This week we talk about the house wren, but first we talk a little bit about the newest addition to the Field Museum: The Archaeopteryx. A fossil called Archaeopteryx , with feathers, hollow bones, clawed wings, fifty tiny teeth, and a long bony tail, is the earliest known dinosaur that also qualifies as a bird. The Chicago Archaeopteryx has the most complete skull of any Archaeopteryx fossil in the world. We then talk about the House Wren - it's a super fun episode that you'll enjoy. House Wren...
Jun 03, 2024•34 min•Ep. 44
We talk about a bird that was majorly affected by the parasitic brown-headed cowbird so much that it was on the endangered species list for nearly 50 years. One of the rarest songbirds in North America, the Kirtland’s Warbler migrates back and forth from the Bahamas to Michigan every year. We also learn that this bird was studied back in the 1920’s by Nathan Leopold, one half of the murdering crime pair Leopold and Loeb. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we discus...
May 27, 2024•38 min•Ep. 43
Brown-headed cowbirds don't build nests - instead they sneak into other nests and lay their eggs and let other birds raise their young for them. Many consider them 'mafia' birds, as they will destroy another bird's nest if they aren't raising their young correctly. These parasitic birds will outgrow the other chicks in the nest, its kind of like a horror story! Hear all about these bizarre birds in this awesome episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together. John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, an...
May 20, 2024•33 min•Ep. 42
In this electrifying episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together , we’re joined by none other than Wes Larson, the visionary behind Tooth and Claw, as he takes us on an unforgettable journey to Australia in search of one of the world's most elusive and fascinating birds—the Southern Cassowary. Known for its striking appearance and powerful presence, the Southern Cassowary is as mysterious as it is majestic. Wes shares his firsthand experience tracking this incredible bird in Australia and offers...
May 13, 2024•51 min•Ep. 41
Warbler season is officially here. We talk about the Blackpoll Warbler - the warbler with one of the longest and most impressive migration. Enjoy! Please follow our instagram @birds_of_a_feather_podcast Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.com Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow: YouTube Instagram TikTok BlueSky...
May 05, 2024•46 min•Ep. 40
Bald Eagles are amazing - everyone knows it. We touch on everything from Benjamin Franklin, to how DDT decimated their population and the significant comeback that they've made, to their aerial cartwheel performances. It's a really fascinating episode, and we learn about the 'eagle suit' that Amanda's sister's dog wears so he doesn't get picked up by a bald eagle in his backyard. Special thanks to photographer Dustin Weidner for suggesting that we do a Bald Eagle episode. Check out his photograp...
Apr 29, 2024•35 min•Ep. 39
This week's episode is a little different than usual. Instead of discussing one bird, we talk about RJ and Amanda's recent trip to Florida and all of the birds that they saw. RJ and Amanda ask John and Shannon about the Osprey, Brown Pelicans, Cormorants, Black Skimmers, American Oystercatchers, and many more. We also plead our case for the birds that have reached the Final Four in our Round Robin voting: The Shoebill, American Woodcock, Raven, and Atlantic Puffin. Enjoy! Here are links to our s...
Apr 22, 2024•47 min•Ep. 38
John and Shannon's son moved to Slovakia to play professional hockey - so we discuss a bird native to that area: The European Roller. These birds are super cool and so much fun to learn about. From their interesting leapfrogging migration pattern to Africa, to the self-defense method that many of their chicks use: vomiting. Make sure to google these birds because their color is absolutely magnificent. We also answer a mailbag question about bald eagles, and set up for a full episode that we'll d...
Apr 08, 2024•26 min•Ep. 37
This week we talk about one of Shannon’s favorite birds: The Brown Creeper. The way these tiny little birds climb all over trees, and look like a piece of bark, is truly amazing, and adorable. We also answer a mailbag question about evolution, and when animals learned how to fly. We finish out the episode with the next round of our Round Robin tournament and vote on the second round of birds from our previous episodes. It's our regular hosts John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart,...
Apr 01, 2024•31 min•Ep. 36
This week we talk to Louise Bodt about the European Starlings. Louise Bodt is a PhD candidate at the University of Chicago and the Field Museum using introduced birds to study rapid evolutionary change. Prior to joining the Field Museum birds lab, she worked as a science educator in NYC where she got her MS in biology investigating genetics of invasive European starlings. We also kick off our Round Robin Tournament and vote on our first round. It's a lot of fun and we were laughing the whole tim...
Mar 25, 2024•36 min•Ep. 35
This week we talk to Louise Bodt about the European Goldfinch. Although they are native to Europe, there is actually a population living in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. Louise tells us how they got there, other examples of them being introduced, and much more. Louise Bodt is a PhD candidate at the University of Chicago and the Field Museum using introduced birds to study rapid evolutionary change. Prior to joining the Field Museum birds lab, she worked as a science educator in NYC w...
Mar 18, 2024•36 min•Ep. 34
This week Shannon makes her case for why Tufted Puffins are the best. Amanda points out that the tufts look like the hair on the back of Donald Trump's head, which doesn't go over well with Shannon :). It's a blast and a ton of fun discussing the Tufted Puffin. Marky Mutchler joins us again on this one, Marky is a PHD student at the University of Chicago. We also answer a question about birds in Trinidad and Tobago from one of our listeners. Enjoy! Please follow our instagram @birds_of_a_feather...
Mar 11, 2024•32 min•Ep. 33
A listener wrote in and asked for us to do a puffin episode. It turns out that John and Shannon each have a different favorite puffin. This week we'll talk about John's favorite: the Common Puffin (or Atlantic Puffin.) Next week we'll talk about the Tufted Puffin. Puffins are so cool, you'll enjoy this one and next week's as well! Marky Mutchler joins us again this week as well. Enjoy!! Please follow our instagram @birds_of_a_feather_podcast Please send us your questions for us to answer as well...
Mar 04, 2024•27 min•Ep. 32
Part 2 of our interview Marky Mutchler to talk about Limpkins. Marky is a PHD student at the University of Chicago, and is studying limpkins. Limpkins have been seen outside of their range, as far north as Chicago and even Nova Scotia. One limpkin was found dead in Illinois recently, and the dead bird was brought to the Field Museum for research, so we talk to Marky, John, and Shannon to see what they’ve learned. Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcas...
Feb 26, 2024•26 min•Ep. 31
We interview Marky Mutchler this week and talk about Limpkins. Marky is a PHD student at the University of Chicago, and is studying limpkins. If you’re not familiar, Limpkins are a bird that is native to South America and their range covers Florida as well. They’ve been expanding northwards lately, and there were many citing in Illinois this summer. Marky tells us about them being spotted as far north as Nova Scotia as well. Will they be able to survive winters? How are they finding food in thes...
Feb 20, 2024•24 min•Ep. 30
Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we talk about flame bowerbirds. John and Shannon provide a lot of really fascinating information on these incredible birds, from how they can manipulate the size of their pupils, how they use blue objects to attract a mate, and why we don’t know more about these birds in general. Email us your questions at podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram for pictures of the birds we discuss, specimen, and more info! @birds...
Feb 12, 2024•28 min•Ep. 29
On this week's episode we discuss Blue Jays. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we talk all about Blue Jays. We talk about how bird flu changed their population, their inconsistent migration, and their relationship with acorns and oak trees. We kick off the episode talking about Sharp-Tailed Grouse in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Check out pictures of the bird specimen on our instagram @birds_of_a_feather_podcast Please send us your questions for us to answer as we...
Feb 05, 2024•36 min•Ep. 28
This week we are doing something a little different - we are telling you our origin story. With so many episodes out on different birds, we wanted to give our listeners an explanation of who we are, how we got together, and why we are making this podcast. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart in our Birds of a Feather Talk Together origin story. Enjoy! Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow: YouTube Instagram TikTok BlueSky...
Jan 29, 2024•14 min•Ep. 27
John talks about the Christmas Bird Count, and then we talk all about the Mallard Duck. From their sexual dimorphism (for part of the year), to their matching speculum stripes, to how they differ from other ducks. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart in our most recent episode. Questions? Reach out to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.com Thanks! Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow: YouTube Instagram TikTok BlueSky...
Jan 22, 2024•41 min•Ep. 26
We kick off the new year talking about the Puteketeke or the Great Crested Grebe. We were following closely while John Oliver's campaign to make this New Zealand's bird of the century, and are so excited to talk about this super cool bird. John Oliver used his show 'Last Week Tonight' to raise awareness about these birds, and in turn raised a ton of awareness about birds in general, particularly in New Zealand. We talk about the Puteketeke's exotic mating dance, to carrying chicks on their back,...
Jan 15, 2024•37 min•Ep. 25
These birds have claws on their wings when they are young, and may be a link back to the dinosaurs. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart, and our guest Jacob Drucker to talk about the Hoatzin. This is a fun episode where we talk about these strange, unique, and downright fascinating birds. Email us your questions at podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram for pictures of the birds we discuss, specimen, and more info! @birds_of_a_feather_podcast Here are lin...
Dec 18, 2023•26 min•Ep. 24
Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart, and our guest Jacob Drucker to talk about Rock Pigeons. One of our listeners wrote in and asked us to do an episode on Pigeons, and what a great idea that was! From their navigational abilities, to the impact that humans have had on their evolution, to their color variation, we cover so many interesting topics. You'll gain a new appreciation for these birds, and won't ever look at them the same way. Email us your questions at podcast.bi...
Dec 11, 2023•32 min•Ep. 23
Part 2 of John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart interviewing Jacob Drucker to discuss Hawaiian Honeycreepers. Jacob Drucker is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Chicago and the Field Museum studying how birds interact with tropical climates over ecological and evolutionary time. He has spent over a year in Hawaii working with the Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project, as a regular volunteer with the Department of Land and Natural Resources on the Big Island, and as a guide ...
Dec 04, 2023•36 min•Ep. 22
John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart interview Jacob Drucker this week to discuss Hawaiian Honeycreepers. Jacob Drucker is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Chicago and the Field Museum studying how birds interact with tropical climates over ecological and evolutionary time. He has spent over a year in Hawaii working with the Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project, as a regular volunteer with the Department of Land and Natural Resources on the Big Island, and as a guide for...
Nov 27, 2023•30 min•Ep. 21
We have a Thanksgiving special this week as we discuss the Wild Turkey. These birds are a major conservation success story, hear all about it in this weeks episode. We also talk about John seeing a turkey in the Democratic Republic of Congo, how turkeys got their name, and learn all about their magnificent feathers. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart for Birds of a Feather Talk Together. This week we are also joined by Jacob Drucker. Jacob Drucker is a Ph.D. candidate...
Nov 20, 2023•27 min•Ep. 20
New episodes coming soon. In the meantime, who wants free stickers? We will announce rules to the sticker giveaway on our Instagram on Monday. Follow us @birds_of_a_feather_podcast Thanks!! Birds of a Feather Talk Together Podcast One of the best new podcasts available. Also called the best bird podcast. Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow: YouTube Instagram TikTok BlueSky...
Nov 10, 2023•2 min
Happy Halloween! Today we cover one of the smartest birds that also happens to be associated with death and overall spookiness: The Raven. They know how to use tools, can impersonate other birds, and possibly could even say the word "Nevermore"... Hear all about Ravens in this week's episode. John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart discuss Ravens. Email us your questions at podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram for pictures of the birds we discuss, specimen, ...
Oct 30, 2023•20 min•Ep. 19
This bird has been a viral sensation lately: The Shoebill! Hear John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart discuss this wildly unique African bird. Its gigantic shoe-shaped bill and its stoic demeanor have made this bird ripe for folklore. Hear what it was like for John to see a Shoebill in the wild, and learn more about these magnificent (and a little bit spooky) birds. We also answer a listener question and offer advice for people looking to get into birding for the first time. ...
Oct 23, 2023•24 min•Ep. 18
Spooky season is officially here, as we get together to talk about Bloodsucking Birds. There is an event at The Field Museum in Chicago later this month that is about bloodsuckers of all kinds, so we decided to release an episode all about bloodsucking birds. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we discuss Vampire Finches, Oxpeckers, and the myth that Flamingos feed blood to their young. We also answer a question from one of our listeners on pigeons. Email us your qu...
Oct 09, 2023•24 min•Ep. 17
You've probably seen it on the news, but hear what John and Shannon have to say about the recent migration collision in Chicago. Last week Chicago had one of the largest migration nights ever, totaling what could have been 1 million birds in a single night. Unfortunately, this resulted in almost 1,000 birds colliding with buildings and dying. Hear about what caused this, what we can do to stop it from happening, and where building collisions ranks among other mass-casualties of birds (do you thi...
Oct 09, 2023•21 min•Ep. 16
