Birds of a Feather Talk Together

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 why it’s such a special find for birders.
Ryan also opens up about his experience birding on the autism spectrum (including Asperger’s), and what birding means to him. It leads to a thoughtful and honest conversation about accessibility, inclusion, and how the birding community can better support people of all backgrounds and abilities.
With Shannon’s own experience with hearing loss, this is a topic we’ve been wanting to explore for a while—and this conversation really delivers. We also go on a few fun tangents (including wolves), making this a wide-ranging and meaningful episode.
As always, it’s Field Museum ornithologists John Bates and Shannon Hackett, alongside RJ and Amanda learning right along with you.
If you’re interested in birding, bird behavior, inclusion in nature, or just love great conversations about the outdoors—this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
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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 birds in birding, known for its unusual nesting behavior and brood parasitism.
We also reveal the Final Four results of our Bird Championship tournament. Plus, we officially announce our Bird of the Year, and break down how it all played out.
And in a really fun behind-the-scenes moment, we hear about the Listers filmmakers, the Reiser brothers, visiting John and Shannon at the Field Museum.
As always, it’s married ornithologists and Field Museum curators John Bates and Shannon Hackett, alongside RJ and Amanda learning right along with you.

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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 conversation about nesting behavior, habitat, and what makes these birds so unique.
If you’re into birding, birdwatching, backyard wildlife, or just love learning about surprising animal behavior, this is a super fun episode you won’t want to miss.
As always, it’s married ornithologists and Field Museum curators John Bates and Shannon Hackett, alongside RJ and Amanda learning right along with you.
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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 incredible camouflage, this owl is a true master of staying hidden… until you know where to look.
John brings an amazing story from Serbia, where hundreds of Long-eared Owls gather to roost together in one place—an absolutely mind-blowing sight for birders and nature lovers alike. If you’ve ever wondered where to find owls or how they behave in the wild, this episode is packed with fascinating insights.
We’re also continuing our March Madness-style Round Robin Bird Tournament, featuring votes and hilarious commentary from Nick Mason’s LSU students, along with our own picks. Who’s advancing? Who’s getting knocked out? You’ll have to listen to find out.
As always, the show is hosted by married Field Museum ornithologists and Curators of Birds John Bates and Shannon Hackett, alongside bird enthusiasts RJ and Amanda Pole, blending expert knowledge with beginner curiosity to make birding fun and accessible for everyone.
If you love owls, birdwatching, ornithology, wildlife behavior, and fun science-driven conversations, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
🎧 Listen now and discover why the Long-eared Owl might become your new favorite bird.
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A rare Spectacled Eider showed up far outside its Arctic range—and birders took notice. Learn about eiders, migration patterns, and rare bird sightings in this birding podcast episode. A rare Spectacled Eider sighting in the Netherlands—far outside its normal Arctic range—sparked this week’s episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together.
In this episode, we explore all four living species of eiders—from the iconic Common Eider to the stunning King and Spectacled Eiders. Along the way, we break down what makes these Arctic ducks so unique, from their extreme cold-weather adaptations to their fascinating breeding behavior.
We’re also kicking off our March Madness-style bird bracket tournament, and we have a special surprise in our bracket challenge!
If you love birding, rare bird sightings, ornithology, and fun, science-driven conversations, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
As always it's married couple and ornithologists John Bates and Shannon Hackett and new-ish birders RJ and Amanda Pole. 
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