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PODCAST

BirdNote Daily

Escape the daily grind and immerse yourself in the natural world. Rich in imagery, sound, and information, BirdNote inspires you to notice the world around you.

science natural sciences

All Episodes

00:01:39

eBird: Contribute to Science While Birding

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/13

eBird, a project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, lets you log the bird species you observe on a smartphone app or on the web. Whether you’re going on a birding trip or enjoying birds near home, you can list the species you found on eBird. Millions of people all over the world help eBird create a detailed picture of bird populations. Data from eBird has helped guide many conservation efforts, from planning new wind farms away from where eagles fly to guiding habitat protection for declining

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00:01:45

Join the Great Backyard Bird Count

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/12

Over the course of four days in February, the Great Backyard Bird Count gathers heaps of info about birds all over the world — and helps people connect with their local birds. Anyone can participate with the Merlin Bird ID app. And if you’re familiar with your neighborhood birds, you can submit a checklist of all birds you see or hear on eBird. Learn more at the Great Backyard Bird Count's website.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign

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00:01:42

The Best Nest

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/11

Some birds woo a mate by building the best nest. Males of many weaverbird species construct a series of intricately woven nests to impress a prospective partner. A male Red-winged Blackbird can even attract multiple mates if he controls prime breeding territory. Adélie Penguins construct their nests on mounds of stones, and partners often exchange stone gifts during the course of construction.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for

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00:01:42

Participate in Project NestWatch

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/10

Organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Project NestWatch is made up of volunteers around the world who monitor bird nests, reporting whether the birds successfully raise their young. Joining the project involves a bit of online training, finding a nearby bird nest, and briefly checking on it every 3-4 days without disturbing the birds.This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend

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00:01:45

Finding Mom's Favorite Bird

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/09

Author and illustrator Becca Rowland likes to keep an eye out for cardinals. Her mom loves them and is pretty good at finding them, too. Becca didn’t know how she did it, until they realized their mom was birding by ear! Now Becca has written a new book called, Bird Talk: Hilariously Accurate Ways to Identify Birds by the Sounds They Make.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other

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00:01:38

A Bird in the Hand

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/08

You’ve probably heard the old saying: “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” Well, it’s a very old saying, and it’s gone through some changes over the years. In each era, the pragmatic wisdom is clear: Hold on to the sure thing rather than taking a gamble on something better. The saying even lent its name to a town in Pennsylvania!This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available

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00:01:45

February Summer in Argentina

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/07

In February, winter still holds sway over much of North America. But in Argentina, it’s summer, and birds are in full voice. Argentina’s national bird, the Rufous Hornero, belts out a rapid trill while the Rufous-bellied Thrush sings its lovely song. In the tropical forests of northeastern Argentina, a male Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, like the one pictured here, booms out its display calls. And the cheerful, bubbly notes of an Ultramarine Grosbeak remind us that spring in North America — and the arrival

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00:01:45

Family Time with Red-throated Loons

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/06

Millions of birds from around the world begin their lives in the Teshekpuk Wetlands of northern Alaska. In 2025, author and environment reporter Lynda Mapes visited the region to see how new fossil fuel developments are impacting wildlife in America’s Arctic. In this episode, Lynda recalls spending time with a family of Red-throated Loons.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other

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00:01:45

To Breathe Like a Bird

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/05

Birds have a highly efficient breathing anatomy that powers the exertion of flight. It is driven by large, thin-walled air sacs located throughout the body cavity that operate like bellows. This parabronchial system for extracting oxygen from the air has a far greater surface area than the lungs of a mammal, making sustained flight possible.This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend

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00:01:42

The Wild Parrots of San Francisco

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/04

Flocks of Cherry-headed Conures, a species native to South America, are now found throughout San Francisco. While a local legend claims that a pet shop owner introduced them by burning the shop down, it’s more likely that that a few of these loud-mouths exasperated their owners until they “accidentally” left a window open. Sadly, wild Cherry-headed Conures are falling ill from rodent poison. A nonprofit, Mickaboo, adopts out healed rescues. ¡Escuche este episodio en BirdNote en Español!More info and

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00:01:45

Albatrosses Saving Albatrosses

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/03

Black-footed Albatrosses are masters of the high seas, but their fate is threatened by trouble on land. At their nesting grounds on Midway Atoll in Hawai‘i, rising sea levels are washing away albatross nests and eggs. Since 2021, a research team led by Julio Hernández with the Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas has been working to establish a new colony for of Black-footed Albatrosses on Isla Guadalupe in Mexico. Julio explains the island’s native Laysan Albatrosses are stepping in as “foster

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00:01:45

Conserving Wetlands for Black Rails

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/02

Black Rails are marsh-inhabiting birds, more often heard than seen. Many Black Rails nest in marshes along the Atlantic seaboard and in the Midwest. But in winter they concentrate in the coastal marshes of East Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, areas that face many threats. Sadly, according to the 2025 State of the Birds Report, Black Rail populations are perilously low and continue to decline. In recent decades, the enactment of laws protecting wetlands has improved the bird's prospects.More info and

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00:01:42

Voices and Vocabularies: House Finch or Purple Finch

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/02/01

In parts of the United States, House Finches overlap with similar-looking Purple Finches. Their distinct songs help us sort them out. House Finch songs are jumbled and have a sharp, buzzy note — especially during the breeding season. Purple Finches’ songs, on the other hand, are smoother and lack the buzzy note.This episode is brought to you by Wild Delight Bird Food, which aims to support wild bird populations with clean, nutritious ingredients in every blend. Available at Chewy. More info and

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00:01:45

Ornithographies

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/01/31

Photographer Xavi Bou creates incredible images of birds and their movements by combining his love of photography and technology with his love for birds and nature — as seen in his book, Ornithographies. He’s especially drawn to European Starlings and their movements as a flock, called a murmuration. The starlings fly in a tight, synchronized group, sometimes to avoid a predator.¡Este episodio esta disponible en BirdNote en Español!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote

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00:01:35

New Zealand Bellbird

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/01/30

A forest in New Zealand rings with the sound of bellbirds, also known as Korimako or Makomako. Many bellbirds sing together, especially in the morning. Pairs sing duets. And a pair may counter-sing with its neighbors, perhaps letting them know that this patch of land is taken. It all builds to a brilliant, ringing dawn chorus.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a

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00:01:45

Wild Goose Dacha

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/01/29

No human dreams of relaxing on the shores of Novaya Zemlya, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean that’s best known as a Soviet testing site for nuclear weapons. Yet, a growing flock of Pink-footed Geese have begun to make this militarized zone their summer home. Though this region was once too cold for the geese to raise young, climate change — and increased competition for food — may have made Novaya Zemlya a compelling alternative to their traditional territory in Svalbard. It’s also possible that

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00:01:45

The Value of a Dust Bath

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/01/28

It might sound strange, but dirt helps birds scrub themselves clean. Birds of all sizes, like the Eurasian Skylark, often scrape a depression in the ground and flick dirt onto their bodies, shimmying to shake it off. Experiments showed that birds use dust to prevent oils from building up on their feathers and to remove dandruff — much like humans using shampoo in the shower!More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get

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00:01:39

Ancient Birds Nested in the Arctic, Too

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/01/27

Every summer, millions of birds flock to the Arctic Circle to find mates and raise their young. In a study published in 2025, paleontologists found evidence of the earliest known Arctic breeding colony from fossils uncovered in northern Alaska. The site dates back nearly 73 million years when many prehistoric predecessors to modern birds still had teeth; including the gull-like ichthyornitheans and the flightless, loon-like hesperornitheans. These were among several types of ancient avians preserved

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00:01:36

Female Birds Sing in the Tropics

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/01/26

In temperate climates like North America, it’s often male songbirds that sing the most. Typically the males migrate north before females and establish territories for the short breeding season, using their songs as a way to claim a spot. But many female birds do sing, even in colder climates (like this Bay Wren). And in warm tropic zones, female birds often have a big role in defending a territory, and many of them sing just as loudly and artfully as the males.¡Escuche este episodio en BirdNote en

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00:01:45

Preening 101

BirdNote Daily ·

2026/01/25

If a bird’s feathers get too dried out, they become brittle. To prevent that from happening, most birds have a gland located above the base of the tail that produces oil. They use their beaks to massage oil from the gland into their feathers to keep them supple. A bird first grips a feather in its beak near the feather’s base. Then it slides its beak along the length of the feather toward the tip. This action smoothes together the tiny structures — called barbules — that make up the feather, while

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1,678 results

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