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PODCAST

Birds of a Feather Talk Together

John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart

Birds of a Feather Talk Together is a birding and birdwatching podcast for beginners and experts alike, blending expert ornithology with curiosity, storytelling, humor, and real-time discovery.Hosted from Chicago by married Field Museum ornithologists and curators John Bates and Shannon Hackett, alongside birding enthusiasts RJ and Amanda Pole, the podcast explores the fascinating world of birds through conversations that are educational, approachable, and fun.Each episode dives into bird behavior,

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All Episodes

57:17

163: Live at the Chicago Urban Birding Festival! |...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/09/28

For the first time ever, Birds of a Feather Talk Together is recording in front of a live audience! We had an incredible time at the Chicago Urban Birding Festival, a celebration of birds, birding, conservation, and the amazing wildlife that can be found right here in the city. Dr. John Bates and Dr. Shannon Hackett of the Field Museum join RJ and Amanda for a special live episode filled with bird stories, science, laughs, and questions from the audience. One of our favorite things about Bird...

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26:07

162: Swallow-tailed Kite: The Bird That Does Almost...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/09/21

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're diving into the fascinating world of the Swallow-tailed Kite, a striking black-and-white raptor famous for its incredibly long, deeply forked tail and seemingly effortless flight. But the Swallow-tailed Kite doesn't just LOOK impressive in the air—it has evolved to do an astonishing amount of its daily life without landing. These birds can catch and eat prey while flying, drink on the wing, and even collect nesting material from trees witho...

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29:25

161: Black Phoebe and Urban Birding Festival Preview

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/09/14

Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow: YouTube Instagram TikTok BlueSky

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40:14

160: Our Summer Birding Adventures - Maine Birding...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/09/07

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re catching up on our summer birding adventures! RJ and Amanda share stories from their trip to Maine, including birding around Bar Harbor and taking a wildlife cruise along the coast. They encountered some incredible seabirds, including Atlantic Puffins, Common Eiders, and Black Guillemots, and talk about what it was like seeing these iconic Maine birds in person. We also get into another fascinating part of coastal Maine: the lobster fishing...

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61:49

159: Common Loon Revisited: The Iconic Call of the North

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/08/31

We're wrapping up our summer break with a revisit to one of North America's most iconic birds: the Common Loon! We'll be back next week with brand-new episodes, but before we do, we're heading back to one of our favorite conversations about this unmistakable bird. From their striking black-and-white plumage and incredible diving abilities to the haunting calls that echo across northern lakes, Common Loons are truly fascinating birds. And speaking of that famous sound—we're going to play a Com...

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58:04

158: Black-capped Chickadee Revisited: The Tiny Bird...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/08/24

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're revisiting one of our favorite episodes about one of North America's most beloved backyard birds: the Black-capped Chickadee. While we're taking a short summer break, we wanted to bring back this fun conversation about a bird that may be tiny in size but is remarkable in almost every way. Famous for its cheerful "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" call, fearless personality, and incredible intelligence, the Black-capped Chickadee is a favorite among bird...

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40:08

157: Alpine Accentors Revisited: One of the Wildest...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/08/17

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're revisiting one of our most unforgettable episodes: the Alpine Accentor. While we're taking a short summer break, we couldn't resist bringing back this fascinating conversation about a bird that has one of the most unusual mating systems ever discovered. If you thought bird behavior couldn't surprise you, think again. Native to the high mountains of Europe and Asia, the Alpine Accentor has become famous among ornithologists for its extraordi...

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30:33

156: Baltimore Orioles: The Master Weavers of the...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/08/10

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we dive into the fascinating world of the Baltimore Oriole—one of North America's most beautiful and recognizable songbirds. Famous for their brilliant orange-and-black plumage, rich, flute-like songs, and extraordinary hanging nests, Baltimore Orioles are among the most sought-after birds for backyard birdwatchers every spring. In this episode, we explore what makes these colorful birds so unique, from their incredible weaving skills and migrati...

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36:56

155: Noisy Miners: Australia's Most Aggressive Bird? 🐦

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/08/03

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're traveling to Australia to explore one of the country's most fascinating—and controversial—birds: the Noisy Miner. John recently encountered Noisy Miners during his birding trip to Australia, and after watching their remarkable behavior firsthand, we knew we had to dedicate an episode to them. These highly social birds are famous for their loud calls, complex family groups, and surprisingly aggressive behavior toward other birds. Field...

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37:51

154: Chimney Swifts: The Birds That Almost Never Stop...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/07/27

How long can a bird stay in the air without landing? This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're diving into the incredible world of the Chimney Swift—one of North America's most unique birds. These aerial specialists spend nearly their entire lives on the wing, eating, drinking, courting, and even collecting nesting material while flying. Outside of nesting and nighttime roosts, they rarely land at all. And when they finally do stop flying, they don't perch on branches like most bir...

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51:28

153: Slate-throated Redstart (or Whitestart) with...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/07/20

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're joined by ornithologist David Vander Pluym to explore a fascinating bird from Central America and South America: the Slate-throated Redstart—also known as the Slate-throated Whitestart. David is a graduate student at the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science whose research focuses on bird ecology and migration. Before beginning graduate school, he spent years studying birds along the Colorado River in Arizona and California, ...

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19:13

152: Carolina Wrens: Why One of North America's...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/07/13

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're taking a closer look at one of North America's most energetic and recognizable backyard birds: the Carolina Wren. This episode was inspired by listener Rebekah, who wrote to us asking if we could convince her to appreciate Carolina Wrens a little more. Like many birders, she noticed just how loud these tiny birds can be around your house—and wondered what makes them so special. Challenge accepted! Field Museum ornithologists and Curators of...

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28:52

151: Black-billed Cuckoos: One of North America's...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/07/06

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we explore one of North America's most secretive and fascinating birds: the Black-billed Cuckoo. Often heard more than seen, Black-billed Cuckoos are mysterious forest birds known for their elusive behavior, unique adaptations, and surprising diet. In this episode, we dive into what makes this species so unusual, from its preference for hairy caterpillars that many other birds avoid to its remarkable migration and nesting behaviors. Field Museum ...

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52:47

150: California Condors with Christian Flores - The...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/06/29

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're joined by zoologist and science communicator Christian Flores (better known as @crikeyitschristian) for a deep dive into one of the greatest conservation success stories in modern history: the California Condor. Once soaring alongside mammoths, saber-toothed cats, giant ground sloths, and other Ice Age megafauna, California Condors have survived for tens of thousands of years—only to come perilously close to extinction in the 1980s. In this...

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47:02

149: Birding Australia, New Zealand & Beyond +...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/06/22

We're officially back with a brand-new episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together! After a short break, the full crew returns to catch up on birding adventures, international travel, spring migration, and some exciting personal updates. Field Museum ornithologists and curators of birds John Bates and Shannon Hackett join RJ and Amanda Pole for a wide-ranging conversation that takes us from Australia and New Zealand all the way back to Chicago. John shares stories from his recent travels acro...

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47:49

148: Club-Winged Manakins: The Bird of the Year That...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/06/15

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're revisiting one of the most extraordinary birds we've ever covered—and the official winner of our 2026 Bird of the Year tournament: the Club-winged Manakin. While we're getting ready to return with brand-new episodes next week, we couldn't resist taking another look at the bird that captured the hearts of our listeners and earned the title of 2026 Bird of the Year. Native to the cloud forests of South America, the Club-winged Manakin is famo...

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93:56

147: Peter Kaestner: The First Birder to See 10,000...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/06/08

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're revisiting one of our favorite interviews with legendary birder Peter Kaestner—the first person in history to see more than 10,000 bird species in the wild. While John continues his birding adventures in New Zealand and Australia, we thought it was the perfect time to revisit this incredible conversation. Peter recently came up on the podcast when Shannon recognized one of his recordings of a Rwenzori Turaco, reminding us just how remarkabl...

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38:33

146: Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers: The Tiny Bird That's...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/06/01

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're revisiting one of our favorite episodes about the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher—one of North America's smallest, busiest, and most beloved songbirds. While John is off birding in New Zealand and Australia, we're taking a look back at this conversation about a bird that perfectly captures what makes birdwatching so rewarding. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers may be tiny, but their energetic behavior, buzzy calls, and constant movement make them unforgettable ...

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38:55

145: Rwenzori Turacos: One of Africa’s Most Beautiful...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/05/25

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we explore one of the most spectacular birds in Africa: the Rwenzori Turaco. Chosen by Shannon, this stunning bird is famous for its brilliant colors, striking crest, and almost unbelievable appearance. If you’ve never seen a Rwenzori Turaco before, you may want to look up a photo right now—its vibrant plumage makes it one of the most beautiful birds in the world and a favorite among birders, wildlife photographers, and ornithologists alike. John...

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26:15

144: Black-and-White Warblers: The Tiny Tree-Climbing...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2026/05/18

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we explore the fascinating world of the Black-and-white Warbler—one of the most unique and behaviorally unusual warblers in North America. Unlike most warblers that hop through leaves and branches, Black-and-white Warblers climb tree trunks and branches much like nuthatches or woodpeckers, making them instantly recognizable to birders once you know what to look for. Their bold black-and-white striped plumage, energetic movements, and distinctive ...

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167 results

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