Podcast

November 04, 2021 — Hummers take the record, but all birds have super-charged hearts to match their high-energy lifestyles.

January 25, 2021 — Eating (and spitting up) their own plumes helps these diving birds to safely digest brine shrimp exoskeletons and other rigid foods.

July 27, 2020 — Powerful gapers have stronger muscles for opening the bill than for closing it—perfect for prying objects open to reveal the morsels inside.

July 10, 2020 — To ID this understated brown bird, look for a yellow eyebrow stripe and listen for its subtle trilling.

June 22, 2020 — Feather brightness may indicate superior genes in species that sport crimson feathers.

June 16, 2020 — Hiding high up in the canopy of eastern forests, these dazzling birds can be surprisingly tough to spot.

May 05, 2020 — Long ago, glaciers wiped out earthworms across the northern U.S.—until new ones arrived with European travelers.

April 27, 2020 — The way these fish-eating raptors carry their prey suggests their brains have evolved to divvy up complex tasks.

March 18, 2020 — Created by an acoustic ecologist, the place-based soundscapes transport listeners across the globe.

March 09, 2020 — From geese and gulls to penguins and puffins, these birds have perfectly adapted to life on the water.