Putting All Your Eggs in One Basket, Part 2
Watching backyard nests can be very joyful, when starlings or predators don't intervene.
Jul 08, 2025•5 min
Laura Erickson's For the Birds
"For the Birds" began airing on KUMD in Duluth, MN, in May, 1986, and is the longest continually-running radio program about birds in the U.S. Hundreds more episodes are available for free at http://www.lauraerickson.com/radio/.
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Episodes
Putting All Your Eggs in One Basket, Part 1
As much as Laura loves watching baby birds, she is very reluctant to look for nests.
Jul 04, 2025•4 min
Biological Realities, Part 2
Birds don’t ostracize individuals from their social flocks based on “objective sex-based differences.” That would undermine their civil society.
Jun 26, 2025•5 min
Biological Realities, Part 1
Birds don’t ostracize individuals from their social flocks based on “objective sex-based differences.” That would undermine their civil society.
Jun 25, 2025•7 min
Dog fur controversy?
One of Laura's readers was distressed by the last episode of "For the Birds." Laura stands by every word. We can protect our pets from diseases and also protect our backyard birds with one simple, straightforward rule: If your pets get flea and tick protection, don’t set out their fur for nesting birds.
Jun 24, 2025•7 min
Setting out pet fur for birds is dangerous.
Treatments to protect dogs (and us!) from insect bites turn out to make that pet fur, and our own treated clothing, dangerous for birds.
Jun 18, 2025•6 min
My Boyfriend's Back!
It's been over 4 months since Laura saw her beloved BB, but now he's back!
Jun 10, 2025•4 min
Darkening Skies
Four-year-olds should not have any concept of the Air Quality Index. What world are we bequeathing them?
Jun 05, 2025•6 min
Out of the ashes...
Laura thinks the sudden surge in Red-headed Woodpeckers in her neck of the woods may be due to emerald ash borer and the sudden surge in dead ash trees.
Jun 03, 2025•5 min
Hey! My eyes are up here!
In many ways birds are superior to us humans, and also luckier. This is exactly the kind of program that has inspired some people to call Laura the "Dr. Ruth of Ornithology." The accompanying blog post has a lot of worthwhile photos listeners might want to see.
May 30, 2025•6 min
Magnificent Frigatebird
This bird of machismo and contradiction keeps scientists guessing.
May 27, 2025•8 min
Magnificent Frigatebird!
Laura doesn't like the idea of bucket lists, but she does have a wish list.
May 22, 2025•6 min
Wealth
Laura feels wealthy in ways Elon Musk or Donald Trump never will.
May 14, 2025•6 min
The Dry Tortugas!
Laura's trip to Florida's Dry Tortugas was a wonderful success.
May 13, 2025•7 min
The Pelicans of Chamber's Grove
Laura and her birding buddy Bernie went to Chamber's Grove last Wednesday to see the annual visit by hundreds of American White Pelicans.
Apr 29, 2025•5 min
Earth Day 2025
Laura reflects on this year's Earth Day compared to the first Earth Day in 1970.
Apr 25, 2025•7 min
Through a Glass, Darkly
Laura talks about taking photos through window glass.
Apr 22, 2025•6 min
Guyana!
Laura is headed to South America next month, and is studying up.
Apr 17, 2025•6 min
The Dry Tortugas!
Laura leaves next Friday for a birding tour of Florida's Dry Tortugas.
Apr 16, 2025•7 min
Birding with a Camera
Laura was ready with her camera to capture an exciting interaction between a Common Merganser and a northern pike.
Apr 15, 2025•5 min
Emerging from a Numerical Haze
Laura claims she's done thinking about the number of birds on her many bird lists.
Apr 10, 2025•8 min
Woodcocks!
Woodcocks are back in the Northland, much to Laura's delight.
Apr 08, 2025•6 min
Updates from Earth Angel and Jim Baker
The longstanding sponsors of "For the Birds" have updates: Billionaire Earth Angel is embarking on a new project to prove people were banding birds 45,000 years ago, and Jim Baker just added a new, secret ingredient to his already perfect Baker's Blue Jay Blend.
Apr 01, 2025•7 min
Cuban Woodpeckers
Of the seven species of woodpeckers on Cuba's official checklist, one is almost definitely extinct and one has appeared in the country only as an extremely rare vagrant. Laura saw all five of the others on her February visit to Cuba.
Mar 28, 2025•6 min
The Tiniest Bird in the Universe
Seeing Bee Hummingbirds in Cuba last month filled Laura with joy.
Mar 25, 2025•5 min
What to do if you find a dead bird in your yard
During this bird flu outbreak experts are cautioning people to leave bird carcasses where they are, even though functionally illiterate eagles, dogs, and other creatures have been infected by these carcasses. Laura made a decision about how she will handle this situation if a carcass turns up in her yard.
Mar 21, 2025•3 min
Bird feeding recommendations during the bird flu outbreak
Every spring it's important to make sure our feeders are safe for birds. During this bird flu outbreak, this is more important than ever.
Mar 20, 2025•6 min
Bird Flu Update
Famous migration patterns of swallows and cranes is scary this year, as wild and domesticated birds are still dying of highly pathogenic avian influenza and humans are getting infected, but we're losing the very forces that usually manage these crises.
Mar 19, 2025•6 min
The Most Adorable Bird in the Universe
Laura is bewitched by Cuban Todies.
Mar 14, 2025•6 min
A Personal Ray of Hope
Laura's hearing loss has grown worse since the pandemic, but suddenly things are looking up!!
Mar 10, 2025•6 min
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