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PODCAST

The Science of Birds

Ivan Phillipsen

The Science of Birds is a lighthearted exploration of bird biology. It"s a fun resource for any birder or naturalist who wants to learn more about ornithology. Impress your birding friends at cocktail parties with all of your new bird knowledge! Hosted by Ivan Phillipsen, a professional birding guide and passionate naturalist with a PhD in Zoology.

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All Episodes

27:57

The Shoebill

The Science of Birds ·

2021/06/10

The Shoebill is a tall, gray bird that appears more dinosaur-like than most members of the class Aves. You aren’t likely to confuse it with any other bird. It possesses a unique and impressive combination of size, color, and bill shape.The Shoebill is a top predator in certain kinds of swamps and wetlands in Africa. It terrorizes not only large fish, but other small aquatic animals, like amphibians and reptiles.This almost mythical beast of a bird is one of the most exciting species in all of

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50:34

Artificial Intelligence in Bird Research

The Science of Birds ·

2021/05/28

We hear the terms ‘artificial intelligence’ and ‘AI’ all the time these days. Beyond the issue of evil robots taking over the world, AI technology is helping scientists do some pretty amazing things in the field of ornithology.In this episode, we’ll talk about what artificial intelligence is and give some interesting examples of how it’s being used to study birds.We’ll also touch on some tools that use artificial intelligence to help you in your quest to identify birds.~~ Leave me a review using

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56:58

New World Warblers

The Science of Birds ·

2021/05/12

New World Warblers are all the birds in the family Parulidae. You’ll sometimes hear these birds referred to as ‘Wood-Warblers.’New World Warblers are among the most celebrated and sought after birds in North America. We love them here. They’re colorful, they’re energetic, and many of them have pleasant little songs.These birds have also been the subjects of many scientific studies over the years. Which is great, because it means there’s a lot that ornithologists know about the biology of these

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51:20

Mate Choice and Sexual Selection in Birds

The Science of Birds ·

2021/04/27

This episode is all about how birds choose their mates and the evolutionary outcomes of those choices.A lot of what we’re talking about today has to do with sexual selection, which is a special form of natural selection. In sexual selection, individuals compete for mates. This is when females and males choose their partners based on specific traits. Traits like plumage color or song, behavior, etc.This choosiness has resulted in some spectacular features in birds. Many of the things we love most

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46:17

Sandpipers

The Science of Birds ·

2021/04/11

Birds in the family Scolopacidae include all the world’s sandpipers and birds such as godwits, curlews, snipes, dowitchers, willets, stints, and more.We know these as familiar ‘shorebirds.’ They haunt coastal habitats from autumn through spring (Oct to Apr, or so). But in summer most of them migrate long distances to breed in the highest temperate latitudes or in the Arctic.Learn about sandpiper diversity, evolution, feeding, and more in this episode.~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~Link to

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47:06

Bird Intelligence

The Science of Birds ·

2021/03/28

Our understanding of bird brains and intelligence has grown tremendously in the last couple decades.Thanks to countless scientific studies, we now know that many bird species are highly intelligent. Some of them perform better than primates, dogs, and young children on certain cognitive tests.In this episode, we look at how intelligence is defined and some evidence for it in birds. We have a look at the avian brain and consider how intelligence evolved in birds.Which birds are the smartest? Which

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19:08

Vermilion Flycatcher

The Science of Birds ·

2021/03/07

The Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) is a charming bird found in the arid southwest of the United States, as well as in Mexico and down to southern South America.This bright red flycatcher is a favorite of birders and bird photographers. Join Ivan as he introduces you to the basic features of this species. We’ll also take a look at some interesting questions, like “Why are the Vermilion Flycatchers of Lima, Peru so dark and sooty-looking?”Note: Some ornithological authorities have now

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37:38

Cats vs Birds

The Science of Birds ·

2021/02/24

Join Ivan as he wades into the conservation quagmire surrounding house cats and their effects on wild birds.First, we’ll look at the status of house cat and feral cat populations around the world. How are all these free-ranging cats affecting our wild birds? Many scientific studies of this issue give us some answers. Research also provides guidance for how best to solve the problems that cats create for birds. Some approaches are more severe than others.We’ll also go over a few ways that responsible

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54:22

Finches

The Science of Birds ·

2021/02/05

All about the ‘true’ finches, the species belonging to the family Fringillidae. These small songbirds are found in many places around the world. Most of them specialize in eating seeds. Not every bird we commonly call ‘finch’ is a member of this family. And the family includes many birds that don’t have the word ‘finch’ in their common name. Confusing? Yes. We’ll try to clear some of this up for you.Learn about the key features of finches as well as their global distribution, evolution, feeding, and

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39:47

How Birds Survive in Winter

The Science of Birds ·

2021/01/24

Winter can be a cold, dark time when food is scarce. Birds fight to stay alive during this season by using a variety of behavioral and physiological adaptations. Many of these are the same things you and I would do. But birds also have some amazing, unique adaptations to winter that we can only marvel at.Learn how birds generate heat and conserve it, and about the challenges they face in the cold season.~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~Link to this episode on the Science of Birds

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46:17

Kingfishers

The Science of Birds ·

2021/01/10

Kingfishers—all the birds in the family Alcedinidae—are the focus of this episode. There are many species of these charismatic birds living across the world.Learn about their key features, global distribution, evolution, feeding, and more.~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~Links of InterestSlow-motion video of diving kingfisher 1Video of Pied Kingfisher huntingHow a kingfisher helped reshape Japan's bullet trainLink to this episode on the Science of Birds websiteSupport the show

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33:16

5 Awesome Things We Learned About Birds in 2020

The Science of Birds ·

2020/12/31

Despite much of human civilization grinding to a halt in 2020, research on birds continued to be published in scientific journals.Through this research, we learned many new things about our avian friends. In this episode, let’s look at 5 interesting bird studies from 2020. If you want to learn more about them, check out the links below.~~ Leave me a review using Podchaser ~~At the end of the episode, I share a little personal note. :) Happy New Year!A global analysis of song frequency in passerines

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47:02

Ducks, Geese, and Swans

The Science of Birds ·

2020/12/20

This episode focuses on the biological family Anatidae. This family includes the over 150 species of ducks, geese, and swans in the world. First, we highlight the key features shared by these birds, as well as some differences among them. We also discuss their diversity and distribution.We continue by examining the duck’s bill and the various things these birds eat.Breeding, migration, and conservation round out our look at this fascinating group of birds. Along the way, we goof around and have some

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30:44

Bird Party: Mixed-Species Flocks

The Science of Birds ·

2020/12/12

Sometimes birds of many feathers flock together. Mixed-species foraging flocks are seen in forests all across the world. Different combinations of species are found in each region.First, we talk about what mixed-species flocks look and act like. Then we get into the major scientific hypotheses for why these flocks exist at all.Link to this episode on the Science of Birds websiteSupport the show

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35:02

Peregrine Falcon

The Science of Birds ·

2020/12/05

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43:46

What Is a Species, Really?

The Science of Birds ·

2020/11/29

The definition of ‘species’ isn’t as simple as you might think. In this episode, we look at the methods ornithologists use to identify and name bird species. And we discuss the challenges they face in this work.We begin by highlighting the reasons that scientists need to classify birds as species.Next, we get into several definitions of ‘species’ and the pros and cons of applying these.We then look at several case studies of birds to see how they’ve been classified.Link to this episode on the

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37:40

Pelicans

The Science of Birds ·

2020/11/19

SummaryPelicans are large, peculiar waterbirds with a unique way of feeding. Using their long bills and throat pouches, they scoop up fish and other prey from water. Some pelican species plunge dive from the air, others work in cooperative groups to improve their chances of fishing success.In this episode, we focus on the family Pelecanidae. We go through the characteristics of pelicans, with a focus on their bill and throat pouch.We also discuss the feeding strategies of pelicans, how they breed,

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37:03

Feathers: Form and Function

The Science of Birds ·

2020/11/12

SummaryThe feather is one of the most iconic symbols of nature. Feathers are indispensable to birds, serving many critically important functions. In this episode, we explore those functions after looking closely at the anatomy—the structure—of a feather.We discuss the 6 types of feathers: contour feathers, flight feathers, down, semiplumes, bristles, and filoplumes.Some functions we explore are flight, insulation, and camouflage.Links of InterestHairs, feathers and scales have a lot in commonVideo

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29:42

Brood Parasites Are Devious Birds

The Science of Birds ·

2020/11/05

SummaryBrood parasitism is a strange and fascinating behavior that we see (in one form or another) in several hundred bird species.This is where a female lays an egg in the nest of another bird. The parasite female flies away and never sees her offspring. The host bird or birds are fooled into raising the foreign chick as their own.Learn about which types of birds use this breeding strategy, including cuckoos and cowbirds.We’ll discuss the various tactics used by both the parasites and their hosts

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36:53

Woodpeckers

The Science of Birds ·

2020/10/29

SummaryLearn about the amazing birds in the family Picidae—the woodpeckers. These charismatic birds have a suite of adaptations that make them excellent at the job of excavating wood. In this episode, we first summarize the key features of woodpeckers.Then we’ll look at the evolution and modern-day diversity of the family.We discuss many of the special adaptations of woodpeckers, which they use as they go about their day, foraging.How woodpeckers breed and communicate and a bit about their

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130 results

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