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.
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Sep 29, 2026 · 1:37
There’s no wrong place to search for birds — looking out the window and listening for calls and songs is a great place to start. But you might be curious where else to look. In…
Sep 28, 2026 · 1:45
In general, the bigger the bird, the higher the number of feathers. Someone counted the feathers on a Tundra Swan and came up with 25,216. At least 80% were on the swan’s neck.…
Sep 27, 2026 · 1:44
Compared to many birds, Great Horned Owls remain with their parents a long time. They hatched in early March, from eggs laid in late January. By April, both parents were hunting…
Sep 26, 2026 · 1:41
Birds called prions have an especially creative approach to getting their food. They pass seawater through their mouths and filter it to catch tiny animals such as krill and…
Sep 25, 2026 · 1:45
Brown-backed Solitaires are ordinary-looking: medium-sized, gray-brown birds. But they have one of the most melodic, complex songs in the world, ringing out year-round in…
Sep 24, 2026 · 1:45
It's easy to feel helpless during a heat wave, as if there's nowhere to hide from the sun. Birds feel much the same. Extreme heat poses a risk to young birds of many species.…
Sep 23, 2026 · 1:45
American Goldfinches are one of our most familiar birds, but they lead lives that are anything but ordinary. These birds will sometimes raise two broods a year, have a secret…
Sep 22, 2026 · 1:43
At a glance, swallows and swifts, both graceful fliers, look much alike. But swifts — like this Chimney Swift — have longer, slimmer wings and short bodies, enabling them to…
Sep 21, 2026 · 1:45
At the end of summer, the once-bright feathers of a male American Goldfinch look ragged. Growing new flight feathers in a process called molting makes him more vulnerable to…
Sep 20, 2026 · 1:43
Once abundant around San Francisco Bay, the Ridgway’s Rail — formerly known as the California Clapper Rail — is now endangered. In the 19th Century, unregulated hunting plundered…
Sep 19, 2026 · 1:40
Superb Fairy-wrens teach their embryonic chicks a secret code. This "incubation call" contains a special note that will later serve as a password. When the chicks have hatched,…
Sep 18, 2026 · 1:45
Today is the last day of our on-air pledge drive. BirdNote is an independent nonprofit that relies on financial support from listeners like you. Recurring donors ensure that…
Sep 17, 2026 · 1:45
BirdNote Daily is a two-minute show that takes a lot more than two minutes to create. Each episode weaves together an informative script, lively narration, immersive sound…
Sep 16, 2026 · 1:44
Birds do lots of things together, including hunting, nesting and raising young. This week, we’re asking BirdNote listeners to come together and support the show by making a…
Sep 15, 2026 · 1:39
Whether you’re planting natives or filling your feeders every day, your backyard birds know they can rely on you for a meal. And we’re relying on recurring donors to support…
Sep 14, 2026 · 1:45
Songbirds in winter flocks benefit from having other birds nearby. They can recognize warning signals from other species and follow them to sources of food. We think of…
Sep 13, 2026 · 1:43
Let’s talk about nests. Every spring, robins build their cup-shaped nests using grass and mud. Orioles weave a hanging sack. It’s hard work, and yet once the chicks fledge, the…
Sep 12, 2026 · 1:45
Keas are large alpine parrots from New Zealand. Intelligent and social, they have olive-green plumage, a red rump, and a long, curved beak. Keas produce a distinct warbling call,…
Sep 11, 2026 · 1:42
In this episode, ornithologist J. Drew Lanham reads a letter he has written to an Olive-sided Flycatcher, a beloved bird that he pleads with to visit the dead pine tree on the…
Sep 10, 2026 · 4:01
In the summer of 2026, conservation photographer Gerrit Vyn visited a remote wilderness called the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. He spent much of June at Teshekpuk Lake,…
Sep 9, 2026 · 1:44
By early August, the rich yellow of the feathers of the Wilson's Warbler seems to flash in every forest thicket. Despite predators and weather, many pairs of adults have raised…
Sep 8, 2026 · 1:45
In September, this Arctic Tern flies from Alaska all the way to Antarctica. Rufous Hummingbirds follow pathways of mountain wildflowers, from as far north as Alaska south to…
Sep 7, 2026 · 2:59
In the summer of 2026, conservation photographer Gerrit Vyn visited a remote wilderness called the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. He spent much of June at Teshekpuk Lake,…
Sep 6, 2026 · 1:45
A tern or gull plunges headfirst into the water, then bounces aloft grasping a small fish in its bill. But before the bird can swallow its catch, a Parasitic Jaeger swoops in.…
Sep 5, 2026 · 1:39
With their excellent sense of smell, pigs are renowned for sniffing out truffles, a fungus that grows underground and is prized for its taste. But it turns out that some bird…
Sep 4, 2026 · 1:38
You don’t need fancy binoculars or lavish trips abroad to look for birds. In fact, you don’t even have to leave home — you can enjoy the birds out the window every day. And you…
Sep 3, 2026 · 1:45
Em De Blas has years of experience leading bird outings with Chicago BIPOC Birders, the Chicago Ornithological Society, and the Urban Birding Festival. But their birding journey…
Sep 2, 2026 · 1:45
Many people would tell you that hearing birdsong puts them in a good mood. Recently, scientists have tried to put numbers to this effect that many of us have noticed. One study…
Sep 1, 2026 · 1:45
Some cloudless night in September, when the air is clear, you may see birds flying across the yellow face of the moon! September is peak migration time for millions of songbirds…
Aug 31, 2026 · 1:45
In this episode of BirdNoir , Private Eye Michael Stein helps a lakefront resident get to know the avian neighbor that’s been flying by each day. More info and transcript at…
Aug 30, 2026 · 1:45
Though half the size of a robin, the Carolina Wren has a powerful singing voice that seems to come from a much bigger bird. Many people remember their song with the phrase,…
Aug 29, 2026 · 1:43
Beavers are well known as ecosystem engineers in North America. In Australia, lyrebirds play a big role in shaping their environment when they use their toes to dig in the ground…
Aug 28, 2026 · 1:42
For most birds, keen eyesight is critical for survival. But many birds lead lives that can be very hard on the eyes — like flying at breakneck speed, racing for cover into a…
Aug 27, 2026 · 1:45
Nothing says summer like a day at the beach. Whether you’re lounging by a lake or enjoying a seaside vacation, listen to this episode to learn five things you can do to share the…
Aug 26, 2026 · 1:42
When they migrate, tiny songbirds that spend most of their lives on land fly hundreds of miles over the ocean at a stretch – and they get tired. Research suggests that birds…
Aug 25, 2026 · 1:45
Former Washington Governor Jay Inslee has been around birds his entire life. But he says it wasn’t until his early 30s that a bird really caught his attention. In this episode,…
Aug 24, 2026 · 1:45
Why does the American Dipper dip? One possibility is that the dipper's repetitive bobbing, against a background of turbulent water, helps conceal the bird's image from predators.…
Aug 23, 2026 · 1:45
Just off the southern coast of Iceland, the Westman Islands are home to many of the country’s several million Atlantic Puffins. When puffin hatchlings, known as pufflings, get…
Aug 22, 2026 · 1:45
August 22 is the birthday of renowned French composer, Claude Debussy. Born in 1862, Debussy is known for his impressionistic sonic portraits, like La Mer , about the sea. But…
Aug 21, 2026 · 1:45
Lark Buntings are migratory sparrows that live in grasslands from south central Canada to the northern plateaus of Mexico. For most of the year, the buntings are brown, white and…
Aug 20, 2026 · 1:45
Former Washington Governor Jay Inslee made the fight against climate change a major priority during his three terms in office. In this episode, Inslee explains how his love of…
Aug 19, 2026 · 1:36
If you’ve already done things around the home with birds in mind, consider one more action that might be less obvious. Turning the thermostat down a degree or two in the colder…
Aug 18, 2026 · 1:45
In this episode, poet and ornithologist J. Drew Lanham shares how his grandmother’s personal names for the birds helped shape his own relationships with birds. Names such as…
Aug 17, 2026 · 1:45
Osprey are birds of prey with a wingspan more than 5 feet across. These large raptors construct huge stick nests that get up to 6 feet wide and 12 feet tall! While the Ospreys…
Aug 16, 2026 · 1:45
Small, tern-like Bonaparte's Gulls often form a chorus-line at the water's edge. Side by side, in half an inch of water, they stomp their feet as fast as they can. Under this…
Aug 15, 2026 · 1:45
During migration, some birds change orientation and travel almost the same distance — but in the opposite direction — as the rest of their species. The phenomenon is called…
Aug 14, 2026 · 1:33
How do birds drink? A robin takes a mouthful of water and then tips its head way back to send the water down its gullet. Pigeons are among the few birds that can suck in water…
Aug 13, 2026 · 1:42
Sparrows are iconic desert denizens of the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico. They thrive in open arid habitats, with evenly spaced shrubs, trees, and cacti. Historically,…
Aug 12, 2026 · 1:45
In this special kids edition of BirdNote Daily , Piper Bayard shares her love of sandpipers. More info and transcript at BirdNote.org . Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our…
Aug 11, 2026 · 1:34
Many people take an interest in birds as they get older. But others start very early, like one young BirdNote listener named Ben Bradmon. He has been learning how to identify…
Aug 10, 2026 · 1:45
Black-and-white Warblers are tiny songbirds that breed in North America’s deciduous forests and winter as far south as Colombia. They feast on insects gleaned from leaves or…
Aug 9, 2026 · 1:43
Let's have some fun and test your bird ID skills! This quiz features: an American Robin an Olive-sided Flycatcher, (like the photo above) a Red-tailed Hawk a Steller's Jay, which…
Aug 8, 2026 · 2:36
Cats love the outdoors, but they’re also one of the biggest threats to birds — killing as many as four billion a year in North America. Outdoor cats also live much shorter lives.…
Aug 7, 2026 · 1:45
We often think of birds migrating south in the fall. But many species kick off their big trips surprisingly early in the year. Shorebirds nesting in the Arctic tundra are an…
Aug 6, 2026 · 1:45
A male Buff-breasted Sandpiper courts a female on their breeding grounds far north of the Arctic Circle. He raises his wings, flashing their silvery-white undersides, as he sings…
Aug 5, 2026 · 1:45
Every good investigator knows to stay vigilant for suspicious behavior. But not every unfamiliar bird is caw-se for alarm. In this episode of BirdNoir , Private Eye Michael Stein…
Aug 4, 2026 · 1:45
Owls are magnificent animals that share our cities with us, and live in some of the most extreme environments on Earth. They range in size from huge, like the Blakiston’s…
Aug 3, 2026 · 1:45
White-winged Doves are common throughout Central America, the Caribbean, and North America’s Desert Southwest. Like the closely related Mourning Doves, they primarily eat seeds…
Aug 2, 2026 · 1:42
Some birds have always called nocturnally, but other species are relative newcomers to the nighttime music scene, specifically in urban areas. Birds such as European Robins often…
Aug 1, 2026 · 1:45
The rainforests of Eastern and Northeastern Australia harbor many species of birds found almost nowhere else. This Eastern Whipbird — which is more often heard than seen — hangs…
Jul 31, 2026 · 1:45
An evening baseball game isn’t the only thing illuminated by the bright stadium lights. High in the air, countless flying insects are drawn to them. And those insects are a…
Jul 30, 2026 · 1:45
At midday, it might seem like the birds that were so active in the morning have gone silent, maybe even vanished. But cormorants rally in the afternoon, offering a second chance…
Jul 29, 2026 · 1:45
Just a few weeks past the solstice, and the real heat of summer is yet to come. Some shorebirds are already on their way south, but most songbirds will be here for a while…
Jul 28, 2026 · 1:45
Zoos can be great places to see birds, and not just in an aviary – wild birds sometimes feel right at home in these urban green spaces. For example, Black-crowned Night Herons…
Jul 27, 2026 · 1:36
Bearded Vultures have lived alongside humans for thousands of years. Though these majestic raptors are mostly found in Asia and Africa today, they were once abundant in Europe,…
Jul 26, 2026 · 1:45
In the black water of a Louisiana bayou, the water ripples where a slender form glides just beneath the surface. It appears to be a snake, but look closer at the long, narrow…
Jul 25, 2026 · 1:45
When a pair of Western Grebes decides it’s time to mate, they call loudly and approach one another. Each bird curves, then straightens, its long neck gracefully. They then face…
Jul 24, 2026 · 1:42
This Osprey looks similar to other birds of prey. But the species is truly unique among raptors. For example, the Osprey is the only raptor with oily feathers. And the Osprey’s…
Jul 23, 2026 · 1:45
When wildlife conservationist Olya Weekley was a little kid, she noticed something incredible from her grandmother’s kitchen window: a pair of House Martins had built a mud nest…
Jul 22, 2026 · 1:45
One of Hawaii’s rarest forest birds is this ‘akiapola’au. Some of the roughly 1,000 'akis left on earth live and breed in kipukas on the lower slopes of Mauna Loa, Hawaii’s…
Jul 21, 2026 · 1:45
Billions of pounds of plastic end up in our global oceans every year. Birds – like this Short-tailed Shearwater – that mistake this pollution for food often die from…
Jul 20, 2026 · 1:42
Ornithologist J. Drew Lanham's favorite bird is “the one with feathers.” But here, he shares a few species that have been especially on his mind lately — “selected birds of the…
Jul 19, 2026 · 1:42
Eagle Cliff in New Hampshire’s Franconia Notch State Park is an important nesting site for Peregrine Falcons. Each year, popular climbing routes in the area close temporarily to…
Jul 18, 2026 · 1:45
The Mississippi Kite is one of America's most elegant raptors. These dove-gray birds spend the summer hunting over plains and woodlands in the southern United States. They often…
Jul 17, 2026 · 1:45
Some bird-lovers have tagged the Marsh Wren the "Heinz 57 variety" bird, because scientists have recorded 57 different variations of its song. And nightfall doesn't faze these…
Jul 16, 2026 · 1:43
Marbled Murrelets are secretive little birds that spend most of their lives at sea — but they breed in redwood forests! While North America’s remaining redwoods are protected in…
Jul 15, 2026 · 1:34
By moving from the faster high air to slower low air, or vice versa, an albatross can propel itself forward. In a series of sinuous loops, the albatross surfs the wind, up and…
Jul 14, 2026 · 1:45
Adriaan Dokter is an aerial ecologist who designs tools to study how birds migrate. On the Bring Birds Back podcast, Adriaan traces his fascination with flight back to an early…
Jul 13, 2026 · 1:41
Some ducks don't sound like ducks at all. Some — like the Harlequin — squeak. Harlequins are unique in other ways, too. Quick and agile in rushing white water, they dive to the…
Jul 12, 2026 · 1:45
Hummingbirds use their long tongues to sip nectar from flowers. They’re able to roll their tongues into a tube-like shape. Since the 1800s, scientists thought those tongues…
Jul 11, 2026 · 1:35
By carrying more people in a single vehicle, mass transit can use less energy than cars. Taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can help the hundreds of bird species put…
Jul 10, 2026 · 1:45
Helmeted Guineafowl are known for moving in frantic flocks, often running and squawking about. In their native range – from Senegal to South Africa – these chicken-sized birds…
Jul 9, 2026 · 1:41
When a Northern Saw-whet Owl spreads its wings, many birds can see something our human eyes can’t: the owl’s flight feathers glow with ultraviolet light. It’s invisible to humans…
Jul 8, 2026 · 1:41
Although the American Crow may seem indifferent about pillaging another bird's nest, they regard a threat to their own young as a punishable offense. To protect their nest, adult…
Jul 7, 2026 · 1:45
Rosy-Finches are a family of alpine songbirds. Three species can be found in the US and Canada: Grey-Crowned Rosy-Finch, Black Rosy-Finch and Brown-capped Rosy-Finch (shown…
Jul 6, 2026 · 1:41
Author Christian Cooper is never not birding — even at the movies. For season 8 of the Bring Birds Back, Christian shares the story of a bird out of place in the 2006 film…
Jul 5, 2026 · 1:42
Common Swifts in Europe nest in eaves and under roof tiles and gables. But modern construction doesn’t have these nooks and crannies, and populations of swifts have been…
Jul 4, 2026 · 1:45
Immature Bald Eagles look so different from mature Bald Eagles that early ornithologists thought they were a different species entirely! Sitting about three feet tall, these…
Jul 3, 2026 · 1:41
At this time of year, a very young male Bewick's Wren is beginning to learn how to sing. His father sings a crisp well-defined song, separated by pauses, but the young bird's…
Jul 2, 2026 · 1:45
Bird voices can vary tremendously. Learning to describe how a bird sounds will make it easier to figure out who’s singing. This episode shares a few common terms to start birding…
Jul 1, 2026 · 1:40
Not all blackbirds are mostly black. This Baltimore Oriole is orange! The bird's common name is a nod to Sir George Calvert, First Lord of Baltimore, whose coat-of-arms carried a…
Jun 30, 2026 · 1:45
When waterfowl are in decline, hunters are some of the first people to sound the alarm — and fund their recovery. On the Bring Birds Back podcast, Ducks Unlimited project manager…
Jun 29, 2026 · 1:45
After David Shephard moved to Hawai‘i to study botany, he realized that the “main character” of the islands is birds — many plants have co-evolved with birds due to their central…
Jun 28, 2026 · 1:34
Noticeably smaller than Mallards, Blue-winged Teal wings have large patches of powder blue edged in emerald. Blue-winged Teal are long-distance migrants, traveling from nesting…
Jun 27, 2026 · 1:43
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was set aside to protect the fabled Okefenokee Swamp of Georgia and Florida. Tall cypress trees and Spanish moss give the swamp a…
Jun 26, 2026 · 1:45
While many songbirds are accomplished soloists, some of the bird world’s most impressive performances are actually duets. In North America, breeding pairs of Carolina Wrens sing…
Jun 25, 2026 · 1:42
Tree Swallows glisten in the June sunlight, as they swoop and glide, their arcs interlacing in the air. When a white feather flutters down among them, one swallow snatches the…
Jun 24, 2026 · 1:45
Yellow-billed Magpies are clever, colorful birds — and they’re only found in central California. Their hefty bodies are boldly patterned in black, white, and iridescent blue.…
Jun 23, 2026 · 1:45
Golden-cheeked Warblers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Townsend’s Warblers, and Hermit Warblers share similar songs and plumage. Though they all breed in different areas of…
Jun 22, 2026 · 1:36
Tropical rainforests are stunning places. Despite covering a small part of the Earth’s surface, they support half of the world’s biodiversity. The variety of lifeforms stands out…
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