PODCAST

The Bird Brief

Stephanie Jenkins Aslett

A global rundown of newly published avian research and newsworthy bird stories in just 5 minutes.

science nature

All Episodes

4:40

S2 E13: Bird Mnemonics - Time To Talk Like A Bird

The Bird Brief ·

2025/04/15

Welcome back to the Bird Brief, this is Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist. This will be our last episode of the season! We are wrapping up this season with something a little different. Today we’re literally singing with the birds where I’ll teach you mnemonics for four different bird species that, if you live in North America, you probably hear every day (minus the owl, of course). Let’s get started. Bird Sound: Great Horned Owl 01 Song US-CA. William R. Fish, Macaulay Library....

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5:20

S2 E12: Snakeskins Boost Nest Success & Distant...

The Bird Brief ·

2025/03/21

Welcome to The Bird Brief, where we do a quick dive into the latest news and research on birds. I'm Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist, and migration is right around the corner – so, in this episode, we’re going to look at how climate change is reshaping bird migration, from NASA’s new study on global climate patterns influencing migration routes to the challenges birds face as spring arrives earlier each year. We'll also uncover a fascinating nesting trick used by cavity-nesting birds...

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5:43

S2 E11: Owl Paparazzi and Birds Emitting Bioluminescence

The Bird Brief ·

2025/03/07

Today we are going to learn about Birds of Paradise species that emit bioluminescence, the owl papparazzi creating a frenzy around owls during the recent owl irruption near the Great Lakes, and why you should be protecting your hearing right now. Let’s get started! Stories: https://www.startribune.com/how-tech-is-helping-to-protect-minnesota-birds-from-minnesota-birders/601227681 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/12/many-birds-of-paradise-species-emit-light-through-their-...

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9:52

S2 E10: Machine Learning Is For The Birds

The Bird Brief ·

2025/02/21

Today, we are going to talk with Zan Aslett, a remote sensing scientist and geophysicist with deep expertise in analyzing large datasets—like those 18,300 hours of recordings scientists used to uncover why birds call out during their seemingly solitary nighttime migrations. Definitely go back and listen to Episode 9 if you missed it! With Zan’s help, we’re going to break down how machine learning was applied to this enormous dataset and get a few tips on how to use ChatGPT that are trul...

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3:59

S2 E9: Why do solitary songbirds call when migrating...

The Bird Brief ·

2025/02/07

Welcome back to the Bird Brief, this is Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist. Today let’s dive into songbird migration and how their seemingly solitary nocturnal travel is more cooperative and social than we thought! Stories: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/migrating-birds-sing-to-team-up-with-other-species/ https://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(24)01701-9 Bird Sound: Swainson’s Thrush, nocturnal flight call. Paul Driver, XC771098. Accessible at ...

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5:00

S2 E8: Hummingbird Torpor, Airports as Bird Migration...

The Bird Brief ·

2025/01/24

Welcome back to the Bird Brief, this is Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist. Today let’s dive into what’s driving bird strikes at airports, hummingbirds and their psychic torpor, and black vultures creating literal doomsday for high schoolers. Again I want to give a shout out to my preschool son for asking the hard questions on this episode – Thanks man!Stories:https://www.noaa.gov/news/2024-was-nations-warmest-year-on-record#:~:text=by%20the%20numbers-,2024,NOAA's%20130%2Dyear%20c...

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4:57

S2 E7: A Bird Police Squads that Fights Drones, and...

The Bird Brief ·

2025/01/10

Welcome back to the Bird Brief, this is Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist. We are starting 2025 off right with stories of a raptor police squad in India, the oldest living bird, and how the Bald Eagle just become the US national bird (what?!).Before we get started, I wanted to give a shoutout to my preschool son for absolutely rocking the intro on this episode. Thanks man! Stories:https://indianexpress.com/article/long-reads/telangana-birds-hunt-rogue-drones-garuda-squad-9749501/...

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2:34

S2 E5: Wildlife Research and the Birds Aren't Real...

The Bird Brief ·

2024/12/13

Welcome back to the Bird Brief, this is Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist. This Pre-Christmas edition is about a viral conspiracy, wildlife research, and the wild crossover between satire and science. Let’s get started. Stories:https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2024/11/12/dead-birds-drones-new-mexico-tech-research/76197212007/ https://dot.alaska.gov/faiiap/meet-aurora.shtml Bird Sound:Rock Pigeon (Columba livia); Recorded by Paul Marvin/Macaulay Library; Dec 2017; ML1...

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2:23

S2 E5: The penguin who went from the Antarctic to the...

The Bird Brief ·

2024/11/29

Happy Thanksgiving and welcome back to Season 2, Episode 5 of The Bird Brief! This is Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist giving you the rundown on the most recent happenings in birds, both in popular news and published research throughout the world. This Thanksgiving edition will be super brief, just one story about Gus, the emperor penguin that made it to outback…and back. Let’s get started.Stories:https://apnews.com/article/australia-emperor-penguin-released-84319f95da162330da3...

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4:30

S2 E4: Australia Fights the Flu, Conservation Wins,...

The Bird Brief ·

2024/11/15

Welcome back to Episode 4 of The Bird Brief, this is Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist giving you the rundown on the most recent happenings in birds, both in popular news and published research throughout the world. Stories:https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-commits-64-mln-protect-against-looming-bird-flu-threat-2024-10-13/ AND https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/17/deadly-avian-flu-strain-could-enter-australia-via-thieving-migratory-birds-scient...

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4:54

S2 E3: The Oldest Known Birds, Migration Myths,...

The Bird Brief ·

2024/11/01

Welcome back to The Bird Brief, this is Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist giving you the rundown on the most recent happenings in birds, both in popular news and published research throughout the world. This episode falls in that spooky time of year, so in that vein - we are going to unearth the oldest known birds, talk about migration myths, even say the word neonicotinoid, and end with a murder mystery at 10,000 feet. Let's get started. Stories:https://dnyuz.com/2024/10/2...

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3:39

S2 E2: Bilingual Birds, Kittiwakes That Love 3D...

The Bird Brief ·

2024/10/18

Welcome to The Bird Brief, this is Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist giving you the rundown on the most recent happenings in birds, both in popular news and published research throughout the world. Today, we’ll explore everything from bilingual parrots to chicks of the most dangerous birds in existence to increasing nesting occupancy using 3D printing. Let’s get started!Stories: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czdpe7n7l50o https://www.sciencealert.com/something-strange-is-...

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5:02

Tropical Cyclones, Drug Trafficking, Superbugs, and...

The Bird Brief ·

2024/10/03

Welcome back to a new season of the The Bird Brief! This is Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist, giving you the rundown on the most recent happenings in birds, both in popular news and published research throughout the world. Today we have cover everything from birds that crave tropical cyclones to the effects of drug trafficking on birds and how birds can see wind turbines better. Let's get started. Stories:https://phys.org/news/2024-06-cocaine-trafficking-threatens-critical-bird.html ...

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6:59

Episode 7: New hummingbird species, endangered birds...

The Bird Brief ·

2024/06/03

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Bird Brief. I'm Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist, here to bring you the latest on birds from news and research around the globe. Today’s episode will range from a new hummingbird species, the plight of the critically endangered laughingthrush, and a record setting feather. For the love of birds let’s get started.Stories:https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/14/world/giant-hummingbirds-new-species-backpacks-scn/index.html https://phys.org/news/2024-05-critically...

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4:37

Episode 6: Geomagnetic storms, bird flu, and...

The Bird Brief ·

2024/05/19

Welcome to Episode 6 of the Bird Brief. I'm Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist, here to bring you the latest on birds from news and research around the globe. Today, we're discussing everything from geomagnetic storms, to bird flu outbreaks, to migrating shorebirds in Africa. All in just five minutes. Before we start, a quick note: I'm new to mixing sound and audio equipment needed to produce a podcast,so thanks for bearing with the quirky sound quality in the last part of the show. Fo...

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4:54

Episode 5: Birds with Prostheses, Plumage Color in...

The Bird Brief ·

2024/05/04

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4:42

Episode 4: Owls, Chickadees, and do birds care about...

The Bird Brief ·

2024/04/20

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5:23

Episode 3: Avian espionage and tracking spring...

The Bird Brief ·

2024/04/05

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6:56

Episode 2

The Bird Brief ·

2024/03/21

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7:36

Episode 1

The Bird Brief ·

2024/02/29

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The Bird Brief

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