x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Birds of a Feather Talk Together

John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart

Join John Bates and Shannon Hackett, two seasoned bird experts, as they soar through the fascinating world of birds in this must-listen podcast for bird lovers of all levels! Whether you"re an experienced birder or just starting to explore the wonders of the avian world, Birds of a Feather Talk Together has something for everyone.With exclusive access to one of the largest bird collections in the United States, John and Shannon are joined by amateur birders RJ Pole and Amanda Marquart for in-depth

science nature

All Episodes

64:09

76: The Feather Thief Part 1

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/01/20

We're doing something a little different—a mini-series focused on the book The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson. The book is part true crime, part cultural exploration, and it digs into the themes of obsession, beauty, and the lengths people will go to for something they can’t possess. It’s one of those true stories that’s so bizarre, you couldn’t make it up if you tried. In 2009, someone broke into the British Museum of Natural History, stealing hundreds of rare bird skins. He did it al...

en-us

20:02

75: The Feather Thief Prologue - Quick Listen Prior...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/01/19

We’re stepping away from our usual routine to dive into something a bit different—The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson. This is a story of a museum heist, someone who stole rare bird skins from a museum in order to sell them on the dark web to fly-fisherman. Two of our hosts, John Bates and Shannon Hackett, are curators at the Field Museum in Chicago, making them perfect guides to unravel this strange and captivating story. We’d love for you to join us by picking up a copy of the b...

en-us

56:46

74: John Returns From The Falklands, Gentoo Penguins,...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/01/13

John is back from his trip to the Falkland Islands to study Gentoo Penguins, so we ask him all about his trip. We also answer a mailbag question on what birds do in the rain when it storms. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart for Birds of a Feather Talk Together. Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.comMake sure to follow us on Instagram, Blue Sky Social and tik tok as well!!

en-us

41:23

73: Willard's Sooty Boubou Revisited - A New Species...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/01/06

We are kicking it off the new year by revisiting an older episode that we did on the Willard’s Sooty Boubou. This was a bird that John and the team at the Field Museum were responsible for describing as a new species. We are doing a mini-series on the book The Feather Thief in a few weeks, so we wanted to share an episode that highlighted what John and Shannon do at the Field Museum before we kick that off. Bird specimen at The Field Museum led to describing the new species, and John tells us...

en-us

14:06

72: The Archaeopteryx at the Field Museum + An...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/12/30

We're still down for the holidays but are sharing a segment that we did on the Archaeopteryx at The Field Museum. Birds are the only group of dinosaurs that survived when an asteroid hit the Earth 66 million years ago. A fossil called Archaeopteryx, with feathers, hollow bones, clawed wings, tiny teeth, and a long tail, is the earliest known dinosaur that also qualifies as a bird, and is on display at the Field Museum where two of our hosts John and Shannon work. Join John Bates, Shannon

en-us

10:05

71: Christmas Bird Count, The Feather Thief Question,...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/12/23

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! This week we revisit a segment on the Christmas Bird Count. We also answer a question on the book the Feather Thief. We also finish it off with an exciting announcment for 2025 (spoiler, we are going to do a mini-series all about The Feather Thief!)Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart for Birds of a Feather Talk Together. Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail...

en-us

22:09

70: Holiday Wrap-Up - What We've Learned

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/12/16

We talk about what the four of us have learned so far on our podcast journey. It's a fun reflection from RJ, Shannon, John, and Amanda. Enjoy!Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart for Birds of a Feather Talk Together. Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.comMake sure to follow us on Instagram, Blue Sky Social and tik tok as well!!

en-us

34:45

69: John's Trip to the Falkland Islands, also we talk...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/12/09

This week's episode is a little different. John is going on a trip to the Falkland Islands to study Gentoo Penguins, so we ask him all about his upcoming trip. We end up discussing avian influenza a bit as well, as Bird Flu is a major concern for the trip. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart for Birds of a Feather Talk Together. Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.comMake sure to follow...

en-us

26:59

68: The Rusty Blackbird - Dramatic population...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/12/02

This week we discuss the Rusty Blackbird. Rusty Blackbird is one of North America’s most rapidly declining species. The population has dropped between 85-99 percent over the past forty years, and Amanda and RJ saw one a few weeks ago so we decided to talk about them. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart for Birds of a Feather Talk Together. We also answer a mailbag question on The Big Year (the movie with Owen Wilson, Steve Martin, and Jack Black, and also the b...

en-us

23:27

67: Wild Turkey Revisited - with Jacob Drucker

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/11/25

We revisit an old episode on the Wild Turkey this week. These birds are a major conservation success story. 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 at the University of Chicago and the Field Museu...

en-us

45:34

66: White-throated Sparrow

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/11/18

Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we discuss the White-throated sparrow. We talk about sparrows in general, and how to differentiate them based on behavior and not just their appearance. We also talk about how they have been shrinking in size over the last 50 years, and how the specimen collection at the Field Museum have helped determine that. We also talk about their different head-types, and mating preferences between the two head types. We also answer ...

en-us

47:11

65: Wrentits with Kevin Burns

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/11/11

This week we discuss the wrentit with Kevin Burns! You've probably heard this bird's call in many movies and tv shows, but only seen it if you've been to California or Oregon. They are one of the most sedentary birds in North America, but somehow their closes relatives are in Asia. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart in Birds of a Feather Talk Together!Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.comMake ...

en-us

57:19

64: Inti Tanager with Kevin Burns - Also known as the...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/11/04

Kevin Burns joins us again to discuss the Inti Tanager. Kevin is an ornithologist and professor of biology at San Diego State University and goes way back with Shannon and John. Kevin tells us all about the story of this bird, from the sighting in the early 2000’s in Peru, to it finally being described as a species 20 years later. The bird earned the nickname the 'Kill Bill Tanager' due to its bright yellow feathers and black brow which resembled Uma Thurman’s outfit in the movie. We’re not q...

en-us

40:05

63: Kagu - Ghosts of the Forest

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/10/28

This super unique bird from New Caledonia has been isolated on an island in the Pacific for so long, but somehow its closest relative is the Sunbittern in Central and South America. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we discuss the Kagu. We also answer a question on feathers. Here is the organization that we were referencing in the feather question: https://libertywildlife.org/conservation-services/non-eagle-feather-repository-2/Please send us your question...

en-us

27:51

62: The Slow Birding Journal with Joan E. Strassmann

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/10/21

We interview evolutionary biologist and the author of 'Slow Birding' Joan E. Strassmann. Joan has a new book released on October 22nd and is called 'The Slow Birding Journal'. It is a unique companion for bird enthusiasts seeking a deeper connection with the avian world around them. The journal encourages a slow, mindful approach to birding, celebrating the beauty and diversity of birds wherever you find them. We talk to Joan all about her new book, and get an interesting backstory on her fir...

en-us

35:13

61: Roseate Spoonbill Revisited - The Color Pink

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/10/14

We are revisiting an older episode on Roseate Spoonbills for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Roseate Spoonbills are pink, and we talk all about how they get their pink color and where that comes from (hint - it may come from their diet.) We also answer a question on Great Blue Herons. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart on Birds of a Feather Talk Together. Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@g...

en-us

57:50

60: Double-crested Cormorant, drying their wings,...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/10/07

This week we talk about the double-crested cormorant. We also answer a question on swans. Join John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart for Birds of a Feather Talk Together this week. Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.comMake sure to follow us on instagram and tik tok!!

en-us

39:42

59: Darwin's Finches (they're tanagers!) with Kevin...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/09/30

This week’s episode with Kevin Burns is on Darwin’s Finches. Kevin and Shannon’s research reclassified Darwin’s Finches as Tanagers, so we hear all about what the process was like, and learn more about Darwin’s Finches in this week’s episode. Kevin, an ornithologist and professor of biology at San Diego State University, goes way back with Shannon and John, and led the research that reclassified what exactly a tanager is.John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart and Kevin Burns ar...

en-us

46:32

58: Tanagers with Kevin Burns

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/09/23

This week we talk to Kevin Burns about Tanagers. Kevin, an ornithologist and professor of biology at San Diego State University, goes way back with Shannon and John, and led the research that reclassified what exactly a tanager is and what it isn’t. Many birds which have the common name Tanager, such as the scarlet tanager or western tanager, aren’t actually tanagers, and birds like Darwin’s finches actually are tanagers. Many of you might already know this, but we get to talk to Kevin about ...

en-us

1:10

Teaser: We Are Down This Week - Exciting Episodes On...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2024/09/16

Howdy everyone! We are down this week but will be back next week with some new very exciting episodes. Take a listen for the full breakdown! Thanks for your patience and support, we'll be back next week and back on schedule with brand new episodes :)

en-us

120 results

Similar Podcasts

Classic Radio Science Fiction

solgoodmedia.com

Mission to Mars

Inception Point Ai

The 365 Days of Astronomy

365DaysOfAstronomy.org

Creek Devil

william Jevning

UFO Chronicles Podcast

Nik Hunter