Birds of a Feather Talk Together

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we dive into the fascinating world of the Baltimore Oriole—one of North America's most beautiful and recognizable songbirds.

Famous for their brilliant orange-and-black plumage, rich, flute-like songs, and extraordinary hanging nests, Baltimore Orioles are among the most sought-after birds for backyard birdwatchers every spring. In this episode, we explore what makes these colorfu...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're traveling to Australia to explore one of the country's most fascinating—and controversial—birds: the Noisy Miner.

John recently encountered Noisy Miners during his birding trip to Australia, and after watching their remarkable behavior firsthand, we knew we had to dedicate an episode to them. These highly social birds are famous for their loud calls, complex family gro...

How long can a bird stay in the air without landing?

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're diving into the incredible world of the Chimney Swift—one of North America's most unique birds. These aerial specialists spend nearly their entire lives on the wing, eating, drinking, courting, and even collecting nesting material while flying. Outside of nesting and nighttime roosts, they rarely land at all.

And when they ...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're joined by ornithologist David Vander Pluym to explore a fascinating bird from Central America and South America: the Slate-throated Redstart—also known as the Slate-throated Whitestart.

David is a graduate student at the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science whose research focuses on bird ecology and migration. Before beginning graduate school, he spent years ...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're taking a closer look at one of North America's most energetic and recognizable backyard birds: the Carolina Wren.

This episode was inspired by listener Rebekah, who wrote to us asking if we could convince her to appreciate Carolina Wrens a little more. Like many birders, she noticed just how loud these tiny birds can be around your house—and wondered what makes them so speci...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we explore one of North America's most secretive and fascinating birds: the Black-billed Cuckoo.

Often heard more than seen, Black-billed Cuckoos are mysterious forest birds known for their elusive behavior, unique adaptations, and surprising diet. In this episode, we dive into what makes this species so unusual, from its preference for hairy caterpillars that many other birds avoid to ...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're joined by zoologist and science communicator Christian Flores (better known as @crikeyitschristian) for a deep dive into one of the greatest conservation success stories in modern history: the California Condor.

Once soaring alongside mammoths, saber-toothed cats, giant ground sloths, and other Ice Age megafauna, California Condors have survived for tens of thousands of years&mdas...

We're officially back with a brand-new episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together!

After a short break, the full crew returns to catch up on birding adventures, international travel, spring migration, and some exciting personal updates. Field Museum ornithologists and curators of birds John Bates and Shannon Hackett join RJ and Amanda Pole for a wide-ranging conversation that takes us from Australia and New Zealand all the way back...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're revisiting one of the most extraordinary birds we've ever covered—and the official winner of our 2026 Bird of the Year tournament: the Club-winged Manakin.

While we're getting ready to return with brand-new episodes next week, we couldn't resist taking another look at the bird that captured the hearts of our listeners and earned the title of 2026 Bird of the Year. Native to ...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're revisiting one of our favorite interviews with legendary birder Peter Kaestner—the first person in history to see more than 10,000 bird species in the wild.

While John continues his birding adventures in New Zealand and Australia, we thought it was the perfect time to revisit this incredible conversation. Peter recently came up on the podcast when Shannon recognized one of h...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're revisiting one of our favorite episodes about the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher—one of North America's smallest, busiest, and most beloved songbirds.

While John is off birding in New Zealand and Australia, we're taking a look back at this conversation about a bird that perfectly captures what makes birdwatching so rewarding. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers may be tiny, but their energetic be...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we explore one of the most spectacular birds in Africa: the Rwenzori Turaco.

Chosen by Shannon, this stunning bird is famous for its brilliant colors, striking crest, and almost unbelievable appearance. If you’ve never seen a Rwenzori Turaco before, you may want to look up a photo right now—its vibrant plumage makes it one of the most beautiful birds in the world and a favor...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we explore the fascinating world of the Black-and-white Warbler—one of the most unique and behaviorally unusual warblers in North America.

Unlike most warblers that hop through leaves and branches, Black-and-white Warblers climb tree trunks and branches much like nuthatches or woodpeckers, making them instantly recognizable to birders once you know what to look for. Their bold bla...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re talking about one of the most beautiful doves in the world: the Pink-headed Fruit Dove.

Native to the mountain forests of Indonesia, the Pink-headed Fruit Dove is known for its stunning pink head and chest, vibrant green body, and striking necklace-like markings. Because these birds live in remote high-elevation habitats, they haven’t been studied as extensively as man...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re diving into one of the most dazzling birds in North America—the Costa’s Hummingbird. After a listener wrote in with a question, we decided this tiny desert specialist deserved a full episode—and it does not disappoint.

From its iridescent purple crown to its high-speed aerial displays, the Costa’s Hummingbird is a master of survival in some of the har...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re joined by birder Ryan Shostack to talk about the incredible Black-backed Woodpecker—and how birding can be more inclusive for everyone.

The Black-backed Woodpecker is a fascinating species known for its unique relationship with burned forests, and Ryan shares his firsthand experiences seeing this bird multiple times in the wild. We explore its behavior, habitat, and wh...

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re diving into stories about two fascinating (and very different) blackbirds: the Rusty Blackbird and the Brown-headed Cowbird.

The Rusty Blackbird is one of the fastest-declining bird species in North America, and we explore what makes this bird so unique, and RJ and Amanda's recent sighting of them. Then we shift to the Brown-headed Cowbird, one of the most controversial bird...

Learn about the Green Heron, one of the only birds known to use tools to hunt, and how it uses bait to catch fish. This birding and birdwatching podcast explores heron behavior, wetland habitats, and surprising bird intelligence for beginners and experts alike. 

We also share a really special moment—RJ and Amanda came across a Green Heron nest and got to see a group of baby herons up close, which led to some fun conversat...

Learn about Long-Eared Owls, one of the most fascinating owl species in birding, and why they gather in massive communal roosts. This birdwatching podcast breaks down owl behavior, migration, and ecology for beginners and experts alike. This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re diving into one of the most mysterious and underrated owls out there—the Long-eared Owl. Known for its secretive behavior and incredi...