Winging it

Sea birds are extremely important to coral reef ecosystems and are intrinsically linked to their nutrient cycle. Seabird guano helps maintain or even grow reefs and, by extension, the surrounding ecosystem. Seabirds are at risk from invasive rat populations in the surrounding archipelagos, but removing the rat infestations helps their populations and helps with overall […]

Researchers have noticed that island birds are losing their ability to fly. When birds settle on islands, they start to undergo physical changes, such as smaller flight muscles and longer legs, due to the lack of predators on islands. It costs a lot of energy to maintain large flight muscles, so island birds have discovered […]

In this episode of Winging It, we dive into the very overlooked study of same sex parnerships in birds. Listeners will discover a little bit of why these partnerships have been dismissed as “human error” in scientific data and how experts like Dr. Natasha Gillies have been trying to bridge that gap in research. We […]

Raptors are often seen as a symbol of freedom, power, and life in the wild. But what happens when one can no longer survive outside of captivity? By listening to the story of Toad, an Eastern Screech Owl living at the Carolina Raptor Center, this episode explores the ethics and emotional weight of permanent captivity […]

Hummingbirds have some of the most extreme adaptations in the animal world. In this episode, we explore how hummingbirds are able to hover, fly backward, and even generate lift on both the downstroke and the upstroke of flight. We also reveal the hidden cost of this unique flight behavior: a metabolism so fast that they […]

In this episode of How a Tap-Dancing Bird Challenges Traditional Sexual Selection, you will discover how a tiny songbird, the Blue-capped Cordon-bleu, uses its tap-dancing skills and elaborate courtship displays to flip what we know about attraction in the bird world. Instead of males solely displaying the mating behavior, both males and females sing, bob, […]

This podcast covers broadly the domestication of pigeons and how they went from a food source to message deliverers to racing pigeons. It includes an interview with Mr. John Ward from the Tarheel classic, a lifelong pigeon fancier. In that interview we discuss the artificial selection of racing pigeons concerning their speed, endurance, weight, and […]

In this podcast, listeners will learn all about crows and some amazing facts about them ranging from their usage of tools to their ability to recognize and remember human faces. We start off by talking about crows and their ability to recognize human faces. Then we discuss evidence of self recognition in crows, highlighting findings […]

In this episode, listeners will learn about the unique characteristics and intelligence of ravens, including how they differ from crows. The podcast focuses on raven vocal mimicry and explains how this behavior connects to communication, social interactions, and survival. It also highlights insights from an interview with a researcher to better understand why ravens mimic […]

When it comes to mating, birds are competitive, but when we think of the word competition, what comes to mind? Physical battles? Verbal altercations? What about stealing? Today we take a deep dive into a small, sneaky bird that uses theft as a reproductive strategy. What’s the point? How do they decide what’s worth stealing? […]