The Warblers by Birds Canada

Bird nests literally come in all shapes and sizes: burrowed into a sand bank, tucked into grass, underground, high up, stretchy, sturdy, flimsy. Even the chicks are radically different, with some leaping out of trees at a day old, and others clinging to the nest for weeks. Each species has their own unique nesting strategy - Mark Peck helps us explore how and why they work. He also shares tips on how to observe the breeding birds a...

Overlooked and underappreciated - kinglets are one of Canada’s toughest little birds! Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets are both fascinating and unique in their own ways. One stays with us all winter long, which is impressive for a bird smaller than a chickadee. And the other lays up to 12 eggs in a stretchy nest! Join us for an exploration of both species: identification tips, bird songs, and fun facts. 

We're always ke...

With close to 9 million domestic cats in Canada, and a third of them regularly roaming outdoors, we know that birds are heavily impacted by cats. In fact, cats are considered the number one threat to birds in Canada.

Our guests, Julia Kilgour and Jonathan Chu, help us explore this fascinating and complex issue. From the science – predation numbers, the most vulnerable bird species, and how we study cats outdoors – to the c...

Some of Canada's weirdest and most wonderful birds can be found in marshes! But which ones have the marshiest adaptations?...is it the Thunder Pumper?

Gwendolyn Clark helps us explore the fascinating lives of the American Bittern, Sora, and Nelson's Sparrow. From extra long toes, to crossed-eyes, and some of the strangest sounds birds can make - we are excited for you to meet these species. Plus, learn about Mars...

James Bay is an essential stopover site for thousands of migrating shorebirds - Hudsonian and Marbled Godwits, Whimbrels, Red Knots, and more. But this once reliable habitat is threatened. 

Back in August, Cléa Frapin of Birds Canada, headed to a shorebird camp in James Bay to see it for herself. She spoke with Indigenous Elders, wildlife biologists and locals, to better understand the threats that Canada's North is facing, and...

It's back! We've called upon guests from across Canada to help answer your birdiest questions! 

Do the Northern Lights impact migratory birds? How do Surf Scoters digest whole clams? What does the "cheeseburger" song of the chickadee really mean? We answer these questions, and many more! 

A special thanks everyone who sent in questions, and to our experts guests who have so wonderfully helped to answer them!

If you...

Canada's largest city attracts a surprising diversity of bird species - and peeping at them from along the shores of Lake Ontario: countless birders. 

Among these birders, you'll find Jean Iron, Mark Peck and Nancy Barrett - three of Toronto's well known faces in the birding community. They share their favourite birding stories, explain the science behind why Toronto is a hotspot for birds, and relish in the community...

Discover the unique ways that birds understand the world through their senses! Some birds have bendy beaks, some swivel their eyes, and others sense magnetic fields. Andrew Iwaniuk is an expert on bird brains, and he helps us explore specialized bird senses and how their brains work! 

Send us your bird questions! We'll answer them in our end of year episode. 

• Email podcast@birdscanada.org
• Send Birds Canada a message on Instag...

In the spirit of spooky season, we bring you an eerie episode filled with spine-tingling bird facts. We debate the most haunting bird sounds, learn about blood sucking birds, corvid funerals, toxic species, and more. Plus you'll get some inspiration for a bird-themed Halloween costume! 

Natasha has shared some links with additional facts:

• Crow funerals with Kaeli Swift 
• Vampire Finches from BBC Earth
• The relationship between O...

Think you know blackbirds? This episode will change the way you see them. Andrea Gress and co-host Jody Allair discuss the underrated beauty and behaviour of blackbirds with experts Peter Burke and Alvaro Jaramillo. They highlight the diverse species within the Icteridae family, including Red-winged Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, and Orioles. They explore population trends, cultural perceptions, and the challenges of tracking species lik...

Migration is one of the most remarkable phenomena in the animal kingdom. What if the human body made the same trip?

Athletes Timm Döbert and Leanna Carriere join us to discuss their up-coming expedition, “Wings of Survival”, where they’ll bike from Alaska to Patagonia, following the route of the Whimbrel. This duo is using athletics to draw attention to nature and conservation. They tell us about their recent ride across Canada’s gr...

Black Swifts are also playfully known as Cloud Swifts, a suitable nickname for one of Canada's most impressive and mysterious birds. Join us above the clouds with researcher and mountain enthusiast, Rémi Torrenta, as he shares Black Swift season updates. He describes meeting Black Swifts at the top of a mountain, shares mind boggling facts about the species, and uplifting stories from a successful season of nest monitoring.

For...

The Chestnut-collared Longspur is an icon of the Prairies – an aerial acrobatist, singing and dancing in the sky. Jody Allair shares his love for this longspur, helping us understand why this charming species should be on everyone’s life list.  As he describes his road trip to seek out the Chestnut-collared Longspur earlier this spring, Jody offers helpful advice on how to find a rare bird – this advice can be applied anywhere, to ...

Taking good photos of birds isn't just about the gear - knowing bird behaviours and habitats is equally as important. 

Professional wildlife photographer, Liron Gertsman, joins us to offer helpful pointers for folks looking to take their bird photography to the next level. He also shares the stories behind some of his most iconic photos, important notes on how to practice ethical bird photography, and tips for following a simil...

Join us on a road trip to Skookumchuck Prairie to seek out the Long-billed Curlew. Our editor Kris Cu takes the reigns, leading us through the grassy valleys of Southeastern British Columbia. Kris is joined by David Bradley of Birds Canada, and Dianne Cooper, the caretaker of the Skookumchuck Prairie Key Biodiversity Area. Through their eyes, we learn about the Long-billed Curlew - threats, challenges, conservation efforts - while ...

While working with Piping Plovers in June of 2022, Andrea Gress and the rest of the plover team, observed a same-sex pairing between two well known plovers. It was a first for the species. 

But was it really? 

In today's episode, Andrea shares a brief history of how queerness in nature was viewed by the scientific community, and how these perspectives have evolved. To explore this further, we also re-share an episode originally ...

Discover the fascinating world of the White-throated Sparrow: birds with two colour morphs, a unique mating system, and songs that spread like the latest Taylor Swift release. Professors Ken Otter and Scott Ramsay reveal the surprising complexity behind these seemingly ordinary birds.

When you order from birdsandbeans.ca/warblers Birds and Beans donates to this podcast, plus you support bird-friendly coffee farms which provide essen...

In this episode we get answers to some of our biggest questions about bird songs, calls, and non-vocal sounds. Learn how thrushes make that haunting flute-like sound, listen to the duetting phenomenon of tropical songbirds, and explore how some birds learn their songs while others don’t. Dive into the complex world of avian communication – and so much more!

Help the iconic Wood Thrush and so many more migratory birds by drinking Bir...

The birds are back! From raptors doing trust falls, to grebes running across water - birds are displaying their finest selves all across Canada!

In this episode, Kyle Horner breaks down the common, the weird, and the obscure bird behaviours that you should be looking for this spring. We also get interesting insights into the "mess" that is the Canada Goose. And Kyle shares what he considers the best birds to look for at th...