This is Episode Number 67. It’s the last episode of 2022, so that means it’s the Annual Review!

We’re going to look back at 2022, at some of the most interesting scientific studies of birds that were published this year. 

Will this be a painstakingly thorough review of everything that scientists learned about birds in 2022? 

No. Not so much. The studies I’m telling you about today—while they did make it into the newsfeed—are just the ones that I found most exciting. Or at least interesting. I decided they’re worth yapping about.

~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~

Links of Interest

• Cockatoos are in a "cultural arms race" with Sydney residents and their bins [VIDEO]
• Slow-motion video of woodpeckers hammering into wood [VIDEO]

References

• Hummingbird plumage color diversity exceeds the known gamut of all other birds
• Innovation and geographic spread of a complex foraging culture in an urban parrot
• Woodpeckers minimize cranial absorption of shocks
• The homogenization of avian morphological and phylogenetic diversity under the global extinction crisis
• Cretaceous ornithurine supports a neognathous crown bird ancestor
• Juvenile bar-tailed godwit "B6" Sets World Record
• Avian neurons consume three times less glucose than mammalian neurons
• Deterrence of birds with an artificial predator, the RobotFalcon
• How woodcocks produce the most brilliant white plumage patches among the birds

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Support the show

This episode—which is Number 66—is all about the ways you can help birds. How you can make a difference in their conservation.

It’s one thing to enjoy learning about birds in an objective, scientific way. They’re fascinating organisms.

But does our interest in the biology of birds also come bundled with a care and concern for them? With warm and fuzzy feelings? 

I’d say heck yes, it does! For most of us, anyway, including yours truly.

We want birds out there in the wide world to survive and thrive. For their own intrinsic worth as living beings. 

But also because of our selfish desire to have them around for us—so we can enjoy them, and take Instagram-worthy photos of them, and write their names down on our lifelists.
 

Links of Interest

• The Blue Feet Foundation
• Bring Birds Back podcast

~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website 

Support the show

This is Episode 65, and it’s all about waxwings—birds in the family Bombycillidae.

The Cedar Waxwing is one species, and there are two others that we’ll talk about.

These beautiful, elegant songbirds are loved by people across the Northern Hemisphere.

Waxwings are easy on the eyes, for sure, and that’s great. I mean, personally, I think they’re just about the most gorgeous songbirds we have in North America.

But their biology is also really interesting. So much of how waxwings live and behave is dictated by what they eat… By their specialized diet.

What is that special diet? Is it maybe something like scorpions, psychedelic mushrooms, or the blood of their enemies?
 
Listen and find out!

Links of Interest

• Cedar-Waxwings getting drunk on Holly Berries [VIDEO]
• Cedar Waxwing Courtship [VIDEO]

~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website 

Support the show

This episode—which is Number 64—is all about the importance of temperate grasslands as habitat for birds.

When we say “temperate grasslands,” we mean those generally occurring in the middle latitudes.

Temperate grasslands exist in several parts of the world. Some of them cover vast areas. Here in North America, we have the Great Plains as a “great” example.

The steppes of Mongolia and the Pampas of South America are similarly vast temperate grasslands.

Many, many bird species around the world depend on such grasslands for food and breeding habitat. Among them are raptors, sparrows, blackbirds, larks, pipits, a bunch of South American species in the ovenbird family, Furnariidae… and the list goes on.

But, unfortunately, temperate grasslands are also among the most threatened ecosystems on the planet. Many of the bird species that call them home are, not surprisingly, also in trouble.

Today, we’re going to dive into what makes temperate grasslands special, and why they’re so important to birds. I’ll give you several examples of bird species that depend on grassland habitats.

And we’ll also talk a bit about grassland conservation. Because you know we can’t get through this without a little gloom and doom.

Links of Interest

• Little Bustard [VIDEO]
• Grassland Bird Trust
• American Prairie Reserve
• The North American Grasslands Conservation Act

~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Support the show

This episode—which is Number 63—is about the Common Raven, Corvus corax. This species is also known as the Northern Raven.

Few bird species in the world are as geographically widespread as the Common Raven. And few are as familiar and iconic. This is a really amazing bird.

Ornithologists and other scientists have studied ravens extensively, so we know quite a lot about this species.

Today, we’ll look at the basic traits of the Common Raven as well as its behavior, habitats, diet, reproduction, and more.

Links of Interest

• BOOK: Mind of the Raven: Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds [Amazon affiliate link]
• Two Species of Ravens Nevermore?
• Crow vs Raven in Size [YouTube video]

~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Support the show

This episode—which is Number 62—is all about the major geographic divisions among birds across the planet.

Why are bowerbirds found only in Australia and on the islands of New Guinea? Why are the birds you see in India so different from those in China? Does North America have any unique, endemic bird families?

Questions like these fall within the domain of biogeography. Biogeography is the study of where living things are found and why they’re found there—both in the present and the past.

Today, we’ll be sketching out the big picture of what types of birds are found where across the world map.

By learning the basics of bird biogeography, you can get a deeper appreciation for the uniqueness of bird communities in different parts of the world.

~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~

Links of Interest

• What Are The 7 Realms of Biogeography? [VIDEO]

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Support the show

This is Episode 61, and it’s all about Ostriches. These are the birds in the avian family Struthionidae.

Ostriches are among the most recognizable and charismatic birds. No living bird is bigger than an ostrich. If you’ve ever seen one up close, you know how impressive these giants can be. They’re amazing.

So I’m excited to dig into their biology with you today. You probably know a thing or two about Ostriches already, but let’s see if we can get a deeper understanding of them. We’ll look at their basic traits, their distribution, habitat, diet, and more.

~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~

Links of Interest

• Cyclists chased by an ostrich [VIDEO]

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Support the show

This episode—which is Number 60—is about Feeding Wild Birds. As in, humans providing supplemental food for wild birds.

This typically involves a contraption called a birdfeeder. When you or I hang up a birdfeeder, we’re feeding wild birds intentionally. This intentional feeding is what today’s episode is about.

Millions and millions of people all around the world feed wild birds intentionally. At such a massive scale, you have to imagine this would affect birds significantly, and in many ways. And it absolutely does.

Which brings us to the big question: should we or shouldn’t we feed wild birds? This is still being debated. By scientists, conservation organizations, and bird lovers everywhere.

Today, I’ll do my best to give you objective, scientific information about feeding birds. We’ll look at the pros and cons. Then, we’ll see if there’s any sort of conclusion we can come to at the end of the episode.

~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~

Links of Interest

• Analysis: Do Bird Feeders Help Or Hurt Birds? 
• Birds not dependent on feeders, study suggests

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Support the show

This episode—which is Number 59—is a bit different. Today, I’m going to be answering questions from my listeners. More specifically, these questions come from my supporters on Patreon.

I have several “tiers” or “membership levels” on my Patreon page. Each level comes with perks. One perk for the “Helpful Hornbill” and “Awesome Osprey” tiers is getting to submit questions for episodes like this.

So, today, we’ve got a fun grab-bag of questions to ponder.

~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~

Links of Interest

• Northern Mockingbird Wing Flashing Behavior [VIDEO]

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Support the show

Today’s episode—which is Episode 58—is all about birds in the family Troglodytidae. These are the wrens.

Wrens are small, perky songbirds, most of which are some shade of brown.

All the species in this family of birds are found in the New World—In North, Central, and South America. All of them, that is, except for one species found in the Old World.

In this episode, we'll cover many aspects of wren biology: their behavior, voices, diversity, evolution, conservation, and breeding.

~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

Support the show