Birds of a Feather Talk Together

Welcome back to Birds of a Feather Talk Together! We are officially in full winter swing, and that means it’s the perfect time to shine a spotlight on one of the most iconic cold-weather visitors out there — the Snowy Owl.If you’ve been anywhere near bird-Twitter or the local news, you may have heard about the pair of Snowy Owls in Chicago. These birds are stunning, unmistakable, and one of those species that gets everyone — even the non-birders — buzzing with excitement.We also answer a listener question about a Loon that was recently seen in the Chicago area. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Pole!Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow: YouTube Instagram TikTok BlueSky

In this episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we revisit one of our favorite deep dives on the White-throated Sparrow, a fascinating and familiar North American bird. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Pole as we explore what makes this species so unique—and why sparrows are often tricky to identify.We discuss sparrow identification, focusing on how behavior, song, and movement patterns can be just as important as plumage when telling species apart. The conversation also dives into compelling research showing how White-throated Sparrows have been shrinking in body size over the past 50 years, and how long-term museum specimen collections at the Field Museum have made this discovery possible.You’ll also learn about the White-throated Sparrow’s two distinct head color morphs (tan-striped and white-striped), how these morphs influence mating preferences and behavior, and why this species is such a classic example in behavioral ecology.Plus, we wrap things up by answering a mailbag question from a listener in the U.K.—all about vultures, their behavior, and why they play such an important ecological role.Grab your binoculars and join us for this science-packed, bird-loving conversation! 🐦Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow: YouTube Instagram TikTok BlueSky

This week we’ve got a seriously fun one for you. We are joined by the wonderful Ellen Weatherford from the podcast Just the Zoo of Us.John and Shannon are guests on her show later this month, so we asked Ellen to come chat with us about the bird of her choice. She came back with flamingos—and boy, were we thrilled.It turned into such a bright, lively, surprisingly deep conversation about one of the most iconic birds out there. From their wild social lives to their unbelievable color and biology, this episode is just pure joy from start to finish.Ellen joins John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Pole.Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow: YouTube Instagram TikTok BlueSky

This week we’re diving into a fascinating forest bird—the Varied Thrush. If you’ve ever wandered through the deep, mossy conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest, you might’ve heard their haunting, single-note whistles echoing through the understory. These birds are usually right at home along the West Coast, from Alaska down through northern California… which is why things got very interesting when a Varied Thrush recently showed up all the way in New York.So today, we’re talking a lot about vagrancy—why some birds wander far outside their typical range.Along the way, we also drift into some fascinating side conversations about sampling methods —how researchers collect data from poop, what those approaches can tell us.And stick around, because we’ve got a fun announcement about an upcoming episode that you won’t want to miss.Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow: YouTube Instagram TikTok BlueSky

Happy Thanksgiving from Birds of a Feather Talk Together! We’re taking the week off for the holiday, but we didn’t want to leave you bird-less—so we’re re-sharing one of our favorite episodes, all about the mourning dove, one of North America’s most familiar and fascinating backyard birds.Fun fact: mourning doves can store an unbelievable amount of food in a specialized throat pouch before flying off somewhere cozy to digest it… which, honestly, sounds exactly like our Thanksgiving plans.If you’ve listened before, you know Shannon has very strong feelings about mourning doves—so revisiting this one made for an especially hilarious and insightful re-run. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, Amanda Pole, and RJ Pole as we explore mourning dove behavior, feeding strategies, their iconic call, and why this gentle species inspires so many mixed emotions.We’ll be back next week with brand-new bird episodes, including deep dives on the Varied Thrush and the flamingo.Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Grab your binoculars—and let’s get into it.Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow: YouTube Instagram TikTok BlueSky