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These are birds we might overlook, even though they certainly deserve some appreciation and attention. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!

The featured species in this episode is the White-thighed Hornbill (Bycanistes albotibialis)

White-thighed Hornbill sounds (Xeno Canto recording XC617118)

Support the show

👕 Bird Merch —  Get yourself some bird shirts!

~~~

This is Episode 125. Host Ivan Phillipsen takes listeners inside the amazing respiratory system of birds. He starts by grounding the topic in familiar territory—how mammal lungs work—before revealing how different the avian system really is.

The episode walks through the unique division of labor between birds’ small, rigid lungs and their large air sacs, and explains the elegant, one-way flow of air that keeps oxygen constantly moving across gas exchange surfaces.

The episode also looks back in time, exploring how this respiratory design first evolved. Listeners will come away with a deeper appreciation of what’s happening inside every bird with each breath.

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Earlham College - A fantastic place to get an education, especially if you love birds

Bird Merch - See the NEW shirt designs!

Support the show

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These are birds we might overlook, even though they certainly deserve some appreciation and attention. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!

The featured species in this episode is the Little Woodpecker (Veniliornis passerinus)

Support the show

👕 Bird Merch —  Get yourself some bird shirts!

~~~

This is Episode 124. Host Ivan Phillipsen takes you on a tour of Mimidae—the New World family that includes mockingbirds, thrashers, catbirds, and tremblers. He describes the key features of these songbirds and what sets them apart.

Ivan explores the sounds that make this family famous: rich, extended songs, dazzling vocal control, and—for many species—impressive mimicry.

You'll also learn about mimid diversity and evolution, from North American backyards to Caribbean islands and desert specialists of the Southwest, plus a look at conservation challenges facing some species.

Links of Interest

• Northern Mockingbird Wing Flashing [VIDEO]
• Catbird singing [VIDEO]

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Earlham College - A fantastic place to get an education, especially if you love birds

Bird Merch - See the NEW shirt designs!

Support the show

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These are birds we might overlook, even though they certainly deserve some appreciation and attention. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!

The featured species in this episode is the Arabian Bustard (Aredotis arabs).

Support the show

👕 Bird Merch —  Get yourself some bird shirts!

~~~

In Episode 123 Ivan Phillipsen explores the fascinating world of subspecies—the diversity that exists within bird species. Learn how these populations arise, why ornithologists sometimes struggle to define them, and what makes the concept so important for both science and conservation.

From the record-breaking Island Thrush, once thought to have more subspecies than any other bird, to chickadees, sparrows, and hawks closer to home, Ivan shares examples that highlight just how complex and surprising intraspecific variation can be. Along the way, he touches on genetics, evolution, and the challenges of naming and classifying birds in a way that truly reflects reality.

Whether you’re a birder, a naturalist, or just curious about how new species begin, this episode offers a look at the “gray zone” between populations and species—and why it matters for birding, science, and conservation.

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Earlham College - A fantastic place to get an education, especially if you love birds

Bird Merch - See the NEW shirt designs!

Support the show

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These are birds we might overlook, even though they certainly deserve some appreciation and attention. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!

The featured species in this episode is the White-throated Needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus).

Support the show

👕 Bird Merch —  Get yourself some bird shirts!

~~~

This is Episode 122. Host Ivan Phillipsen takes listeners into the vast sagebrush steppe of western North America and introduces the remarkable birds that call it home—the sage grouse. These birds are icons of the American West, tightly bound to a rugged ecosystem that covers nearly a third of the lower 48 states.

Ivan explores how sage grouse have evolved to thrive on a diet of sagebrush—plants laced with bitter, toxic chemicals that most animals avoid. From their unusual digestive adaptations to their elaborate courtship displays, these birds reveal fascinating strategies for survival in a tough landscape.

Listeners will learn about the two species of sage grouse, their distinctive appearances and behaviors, and the conservation challenges they face today.

Links of Interest

• Body-popping sage grouse - Nature's Greatest Dancers - BBC [VIDEO]

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Earlham College - A fantastic place to get an education, especially if you love birds

Bird Merch - See the NEW shirt designs!

Support the show