Today we speak with evolutionary biologist David George Haskell about how birds developed their songs. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Access the BIRD HUGGER Newsletter here: www.birdhuggerpodcast.com. Send your questions about birds and native gardening to birdhuggerpodcast@gmail.com. (PG-13) S...
Aug 14, 2025•Season 6Ep. 136
Join us today as we speak with award-winning science journalist Chris Berdik. Chris has written a new book, Clamor: How Noise Took Over the World -- and How We Can Take It Back. We will be talking about how noise impacts humans and wildlife, especially birds, and what each of us can do to mitigate noise in our environment. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured birds, for twice-monthly discussions about restori...
Jul 31, 2025•Season 6Ep. 135
Today we speak with Louie De Jaeger, author of Save Our Soils: How Regenerative Food And Farming Will Save Your Health And The Planet, an important book about how the health of our soil affects every aspect of our lives and our futures. We talk about what led to this problem and how to fix it. For further information about the book go to: louisdj.com. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-m...
Jul 17, 2025•Season 6Ep. 134
Today we speak with author Danae Wolfe about her brand-new book, Grass Isn't Greener. Danae is an award-winning nature educator who founded the organization Chasing Bugs. For more info on her work and her book go to www.chasingbugs.com. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured birds, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Access the BIRD HUGGER Newslet...
Jul 03, 2025•Season 6Ep. 133
Join us today as we speak with documentary photographer, gardener and bird enthusiast Martha Retallick, author of the new book, Water Harvesting 101. We talk about the basics of getting started in harvesting the rainwater in your yard. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Access the BIRD HUGGER Newsl...
Jun 19, 2025•Season 6Ep. 132
Gina Kent is back on the show to continue our discussion about the magnificent Swallow-Tailed Kite! Gina is a senior scientist with the Avian Research and Conservation Institute out of Gainesville, Florida. Gina tells us about the Swallow-Tailed Kite's many challenges during migration along with the effects of Hurricane of Ian and Milton on the species. For more info on the Avian Research and Conservation Institute, go to ARCInst.org. For the ARCI Eyes On Kites program, go to: https://www.arcins...
Jun 05, 2025•Season 6Ep. 131
Today we are joined by wildlife forensic scientist Megan Stolen. Megan tells us about some of her most interesting investigations into wildlife cruelty and also gives us an update on the pelicans who were deliberately injured in Brevard County, Florida. To find out more about Blue World Research Insititute (BWRI) go to: https://bwri.org. To make donations to the Florida Wildlife Hospital of Palm Shores, Florida please go to https://floridawildlifehospital.org. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certifi...
May 22, 2025•31 min•Season 6Ep. 130
Today we speak with award-winning native garden designer Marie Chieppo about how to reduce your lawn in order to introduce more native plants as well as creating a soft landing for insects under trees. Order Marie's new book, Guidelines for Cape-Friendly Landscapes, at: ecoplantplans.com. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping th...
May 08, 2025•28 min•Season 6Ep. 129
We are joined today by Pam Meier, director of The Turtle's Back in Maine, a wild turtle rescue and rehabilitation center. We talk about what to do if you find a turtle in the road. We also discuss the problem of turtle poaching and how you can help prevent it. Go to her website at: theturtlesback.org. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat a...
Apr 24, 2025•34 min•Season 6Ep. 128
Today we speak with Alexis Doshas, the Nursery Manager for the Native Plant Trust, based in Whately, Massachusetts. Alexis and her team plant 50,000 to 60,000 native seeds each year! Some native plants mentioned in this show: Pennsylvania sedge; Carex Appalachia; Tiarella cordifolia; wild strawberry; oak trees; linden (basswood) trees; goldenrod (solidago); asters; swamp milkweed; rudbeckia; blueberries; and hazelnuts. For the Native Plant Trust go to: nativeplanttrust.org. For Nasami Farm go to...
Apr 10, 2025•25 min•Season 6Ep. 127
Ready to join the self-sustainability revolution? Today we have Maria Rodale from the legendary Rodale organic gardening family to talk to us about starting your first vegetable garden and a whole lot more! Check out her substack at substack.com. Find her latest book, The Love Alphabet Book, written by her alias Mrs. Peanuckle, at your local bookstores. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice...
Mar 27, 2025•25 min•Season 6Ep. 126
Today we speak with Carole Turek, world-renowned hummingbird expert. She tells us about her travels to photograph and film all 371 species of hummingbird on the planet! She also discusses her projects with the American Bird Conservancy and her extremely popular YouTube site, The Hummingbird Spot, which contains live streams of hatching hummingbird babies. Hummingbird species mentioned on this show: Allen's; Anna's; Costa's; Rufous; Calliope; Broad-billed; Lucifer; Rivoli's; Blue-Throated Mountai...
Mar 13, 2025•26 min•Season 6Ep. 125
Today we speak with Bethany Brookshire, author of the new book Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains. We discuss why certain animals are labeled as "pests" and how we can learn to live with all animals. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Access the BIRD HUGGER Newsletter here: www.birdhuggerpodc...
Feb 27, 2025•27 min•Season 6Ep. 124
Today we speak with Grant Sizemore from the American Bird Conservancy about the continuing problem of outdoor cats attacking and killing birds. Grant works to educate people about the dangers that outdoor cats pose to birds, mammals and humans. He shares some ways to keep both birds and cats safe from harm. For more information, go to abcbirds.org/cats. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice...
Feb 13, 2025•28 min•Season 6Ep. 123
Today's guest is Paula Whyman, author of the wonderful new book, Bad Naturalist. Paula takes us on an adventure as she describes how she transformed 200 acres of disconnected pastureland in Virginia into a thriving meadow filled with native trees and plants for wildlife. For link to Isabella Tree's book, The Book of Wilding: A Practical Guide to Rewilding, Big and Small, go to isabellatree.com. For link to The Song of the Dodo by David Quammen go to davidquammen.com. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a ...
Jan 30, 2025•28 min•Season 6Ep. 122
Now is the time to get out your catalogs and order those native plants! In today's episode, we talk with Matthew Shepherd from the Xerces Society about the organization's wonderful book, 100 Plants To Feed The Bees: Provide A Healthy Habitat To Help Bees Thrive. Plants discussed on this show: Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis); False Indigo or Lead Plant (Amorpha); Steeplebush or Meadowsweet (Spirea); and Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium). Go to the Bee Safe Nursery Plants Campaign on the Xerces...
Jan 16, 2025•31 min•Season 6Ep. 121
Get ready! It's time to start planting native seeds! In today's episode we learn about the most effective method for propagating native seeds outdoors during winter in an interview with Heather McCargo, founder of Wild Seed Project in Portland, Maine. Take the Rewilding Pledge! Go to Wild Seed Project at www.wildseedproject.net. Join host Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice monthly discussions...
Jan 02, 2025•55 min•Season 6Ep. 120
Join us for some good cheer on the BIRD HUGGER Holiday Special! Author Marta McDowell is our guest as we discuss her book about The Secret Garden, the delightful children's tale written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Happy Holidays to all! For more info on Unearthing The Secret Garden: The Plants and Places That Inspired Frances Hodgson Burnett by Marta McDowell, go to workman.com. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating i...
Dec 19, 2024•28 min•Season 5Ep. 119
Today's guest, aquatic biologist Declan McCabe, is urging us to protect water bodies like ponds and streams and the creatures that live in them. His new book, Turning Stones: Discovering The Life Of Water, is a collection of 54 nature essays that provide a look at the astounding diversity of life that depends on water. He examines a range of life forms and looks at ways to preserve clean water for the next generation and beyond. Check out Declan's podcast, Nature Snippets, wherever you download ...
Dec 05, 2024•29 min•Season 5Ep. 118
Can you mimic bird calls? Today our guest is Dan Gardoqui, founder of Lead With Nature, an organization dedicated to teaching people about all things nature. Dan, who was instrumental in creating the best-selling book, What the Robin Knows, is an expert bird mimic and nature educator who is urging all of us to spend time in the wild observing and listening to birds. Join him on a nature or bird walk at leadwithnature.com. Go to youtube.com to watch his many videos at Dan Gardoqui -- Learn A Bird...
Nov 21, 2024•28 min•Season 5Ep. 117
Today we talk with Uli Lorimer, author of the new book, The Northeast Native Plant Primer: 235 Plants for an Earth-Friendly Garden. Uli is the horticulture director at the Native Plant Trust. We talk about why natives are so important for birds and other wildlife. He will also walk us through the various successions of plants that occur once you turn your lawn into a meadow as well as some recommendations of native annuals to plant, like Partridge Pea. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildl...
Nov 06, 2024•26 min•Season 5Ep. 116
Is the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker really extinct? In today's episode, we talk with John Mittermeier, the director of the Lost Birds Program at the American Bird Conservancy. John travels the world seeking to confirm the existence or extinction of rare bird species. For more info go to searchforlostbirds.org or go to abcbirds.org. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about ...
Oct 24, 2024•26 min•Season 5Ep. 115
Today our guest is Sea McKeon, the Marine Program Director with the American Bird Conservancy. Sea is a biodiversity scientist, an evolutionary ecologist, a marine biologist, and a natural historian. In this episode, he tells us about the incredible value of seabird poop! Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured birds, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your back...
Oct 10, 2024•24 min•Season 5Ep. 114
In today's episode, we talk with Nancy Farwell, avid native gardener and marketing and advertising sales coordinator for Northern Woodlands magazine. Nancy approached the director of Northern Woodlands about creating a native garden in the front yard of the magazine's headquarters. We talk about the process of converting a workplace lawn to a native garden; the challenges that came up; as well as what plants were chosen for the project. For photos of the new 3,600 square-foot garden and more inf...
Sep 26, 2024•30 min•Season 5Ep. 113
Today we speak with Basil Camu, author of the wonderful new book, From Wasteland To Wonder: Easy Ways We Can Help Heal Earth In The Sub/Urban Landscape. According to Basil, the way we currently landscape our urban and suburban landscapes is harming natural ecosystems. His book shows us easy techniques for bringing the beauty and functionality of nature back to our yards. For more information on his book, go to leaflimb.com. The ebook version is free. For more information on Project Pando, go to ...
Sep 12, 2024•31 min•Season 5Ep. 112
In today's episode, we talk with Dr. Laurie Goodrich from Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Pennsylvania about the latest findings of her satellite telemetry research into the Broad-Winged Hawk. Also included: An exciting update on HUGGER, the Broad-Winged Hawk we are sponsoring! Dr. Goodrich launched the collaborative Pennsylvania Farmland Raptor and The Broad-winged Hawk research projects, and globally, she co-founded the now world-famous million-raptor conservation site at the River of Raptors in Ve...
Aug 29, 2024•23 min•Season 5Ep. 111
Today we speak with evolutionary biologist Joan Strassmann from St. Louis, Missouri about her brand-new book, The Slow Birding Journal. She explains why there's no need to fly to Panama to watch birds. You can enjoy bird watching in your own backyard by following some fun and easy-to-learn techniques. See The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan at https://tinyurl.com/cnfnyhyf. See Indigo Bunting at https://tinyurl.com/r9sxfwhr. See Rose-Breasted Grosbeak at https://tinyurl.com/whzstjmk. See Whit...
Aug 15, 2024•22 min•Season 5Ep. 110
ENCORE PRESENTATION: In today's episode, we talk with Becky Brewer from Prairie Moon Nursery in Minnesota about the many benefits of bare-root natives and how to plant them. Are you tired of finding Asian Jumping Worms in your soil? Tired of dealing with how to recycle plastic plant pots that can't be recycled? Bare-root plantings is the way to go! For more information go to: prairiemoon.com. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and re...
Aug 01, 2024•19 min•Season 5Ep. 109
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to rescue and rehabilitate injured wildlife? Today we have as our guest Kai Williams, executive director of the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, an organization serving wildlife rehabilitators worldwide with educational training and networking. For more information, go to www.theiwrc.org. Or call 1-866-871-1869. Contact Kai at kai@theiwrc.org. Kai is interested in human perceptions of and ways of interacting with other species and system...
Jul 18, 2024•24 min•Season 5Ep. 108
Today our guest is Hannah Evans from Population Connection, a non-profit organization that promotes awareness about the impact of human population numbers on climate change and the Earth's resources. Hannah works to cultivate partnerships between Population Connection and international NGOs. Before joining Population Connection’s staff, Hannah worked as an adjunct professor of Women’s Studies and taught classes on gender, science, and feminist theory. She has non-profit experience working as a p...
Jul 04, 2024•25 min•Season 5Ep. 107
