Birds of a Feather Talk Together

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re exploring the Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)—a striking black-and-white shorebird with a bright orange-red bill found across Europe, including the coasts of Northern Ireland.
There’s a family connection behind this week’s bird choice: John and Shannon’s son recently moved to Northern Ireland, so Shannon wanted to feature a bird he might actually encounter there. The Eurasian Oystercatcher turned out to be the perfect choice.
We dive into the fascinating biology, behavior, diet, habitat, and adaptations of the Eurasian Oystercatcher, including some of the traits that set it apart from other oystercatcher species. We also compare oystercatchers from around the world, including the American Oystercatcher, and explore how different species have adapted to their environments.
Along the way, Dr. John Bates and Dr. Shannon Hackett of Chicago’s Field Museum share their ornithological expertise, while RJ and Amanda ask the questions that send the conversation in unexpected directions.
This episode was recorded in person as we experimented with a new four-microphone setup ahead of our live recording at the Chicago Urban Birding Festival, so you may notice that it sounds a little different from a typical episode. But having all four hosts sitting around the same table made for a fun, conversational discussion about one of Europe’s most recognizable shorebirds.
If you’re interested in Eurasian Oystercatchers, shorebirds, bird behavior, bird evolution, European birds, birding in Northern Ireland, or the differences between Eurasian and American Oystercatchers, this episode is for you.
Birds of a Feather Talk Together is a birding and ornithology podcast featuring Field Museum scientists Dr. John Bates and Dr. Shannon Hackett alongside bird enthusiasts RJ Pole and Amanda Pole. Each episode explores the science, behavior, evolution, conservation, and stories behind birds from around the world.
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For the first time ever, Birds of a Feather Talk Together is recording in front of a live audience!
We had an incredible time at the Chicago Urban Birding Festival, a celebration of birds, birding, conservation, and the amazing wildlife that can be found right here in the city. Dr. John Bates and Dr. Shannon Hackett of the Field Museum join RJ and Amanda for a special live episode filled with bird stories, science, laughs, and questions from the audience.
One of our favorite things about Birds of a Feather is the community that has grown around the podcast, so getting to sit in a room full of people who love birds as much as we do was pretty special.
Whether you're an experienced birder, a backyard birdwatcher, or just beginning to discover the world of birds, come hang out with us for our first-ever live recording!
Birds of a Feather Talk Together is a birding and birdwatching podcast featuring Field Museum ornithologists Dr. John Bates and Dr. Shannon Hackett alongside birders RJ and Amanda. Each episode explores bird behavior, evolution, migration, conservation, ornithology, and the incredible lives of birds.
Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow:
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This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're diving into the fascinating world of the Swallow-tailed Kite, a striking black-and-white raptor famous for its incredibly long, deeply forked tail and seemingly effortless flight.
But the Swallow-tailed Kite doesn't just LOOK impressive in the air—it has evolved to do an astonishing amount of its daily life without landing. These birds can catch and eat prey while flying, drink on the wing, and even collect nesting material from trees without touching the ground.
So how do they do it?
Field Museum Curators of Birds Dr. John Bates and Dr. Shannon Hackett take us into the biology, behavior, evolution, and natural history of the Swallow-tailed Kite. RJ and Amanda bring plenty of questions as we explore how that distinctive forked tail helps these birds maneuver through the sky, what they eat, how they hunt, where they live and migrate, and what makes them such specialized flyers.
If you've ever looked up and seen the unmistakable silhouette of a Swallow-tailed Kite soaring overhead, you already know why this bird inspires so much excitement. And if you've never seen one before, this episode might give you a new bird for your bucket list.
🐦 Birds of a Feather Talk Together is a conversational birding and ornithology podcast hosted by Field Museum ornithologists Dr. John Bates and Dr. Shannon Hackett alongside birders RJ and Amanda. From bird behavior and evolution to migration, conservation, and the incredible things birds do, we're exploring the world of birds one species at a time.
🎧 Listen now and discover why the Swallow-tailed Kite might be one of the coolest birds in the sky.
#SwallowTailedKite #Birding #BirdWatching #Birds #BirdFacts #Raptors #BirdOfPrey #Ornithology #BirdPodcast #BirdBehavior #BirdMigration #Wildlife #Nature
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This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re talking all about the Black Phoebe—a charismatic little flycatcher of the western United States known for its tail-wagging, insect-catching acrobatics, and habit of nesting around homes and other human structures.
Thanks to listener Emily for inspiring this episode! She wrote in to tell us about a Black Phoebe nesting in her carport, which sent us down the rabbit hole on this fascinating bird. We get into Black Phoebe behavior, nesting, identification, and some of the things that make this species so much fun to have around.
We also kick things off with a preview of the Chicago Urban Birding Festival, happening this weekend! Birds of a Feather will be recording a live episode at the festival, complete with an audience Q&A. Also performing are Tommy and Billy from Extremely Accurate Bird Songs—which somehow leads us into a conversation about a certain piece of bird anatomy that could make Tommy’s already extremely accurate bird drawings even more accurate. We’ll leave it at that.
As always, Birds of a Feather Talk Together brings together married ornithologists Dr. John Bates and Dr. Shannon Hackett with birders RJ Pole and Amanda Pole for conversations about birds, birding, ornithology, natural history, and everything we discover along the way.
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This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re catching up on our summer birding adventures!
RJ and Amanda share stories from their trip to Maine, including birding around Bar Harbor and taking a wildlife cruise along the coast. They encountered some incredible seabirds, including Atlantic Puffins, Common Eiders, and Black Guillemots, and talk about what it was like seeing these iconic Maine birds in person.
We also get into another fascinating part of coastal Maine: the lobster fishing industry. After spending time around lobster boats and learning more about the fishery, RJ and Amanda discuss some of the sustainability practices used by Maine lobstermen and how closely the industry is connected to the coastal ecosystem.
Meanwhile, John and Shannon share stories from their summer, including meeting Tommy Siegel and Billy Libby from Extremely Accurate Bird Songs. We also look ahead to the Chicago Urban Birding Festival, where Birds of a Feather will be appearing for a live show.
And before all of that, we kick things off with some incredible bird pins created by artist Jimmy Gonzalez.
From Atlantic Puffins and Black Guillemots to lobster boats, bird art, Extremely Accurate Bird Songs, and the Chicago Urban Birding Festival, this episode is a celebration of a summer spent around birds.
Birds of a Feather Talk Together is a conversational birding and ornithology podcast hosted by Field Museum ornithologists Dr. John Bates and Dr. Shannon Hackett alongside birders RJ and Amanda Pole. Each week, we explore birds, birding, ornithology, conservation, and the natural world.
Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow:
YouTube 
Instagram
TikTok
BlueSky