The American Birding Podcast

39:13

10-39: Secrets of SoCal Parrots with John McCormack

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/10/01

There are a few lucky places in the ABA Area where parrots still fly free, even if most have captive origins these day. But these big loud flashy birds have a history and future than is perhaps more interesting than many birders might imagine and these feral populations can even give us some insights into the frequently threatened wild birds in Mexico and Central America. John McCormack, director of the Moore Lab of Zoology at Occidental College in Los Angeles, was one of the authors of a paper

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01:05:40

10-38: This Month in Birding - September 2026

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/09/24

The last Thursday of the month means it's time for This Month in Birding. For September 2026, host Nate Swick welcomes Andres Jimenez, Mikko Jimenez, and Sarah Swanson to discuss real data in the bird name debate, Dodo intelligence, Ontario Plover news, tiny backpacks for birds and much more. Links to items discussed in this episode: Birds of many feathers? Examining perceptions among US birders following the American Ornithological Society's eponymous renaming decision Federal government

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44:05

10-37: El Niño in Central America and Beyond with...

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/09/17

El Niño is one of those strange climate phenomena that we're still trying to understand, particularly as it pertains to birds and birders, who are driven by and inspired by weather systems. This year's El Niño looks to be a particularly intense one, and birder and educator Tyler Wenzel explored it in a recent Field Ornithology piece on the ABA's website called Intense El Niño Sends Humboldt Current Seabirds to Central America. He joins us to explore it in more detail. Subscribe to the podcast

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01:03:18

10-36: Random Birds, September 2026, with Ted Floyd

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/09/10

Birding editor Ted Floyd joins host Nate Swick once again for another attempt to whittle down the Big Bird List using a random number generator. This episode of Random Birds features some widespread species that everyone has heard of, including a couple of common raptors and some eastern songbirds. Plus a swipe at Czech composer Antonin Dvorak that was a long time coming. Also, some of 2026's most anticipated taxonomic changes were leaked from an unlikely source. Subscribe to the podcast at Apple

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37:59

10-35: Making Art out of Bird Collisions with Holly...

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/09/03

In the next couple months, billions of migrating birds will be crossing the continent from north to south. Those birds increasingly must navigate a gauntlet of threats, not least of which are windows and lights, the combination of which kills untold numbers of birds annually. Holly Greenberg is an artist and founder and director of Bird Collisions in the Anthropocene, an organization that uses art and community engagement to bring awareness to these threats to birds and hopefully inspire action for

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56:00

10-34: This Month in Birding - August 2026

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/08/27

The end of August 20206 sees us looking forward to fall, but pausing first to enjoy a discussion about some interesting pieces of bird and birding news from the last few weeks. Friends of the podcast Martha Harbison, Frank Izaguirre, and Ryan Mandelbum join host Nate Swick to talk about urban bird behavior, the lifespans of female birds, and a whole lot about bird poop. Seriously. More than we expected. Links to items discussed in this episode: Urbanization reduces shyness and neophobia in a common

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44:07

10-33: Little Bird in a Big Sky with Bonner Black

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/08/20

Nashville based singer/song-writer Bonner Black is confidently making her way in the worlds of both music and birding. She's been touring bird festivals all over the world this year and and she is a fun follow on social media with often hilarious takes on birding culture. Bonner's well-received debut album Hopeless RomANTICS featured songs that landed on The New York Times 2023 Spring Playlist, and her fourth studio project is a 5 song EP titled Little Bird in a Big Sky, which features some birdy

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35:12

10-32: Feathered Forest with Marina Richie

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/08/13

Birds and trees are a natural combination, and in author Marina Richie's latest, Feathered Forest: Aloft With Birds in Ancient Trees, she meditates on the big forests of her home in the Pacific Northwest and the birds that inhabit them. From Pacific Wrens on the forest floor, to Vaux's Swifts high above the canopy, each bird offers insights into the grandeur of these places. Also, thought we were done with NACC taxonomy? But wait, there's more! Nate updates listeners on the last proposal packet

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34:40

10-31: Slyglow and Community Science with Lauren Pharr

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/08/06

Migration is a tough time of year for many birds, as they make their long dangerous journey between breeding grounds and wintering territories. The path taken by many sees them passing over or stopping to nest in increasingly urban landscapes. These landscape changes affect birds in many ways, some obvious, some more subtle. That is the work of researcher Lauren Pharr, at the time of this interview, a PhD student studying urban noise and light pollution and their affect on birds. She joined host

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01:15:13

10-30: This Month in Birding - July 2026

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/07/30

It's the last Thursday of the month and that means it's time for another This Month in Birding panel. July marks the turning point of the year, and the inexorable slide to fall. This month's panel features Jody Allair, Stephanie Beilke, and Nick Lund, who join host Nate Swick to talk AI's intrusion into birding, wind turbines marked for birds, and our favorite bird frenemies. Links to articles discussed in the episode: AI-altered images on birdwatching forums putting research at risk Bio-informed

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39:06

10-29: The White-eyes are Coming with Rajan Rao

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/07/23

The White-eyes are coming! And in a few parts of the ABA Area, they are already here and spreading. Introduced non-native species often fly under the radar of birders until the moment comes that they simply cannot be ignored any longer, and it seems like we are at that point with White-eyes, who are an increasingly common part of the landscape in the west. Rajan Rao is a California birder and Cornell University student. whose article about white-eyes was the cover story of the May 2026 issue of

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36:45

10-28: Kestrels and Community with Emmy Broeg

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/07/16

Many birders across the continent have been aware of, and concerned by, the state of American Kestrels and their steady decline from places where they had once been common. Thankfully, the species the focus of a lot of conservation attention too, namely the construction and monitoring of nest boxes across the US and Canada. Emmy Broeg is one of those kestrel advocates in her role at New Jersey's Wild Bird Research Group. You might also know her as @emmybebirdin on Instagram and TikTok, where she

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01:07:21

10-27: 2026 Splits and Lumps with Nick Block

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/07/09

Split and Lump season is here again, and as we have since this podcast began, we welcome Dr. Nick Block of Stonehill College to discuss the exciting bird taxonomy changes that might be coming to a life list near you via the AOS NACC. Could this be the year we finally see the long awaited splits of Willet and Marsh Wren? Will Great Egret be picked apart into its continental forms? Is Prairie-Chicken on the way out in favor of Prairie-Grouse? We answer all those questions and more! Also, Nate fact

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59:07

10-26: Random Birds, July 2026, with Ted Floyd

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/07/02

Host Nate Swick welcomes back Birding magazine editor Ted Floyd for another round of Random Birds. This time the random number generator wants to keep us ar the end of the checklist, prompting discussion on owls, jaegers, wrens, and finches. Also, Nates shares some observations about Breeding Bird Surveys in the drizzle. Subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and please leave a rating or a review if you are so inclined! We appreciate it!

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01:09:37

10-25: This Month in Birding - June 2026

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/06/25

It's the end of the month, and that means it's time for another This Month in Birding episode, featuring a panel of birders gathering to talk aout recent bird news and science. This month we welcome Jason Hall, Tim Healy, and Sarah Swanson to talk grassland birds, ravens and wolves, and the "unseen 95%" of birding. Links to articles discussed in this episode: The joys of reporting on 3 teenagers chasing glory in the World Series of Birding More grass, more birds, more problems Ravens anticipate

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48:41

10-24: Birding the Black Belt with Andrew Lydeard and...

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/06/18

Alabama Audubon has invited your own podcast host, Nate Swick, to be the keynote speaker at the 2026 Black Belt Birding Festival. The festival highlights the birds, the ecology, and the civil rights heritage of the region. To get excited for this summer's event, we welcome Andrew Lydeard, Alabama Audubon's Program Coordinator, and Chris Joe, third generation farmer whose family's 200 acre cattle farm in Newbern, Alabama, is an important site for the festival and a great example of the conservation

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44:21

10-21: Living and Birding in Labrador with Vernon Buckle

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/06/11

The easternmost province in mainland Canada, Labrador doesn't get the attention afford to its island provincial partner Newfoundland. Its position on the continent, however, affords its birders the opportunity for some unique avian opportunities from unlikely rarities to birding by snowmobile. Labrador birder Vernon Buckle joins guest host Frank Izaguirre for a conversation about birds and birding in one of the continent's most unique places. Also, Frank shares some thoughts about the new internet

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53:03

10-22: Looking for Lost Birds with John Mittermeier

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/06/04

There are bird species that are extant and those that are extinct, but between those two seemingly immutable categories, lies one hundred odd species of birds that are considered "Lost". This means that they hasn't been documented in many years but have not yet been determined to be extinct by authorities for any number of reasons. It is the search for those birds that is the work of John Mittermeier, Director of the Search for Lost Birds, an effort from the American Bird Conservancy, BirdLife

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01:18:45

10-21: This Month in Birding - May 2026

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/05/28

It's the end of May, the season for bald cardinals, baby birds, and buggy birding. But most importantly, it's the last Thursday of the month and that means it's time for This Month in Birding, our monthly panel discussion of bird news and science and we have rounded up another great group of birding friends to have that discussion. Host Nate Swick is joined by Mikko Jimenez, Jordan Rutter, and Brodie Cass Talbott, to talk vagrant birds, robo-grouse, and birdy World Cup crests. Links to articles

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01:19:41

10-20: Take it or Leave it LIVE!

The American Birding Podcast ·

2026/05/21

The ABA hosted a membership drive livestream earlier this week, and part of the four hours of birdy entertainment was a LIVE version of the American Birding Podcast favorite segment, Take it or Leave it. Panelists Nick Lund and Martha Harbison joined host Nate Swick to hash out some very hot birding takes on topics like four-letter codes, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and ugly birds. You can find the livestream on the ABA's YouTube channel. The membership drive is still live until the end of the

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