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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

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All Episodes

61:36

116: Common Loon - An Eerie and Beautiful Call -...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/10/27

That echoing, haunting call drifting across a northern lake at dusk — few sounds in nature are as unforgettable as the common loon. In this listener-requested episode, RJ, John, Shannon, and Amanda dive into the world of these striking waterbirds. From their red eyes and black-and-white plumage to their incredible diving and parenting skills, loons are true masters of life on the water. Grab a cup of coffee, settle in lakeside, and join us for a relaxing, fact-filled conversation about one of...

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60:00

115: Downy Woodpecker and Hairy Woodpecker

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/10/13

Welcome back to Birds of a Feather Talk Together, the podcast where bird lovers flock to learn more about the amazing world of birds! In this episode, we’re diving into two of North America’s most look-alike woodpeckers — the Downy Woodpecker and the Hairy Woodpecker. Whether you’re a new bird watcher trying to tell these two apart, or an experienced birder curious about their unique behaviors and adaptations, this episode has something for you. Join your favorite birding hosts — John Bates a...

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81:53

114: The Feather Thief with Kirk Wallace Johnson -...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/10/06

Welcome back to Birds of a Feather Talk Together! We’re taking a short break this week, but we’ve got something special lined up for you. While we gear up for upcoming episodes on Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers—and even a deep dive into the mysterious world of loons—we’re revisiting one of our most popular interviews from last year. In this replay, your hosts John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Pole sit down with Kirk Wallace Johnson, acclaimed author of The Feather Thief. His bests...

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37:44

113: Kirtland's Warbler Revisited

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/09/29

This week we’re revisiting one of our older episodes all about the Kirtland’s warbler. If you caught our interview with Peter Kaestner (episode 98), you might remember that he almost went birding on the morning of his wedding just to see this bird—so if Peter was that excited, you know it’s going to be a good one. The Kirtland’s warbler has a fascinating story, from populations threatened by the brown-headed cowbird—which we talked about last week—to an unexpected connection with ...

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32:14

112: Brown-headed Cowbird Revisited - Laying Eggs In...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/09/22

We’re revisiting our episode on the brown-headed cowbird, and trust me, this one’s a wild ride. Did you know cowbirds don’t build their own nests, but instead lay their eggs in other birds’ nests and let them do the parenting? Even birds that aren’t even close in size will get stuck raising the chicks of a brown-headed cowbird. Hosts John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Pole talk about the Brown-headed Cowbird! Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a ...

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82:11

111: Project Phoenix with Olivia Sanderfoot and...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/09/15

This week we’re excited to welcome two special guests—Olivia Sanderfoot and Allison Shultz—to talk about Project Phoenix. This important project is exploring how wildfire smoke impacts birds on the West Coast, and what that means for their survival in a rapidly warming world. Understanding these effects is critical for shaping conservation strategies, and we can’t wait to learn more from Olivia and Allison in this conversation. It’s a truly fascinating discussion, and they w...

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43:27

110: Red-headed Woodpecker - Catching Bugs Out Of The...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/09/08

Everyone loves woodpeckers, and the Red-headed Woodpecker is one of the coolest! Listen to what makes this bird unique, like hiding grasshoppers in trees to eat later (while they are still alive.) RJ also tells some paddleboarding mishaps, and talks about some molting mallards that he saw recently. Join RJ, Amanda, John, and Shannon this week to talk about the Red-headed Woodpecker! Here are some of the links to cat resources which we talked about in our mailbag section: https://w...

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36:37

109: Olive-sided Flycatcher - John Makes His Case For...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/09/01

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, John takes the lead with his pick: the Olive-sided Flycatcher. Despite traveling the world and spotting hundreds of bird species, this flycatcher still holds a special place on his list of favorites. But not everyone agrees—his co-host (and wife) Shannon, also an ornithologist, isn’t convinced it’s such an exciting choice. Their playful back-and-forth makes for some fun bird talk you won’t want to miss. As newer birders, Amanda and RJ are curious...

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38:07

108: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Cute Bird With A Ton Of...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/08/25

Welcome back to Birds of a Feather Talk Together! This week, the full crew—John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Pole—are back to highlight one of North America’s tiniest and most charming songbirds: the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. It’s Amanda’s pick this week, and she’s sharing why this lively little bird is one of her absolute favorites. If you’ve ever heard a high, buzzy call in the treetops before spotting the bird itself, chances are you’ve encountered a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Thes...

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50:09

107: Club-winged Manakin - Making Robot Noises with...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/08/18

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, it’s Shannon’s turn to pick the bird—and she’s chosen one of the wildest species on the planet: the club-winged manakin. If you’ve never heard of this bird, do yourself a favor right now—stop what you’re doing and google it. Trust us, you’ll be amazed. The club-winged manakin doesn’t sing with its voice. Instead, it makes a bizarre, almost robot-like sound with its feathers—something no other bird on Earth can do. Scientists are still blown away ...

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33:07

106: Kingfishers Around The World with Jenna Mccullough

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/08/11

In this episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we welcome back Jenna McCullough, a third-generation birdwatcher from Boise, Idaho, with a PhD in Biology from the University of New Mexico. Currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Kentucky and soon to begin a prestigious National Science Foundation fellowship at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and UCLA, Jenna has traveled the globe in search of one of the world’s most fascinating bird families—the kingfish...

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24:49

105: Mailbag Episode! Birds On The Side Of The Road...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/08/04

In this fun and fan-fueled episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're diving into the mailbag to answer your burning bird questions! It's our usual hosts, married ornithologists John Bates and Shannon Hackett, and married birding enthusiasts RJ and Amanda Pole. First up: What’s the deal with all those birds hanging out in roadside water in Florida? Then we head north to Pennsylvania to talk about house sparrows, crows, and their neighborhood behavior. Join us for a lively conver...

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43:04

104: Guam Kingfisher with Jenna Mccullough

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/07/28

In this week’s episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re thrilled to welcome ornithologist Jenna McCullough to the show for a deep dive into one of the most endangered birds on the planet: the Guam Kingfisher. Once extinct in the wild, this striking bird—known for its bold colors and elusive nature—has become a powerful symbol of conservation. Jenna shares the incredible story of how scientists are working to bring the Guam Kingfisher back from the brink, the challenges of breeding a...

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45:09

103: Inca Tern - Plus we talk about John's trip to Peru!

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/07/21

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, John is back from his unforgettable trip to Peru, and we’ve got plenty to talk about! From the incredible bird species he encountered to the vibrant landscapes, John shares highlights and stories from his adventure. We also dive into one of the most distinctive birds of the region — the Inca Tern — famous for its striking mustache and bold personality. It’s a fun and fact-filled conversation with plenty of laughs along the way. Hosted by ornithol...

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38:14

102: Laughing Kookaburras with Jenna Mccullough

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/07/14

In this episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re diving deep into the world of kookaburras, the iconic laughing bird of Australia, with ornithologist Jenna McCullough. Jenna is a third-generation birdwatcher from Boise, Idaho, with a PhD in Biology from the University of New Mexico. She’s currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Kentucky and soon starting a prestigious National Science Foundation fellowship at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and UCLA...

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68:07

101: Extremely Accurate Bird Songs with Tommy Siegel...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/07/07

Get ready for the crossover event bird lovers can’t stop talking about! In this special episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we welcome the hilarious and musically gifted duo behind the Extremely Accurate Bird Songs Podcast—Tommy Siegel and Billy Libby. Join hosts John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, and Amanda Marquart as we: 🐦 Listen to unbelievably accurate (and funny) bird song performances 😂 Share nonstop laughs about birding and music 🎵 Discover how comedy and creativity

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48:54

100: Kingfishers with Jenna Mccullough

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/06/30

Jenna Mccullough is a third generation birdwatcher from Boise, ID. She got her bachelors at the university of Idaho (2015); got her masters (2018) and PhD (2024) at the university of New Mexico. She's a postdoc at the university of Kentucky and about to start a National Science foundation fellowship at the natural history museum of Los Angeles County and UCLA. Jenna joins us to talk all about Kingfishers. There is an exhibit starting up at the Field Museum that Shannon and John have bee...

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77:37

99: Marcel Rochon Interview: The Healing Power of...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/06/23

We’re joined by a fan of the show who reached out with a heartfelt letter that really moved us. Our guest, Marcel, is a passionate birder with a story that is truly touching. From being a world-class athlete to navigating the challenges of a severe brain injury, he found healing and meaning in nature and birding. We’ll start by sharing the touching email he sent us—and then we’ll introduce you to our inspiring new friend, Marcel. Along the way, we also talk about Belted Kingfishers, Cedar Wax...

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94:04

98: Peter Kaestner Interview - Seeing 10,000 Bird...

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/06/16

This week, we have a truly special guest—Peter Kaestner, the first person in history to see over 10,000 bird species in the wild. It’s a mind-blowing achievement. Peter took us on an unforgettable journey through his life as a birder, and how his career as a diplomat allowed him to travel the globe. He shared incredible stories—like birding in Colombia during the height of Pablo Escobar’s power, and even discovering a new species. His passion, humor, and humility made this such a joy to recor...

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35:10

97: Orange-tufted Spiderhunter

Birds of a Feather Talk Together ·

2025/06/09

We’ve got a fun one for you this week as we get ready for a very special guest: Peter Kaestner—the first person to see 10,000 bird species in the wild. We speak to him next week. To prep for that epic conversation, we're taking a closer look at the bird that earned him that milestone: the Orange-tufted Spiderhunter. Spoiler alert—Amanda was not impressed by it at first, and John and Shannon do their best to change her mind. Along the way, we get into species counts, what they mean, and how bi...

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120 results

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