Bird Sh*t Podcast

Welcome to another episode of Bird Sh*t! It's currently nesting and fledgling season for adorable shorebirds. As such, we're excited to talk to Chris Allieri, founder of the NYC Plover Project. 

Chris joins us to talk about:

• what it's like on the frontlines of the annual summer showdown: shorebirds vs. the world
• the wacky and wonderful world of starting a wildlife conversation non-profit
• LOTS OF CUTE LITTLE PIPING PLOVERS 
• conversation optimism in a continuously depressing world (or is it just us that feel this way? loooool)

Tune in to hear about the amazing work that Chris and his team of 250+ volunteers do every year to help give piping plovers—an endangered species—a fighting chance on the popular summer beaches of NYC. 

And, as always, keep your eyes to the skies (or the beach)!

Wake up, folks, because our hiatus is over and IT'S MIGRATION SEASON.

In this episode, we're bringing you five incredible bird migrations: the longest, the shortest, and some impressive ones in between. We also cover some fun birds in the news stories, including Zoom parrots.

Plus, find out if we actually know the length of an American football field and hear some terrible British accents. It's all waiting for you on this "welcome back" episode of Bird Sh*t!


BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

Ruby-crowned kinglet
Snowy plover
Piping plover
Macaw
Arctic tern
Sooty Shearwater
Bar-tailed Godwit
Adélie Penguin
Dusky grouse (blue grouse)

BIRDS IN THE NEWS
SpaceX vs. the shorebirds (guess who’s winning)

Scientists are making terrifying drones from taxidermied birds

Parrots use video chat (and love it)

Knock on wood: we're talking about woodpeckers this episode! These recognizable and unique species of birds have a lot of cool secrets up their sleeves. Tune in as we unpack what makes them so special (and make a few sexual innuendos along the way, of course).

Plus, we discuss birds in the news, including the controversial (possible) rediscovery of the Ivory-billed woodpecker and the benefits of mixing birds with wine.



BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)
American robin
Peregrine falcon
Great horned owl
Prothonotary warbler
American kestrel
Ivory-billed woodpecker
Red-tailed hawk
Bald Eagles
Lesser Scaup
Canada goose
Snow goose
Black vulture
Northern flicker
Yellow-bellied sapsucker
Ruby-throated hummingbird
Red-bellied woodpecker
Red-headed woodpecker
Golden-fronted woodpecker

BIRDS IN THE NEWS
Ivory-billed woodpecker...is it back?
For our coverage, we used The Guardian's coverage and @alexander_lees for useful commentary

Wine + birds = pretty awesome

Bird flu is bad and might be here to stay

OTHER COOL SH*T

We're flying the coop and pretending to be snowbirds! This month, we're chatting all about birds from Australia and New Zealand (a request from one of our listeners). Not gonna lie: we learned some AMAZING facts about these southern hemisphere birds.
So sit back, enjoy a Vegemite sandwich, and marvel at these birds from Down Under.

Plus, we give some shout-outs to some listeners who recently sent in fan mail. Thanks for the love! If you like what you hear, please leave us a review on iTunes or drop us an email. We'd love to hear from you (unless you're Norton Antivirus Software spam)!

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)
Stellar’s Sea-Eagle
Boat-billed Heron
Hooded Warbler
Satin Bowerbird
Common Raven
Tawny Frogmouth
Superb fairy-wren
Noisy Miner
Mōhua (Yellowhead)
Morepork (Ruru)
Southern Boobook
Southern Cassowary
Night Parrot

OTHER COOL SH*T
Support our show at Ko-Fi! Pretty please and thaaaaaaaanks!

The holiday season is upon us and nothing says "festive" like a warm, cozy, sweatshirt...screenprinted with some birds on snow-covered branches and probably some pinecones or other ambiguous "outdoor" motives. That's right: put away your ugly sweaters because it's GRANDMA SWEATSHIRT SEASON EVERYONE. 

We both have fond memories of our grandmas wearing bird-adorned sweatshirts this time of year. In an homage to both them and this beloved 90s attire,  we are discussing some of the quintessential birds found on "grandma sweatshirts." 

Plus, Sarah introduces her new ~ SCIENCE ZONE ~ segment and brings the latest in bird science to you!

We also briefly discuss what we've been doing (hint: PARENTING NONSTOP) instead of making great podcast episodes for all of you. But we hope to jump back into consistent podcasting in 2022!

BIRDS WE MENTION:
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Cardinal
Black-capped Chickadee
Eastern Bluebird
White-breasted Nuthatch

IT'S SUMMERTIME, BABYYYY! We're coming at you with the hottest facts about some beachin' North American shorebirds, as well as ways you can help keep the shores safe for birds. Cool down with this tall glass of bird banter!

We also share some of our favorite answers to our recent Instagram question: what bird would you want for your neighbor? Tune in to see if we selected yours!

BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED

USEFUL RESOURCES

• Check out the NYC Plover Project for great tips on keeping shorebirds safe!

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• Yellow Warbler
• Common Tern
• Piping Plover
• Killdeer
• Black-necked Stilt
• American Woodcock
• Black Skimmer
• Sora

We hope you're ready for some tea. The National Audubon Society is front and center of a lot of important conversations regarding race, inclusivity, and equality—both in the workplace and the great outdoors.

In the past few months, the majority of Audubon’s employees have declared that they want to form a union to protect employee’s rights and have a seat at the table. Some Audubon employees have formed Audubon for All, the official name for the union at the National Audubon Society. But, sadly, they have run into some roadblocks with The Audubon Society's executive leadership, who still refuse to recognize the union. Cue the corporate bullsh*t.

We sit down with Tykee James and Sharon Bruce, two Audubon Society employees and backers of Audubon for All. They share more about the union, their goals, their struggles, and the uneven playing field between the Audubon Society's executive leadership and on-the-ground employees.

Plus, some listeners share what bird they would want to be and why! 


BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED

USEFUL RESOURCES

Follow (and support!) the Audubon for All union on Instagram (@audubonforall) and Twitter. Make sure you sign their letter of support! You can also tweet @AudubonSociety and tell them to get it together. 

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• Barn Owl
• American White Pelican
• Common Raven
• Chimney Swift
• Carolina Wren
• Emu
• Cassowary
• Black Hawk-Eagle
• Golden Eagle
• Loggerhead Shrike
• Killdeer
• Pigeons (always pigeons)

We're back! After welcoming our own little baby birds into the world, we wanted to share our favorite bird moms for our first episode of 2021. Yes, this episode is coming out after Mother's Day, but we were able to record it on Mother's Day so it feels relevant still. Some of these bird moms are admirable mentors and others make...questionable parenting decisions.

Plus, we share some recent "Birds in the News" (because it turns out you miss a LOT of news when you take 9 months off of recording a podcast).
 
BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED
** Support the show! **

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)
California Condor
Hawfinch
Brambling
European Turtle Dove
Least Tern
Shoebill Stork
Laysan Albatross

BIRDS IN THE NEWS
California Condors Throw House Party While Owner is Away
Italians Feast on Illegally-Hunted, Endangered Songbird

Every joke about "Corvid-19" has already been made, so let's skip to the good stuff: BIRDS! We'll share some fascinating, little-known facts about one of the bird world's smartest families (but let's be honest, ALL birds are smart).

Corvids—aka the crow family—can be found all over the world. Even if you're new to birding, you've likely spotted a member of this family around your neighborhood. While some people might consider them "basic" birds, we think they're anything but basic. These uncommon facts about four common US-based corvids will help you wow your friends the next time you see a crow (or is it a raven...?) out and about.

Still struggling with the difference between an American Crow and a Common Raven? We'll break down the differences and provide you with some hard-to-forget visual cues.

Oh, and we also brought back "Birds in the News," since it's been sooooo looooong.

Hit us up at hellobirdshit@gmail.com with feedback/thoughts on the episode!

BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED

USEFUL RESOURCES

• More crow (and corvid) FAQs from Kaeli Swift, Ph.D! (Make sure to follow her on Twitter, too.)

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• Cave Swiftlet
• Oilbird
• Forty-spotted Pardalote
• Blue Jay
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Bald Eagle
• Eastern Screech-Owl
• Eastern Bluebird
• Indigo Bunting
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• American Crow
• Common Raven
• Black-billed Magpie

BIRDS IN THE NEWS

• To NOT Kill a Mockingbird
• We’re not the only ones getting fat during quarantine: birds are, too.
• Don’t hate the gulls: we need their expensive poop!
• A win for an endangered Tasmanian bird, thanks to smart-thinking scientists

It's one thing to admire birds in the wild, but it's rare to find people who dedicate their lives to helping injured birds return to the wild. Suzie Gilbert is one of these impassioned birders. Luckily for the world, she picked up a pen to start sharing her wildlife rehabilitation stories. In this episode, we sit down with Suzie to learn the behind-the-scenes stories that inspire her writing—including her newest novel—and hear some of her wildest bird rehab stories. 

After years of working as a wild bird rehabilitator, Suzie submitted a collection of short stories about bird rehabbing to a few editors and ended up writing a memoir (Flyaway: How a Wild Bird Rehabber Sought Adventure and Found Her Wings). She's also written a children's book (Hawk Hill) and now her first novel: Unflappable.

Unflappable blends the real-life challenges of wildlife rehabbing with a high-energy fictional thriller. Luna Burke is on the run with a homicidal Bald Eagle in the back seat. Licensed to take care of injured and orphaned wildlife, she is determined to smuggle the bird from her husband’s private zoo in Florida to an eagle sanctuary in Canada. Hot on her trail are her husband, his bodyguards, the police, state conservation officials, and an expert tracker from the federal Fish & Wildlife Service. Whew!



USEFUL RESOURCES

Visit Suzie’s website to purchase her books (including her latest novel, Unflappable)!

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• Red-Tailed Hawk
• Peregrine Falcon
• Rock Pigeon
• American Robin
• Brown Thrasher
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Southern Cassowary
• Eastern Bluebird
• Bald Eagle
• Roseate Spoonbill
• Great Blue Heron
• Northern Flicker

Spring is upon us and the birds are gettin' busy. And what does that mean? That's right: lots of little baby birds will soon be entering the world.

Not all nests are created equal. Some birds lay eggs in giant piles of composting garbage that they continuously turn to keep the eggs at the perfect incubating temperature. Some birds nest in hanging woven nest sacks in massive colonies. Some birds build saliva nests that are considered rare edible delicacies.

The same goes for bird eggs, which range not only in color but also in size and shape. Yes, that's right: SHAPE. As in, not a normal round sphere egg. WEIRD!

We cover our favorite weird nests and eggs in this week's episode. Thanks for listening!

USEFUL RESOURCES

• From now until June 14, all Bird Shi*t Podcast shirt proceeds will go to Black Lives Matter. Get your shirt here. 
• Sarah is a big fan of Tim Birkhead’s book, “Bird Sense”

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• Herring Gull
• White Tern
• Hamerkop
• Barn Owl
• White-nest Swiftlet
• European Bee-eater
• Common Tailorbird
• Malleefowl
• Montezuma Oropendola
• House Sparrow
• Northern Flicker
• Common Murre
• Hoopoe
• American Robin
• Kiwi
• Common Ostrich
• Cassowary

Bird Sh*t Podcast is officially one year old! Sarah and Mo have been talkin' birds, interviewing amazing birders, and sharing badass bird facts for 365 days. Thank you so much for listening and being a part of this adventure!

To celebrate our "bird day," we're revisiting some of our favorite moments on the podcast from the last year. Plus, get behind-the-scenes insights into how we started Bird Sh*t and got to where we are today.

Got a favorite Bird Sh*t moment not featured in this episode? Tell us about it! You can reach us at hellobirdshit@gmail.com or find us on social media (@birdshitpodcast on Instagram or @birdshitpod on Twitter).

EPISODES FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE

• #2: How to plan a birding trip (complete with blow-up dolls)
• #7: Amazing Bald Eagle facts to celebrate America's f*cking birthday (Independence Day)
• #11: The Birding World of Harry Potter with Laura Erickson
• #14: Mean Birds - Deadly Birds of DEATH
• #18: Learn spooky, creepy bird calls (and omens) for Halloween

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• Mourning Dove
• Rock Pigeon
• American Goldfinch
• House Sparrow
• Gray Catbird
• Northern Flicker
• Common Grackle
• Blue Jay
• Bald Eagle
• Common Raven
• Southern Cassowary
• Emu
• Corn Crake

Stephanie Seymour has been a musician her whole life and an avid birder for the last 15 years. Her latest album, There Are Birds, brings together her love of birds and vast musical talents.

Don't be fooled by the album's name: this is not an album of bird calls. It's an eclectic mix of pop and rock-and-roll, blended with lyrical birding stories from Stephanie's adventures. 

Tune in to learn the stories behind Stephanie's bird-named songs, her inspiration for the album, and her work for the Hawk Migration Association of America. Plus, we share snippets of Stephanie's favorite songs during the episode!

Got somethin' you wanna say to Sarah and Mo? Find us on Instagram and Twitter, or send us an email at hellobirdshit@gmail.com!

BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED

USEFUL RESOURCES

• Listen to Stephanie's awesome album, There Are Birds
• HMANA: Hawk Migration Association of North America. Check it out!
• The Monterey Bay Birding Festival, Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, and Acadia Birding Festival are among Stephanie’s favorites

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• House Sparrow
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• American Robin
• Common Loon
• Bald Eagle
• Yellow-headed Blackbird
• Blue Jay
• Northern Mockingbird
• Black-throated Blue Warbler
• Red-billed Tropicbird
• Tufted Titmouse
• Carolina Wren
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak
• Scarlet Tanager
• Black-footed Albatross
• Long-eared Owl

When we first recorded this Spring Break episode, we didn't anticipate half the world being on COVID-19 lockdown. But now seems like as good of a time as any to take a mental vacation to the sunny regions of Mexico, Central America, and South America for some incredible birding!

Learn about some of the coolest birds from the sunny south, including a "bat bird" that lives in caves and navigates via echolocation, the most un-heron-like-heron ever, and the largest, most powerful raptor in the Americas. Plus, Sarah and Mo discuss how they would've fared at MTV's TRL Spring Break back in the day. 

AAAAAND we release our first-ever Listener Droppings section of the podcast, featuring birding stories from listeners! WOO! This episode is definitely worth staying at home and listen to. 

P.S. - Shout out to Andrés Jiménez for recommending most of these birds to us! Muchas gracias! You can hear our interview with Andrés in episode 16.


BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED

USEFUL RESOURCES

• The Peregrine Fund is doing great conservation work for birds of prey all around the world

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• Franklin’s Gull
• Snow Goose
• Boat-billed Heron
• Harpy Eagle
• Golden Eagle
• Ocellated Antbird
• White-tipped Sicklebill
• Whooping Motmot
• Blue-throated Motmot
• Oilbird

Corina Newsome grew up in Philadelphia and has always had a desire to participate in, and advocate for, the protection of wildlife and natural spaces, and encourage people of color in the U.S. to explore the great outdoors. These days, you’ll catch her in Georgia marshes doing important conservation research for the MacGillivray's Seaside Sparrow. We were so psyched to talk with her and learn about all the incredible ways she walks the walk for environmental equality and access to wildlife opportunities for underrepresented demographics. 

Ask Corina about her own incredible array of accomplishments and she’ll refocus attention to the peers, communities, and institutions that support her vision. Ask about her own upbringing or experiences and she’ll redirect the question to how we can all help youth in low-income areas gain better access to the outdoors and career opportunities in wildlife. 

Corina is one of the rare people who understands that we all shine brighter if we focus our attention on helping others gain access to the wild. GET IT, GIRRRRRRL. 

BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED

USEFUL RESOURCES

• Corina’s “Do Anything for the Count” parody video…SO FREAKIN’ GOOD YOU GUYS.
• Diversity in Action Magazine: a great magazine “dedicated to supporting and promoting diversity in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math”…definitely worth a read!
• Greening Youth Foundation: an incredible nonprofit that engages "underrepresented youth and young adults while connecting them to the outdoors and careers in conservation."
• Sarah is digging the book “Bird Sense” right now
• Find Corina in all the places: Twitter, Instagram, and her website
• Corina’s favorite bird conservation group? The Audubon Society! They do incredible work in so many communities. 

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• Blue Jay
• American Avocet
• American Crow
• Seaside Sparrow 
• Marsh Wren
• Roseate Spoonbill
• Wood Stork
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Kiwi

While counting down the days until spring migration, we might as well go full-out WINTER. Embrace your cold side and learn about some awesome birds that call the Arctic their home (for at least part of the year). 

Learn about: a bird that sprays stomach oil onto the wings of its enemies; an eagle with the widest wing span; a hoarding bird that’s used false teeth and catheters while nest-building; and a bird that flies 600 miles a day just two days after learning how to fly. 

Tell us what you’d like to hear on Bird Sh*t Podcast by dropping us a line at hellobirdshit@gmail.com! You can also find us on Instagram (@birdshitpodcast) and Twitter (@birdshitpod).

BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• Atlantic Puffin
• Dovekie
• Arctic Tern
• Common Tern
• Northern Fulmar
• Southern Fulmar
• Great Shearwater
• Northern Gannet
• Blue-footed Booby
• Snow Bunting
• White-tailed Eagle
• Ruddy Turnstone
• Black Turnstone

Grassland bird populations are declining more than any other bird group in North America. Rather than spaz out—our normal reaction to bad bird news—we had a conversation with Alyssa DeRubeis and felt a lot better about the work being done for grassland birds. Spoiler: there’s still hope for restored habitats. 

Alyssa grew up in Minnesota and started birding when she was five years old. After obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology, she earned her Master’s degree studying nesting and non-breeding birds in remnant and restored tallgrass prairies at the University of Arkansas. 

Tune in to learn a TON of cool stuff about grassland birds, their biggest threats, and what the future holds for these fragile birds. Plus, Alyssa shares tips on how to find bird nests (without disturbing birds) and shares one of the coolest birder-to-birder lifer stories we’ve ever heard. 

BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED

USEFUL RESOURCES

• The bird tattoo contest at the Biggest Week in American Birding
• The Breeding Bird Survey is a vital resource for understanding what’s happening to birds in North America
• The Nature Conservancy is doing great things for grassland bird habitat protection and restoration!

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• American Redstart
• Great Gray Owl
• Barn Owl
• Sedge Wren 
• Dickcissel
• Northern Cardinal
• Indigo Bunting
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Black-Capped Chickadee
• Henslow’s Sparrows
• Winter Wren
• Blackburnian Warbler
• Scarlet Tanager
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Snowy Owl
• Snow Bunting
• Bald Eagle
• American Robin
• Barn Swallow
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Marbled Godwit
• Northern Goshawk
• Cooper’s Hawk
• Boreal Owl

Ever wonder what bird species your favorite characters from the hit TV series "The Office" would be? Wonder no more. In this episode, we correlate characteristics of different bird species to some of the rowdy bunch of characters from "The Office."

Tune in to find out if we let Dwight be the Bald Eagle he thinks he is, why Stanley is the quintessential "lazy bird," and how the heck we determined the right bird for Michael.

Since this is a new episode format, we'd love to know if you like this episode! Send us an email (hellobirdshit@gmail.com) or find us on Twitter (@birdshitpod) and Instagram (@birdshitpodcast). We'd love to know what think...or if you want us to do this for other TV shows, books, movies. etc.!

BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED

USEFUL RESOURCES

Google Street View Birding group on Facebook!

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• Bald Eagle
• Northern Mockingbird
• Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay
• Common Nightingale
• Northern Shrike
• Horned Lark
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Great Skua
• Herring Gull
• Rosy-faced Lovebird
• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Red-winged Blackbird

Before we dive too deep into 2020, let's reflect on 2019. Some big things happened in the bird world last year.

Scientists identified the remains of a 15-pound, 3-foot-tall parrot named Squawkzilla. US cities adopted bird-friendly laws. We've lost 1 in 4 birds since the 1970s (hey, we didn't say it was all good news). Plus, meet 5 bird species that had an AWESOME year.

Here's our birdy recap of 2019!

BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED

USEFUL RESOURCES

• Chicago Bird Collision Monitors…we love this (and similar) organizations!
• New York City Audubon, American Bird Conservancy, and the American Institute of Architects helped pass bird-friendly building laws in NYC!
• Have you played Untitled Goose Game?

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• American Woodcock
• Gouldian Finch
• House Sparrow
• American Robin
• European Starling
• Long-tailed Duck
• Bufflehead
• House Finch
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Northern Cardinal
• Rock Pigeon
• Piping Plover
• Kirtland’s Warbler
• Interior Least Tern
• Hoiho (Yellow-Eyed Penguin)
• Tricolored Blackbird

BIRDS IN THE NEWS

• Birds’ bodies are getting smaller and their wings are getting larger.
• NYC and Austin’s airport are making the world safer for birds!

2019 BIRD NEWS WRAP-UP

• Changes to the Migratory Bird Act are effed up and make things bad for birds.
• Using eDNA to detect endangered species = COOL
• The worst news about birds came out in 2019. We’re still sad about it. 
• Birding is good for your mental health!
• Squawkzilla? Squawkzilla. 
• Half-male, half-female Northern Cardinal can’t sing but can lay eggs. Whoa!

Some people think it's weird that many gifts in the "12 Days of Christmas" carol are birds. We're not those people...because BIRDS. Impress your friends and family this holiday season by spittin' some fun facts about the birds mentioned in this song—plus, a special Hannukah bird!

You'll also get the lowdown on Audubon's 2019 Christmas Bird Count and how you can participate. This long-standing citizenry science event turns a whopping 120 years old this year! WOWOWOWOW. Plus, joining a CBC group near you is a great way for beginner birders to get a helping hand with identification. Check it out!

Oh, we also share two fun and intriguing articles in "Birds in the News" that aren't about climate change destroying birds. Yay!

Thanks to everyone who listened to Bird Sh*t Podcast in 2019. We'll see ya with our eyes to the skies in 2020!

BIRD SHIT WE DISCUSSED

USEFUL RESOURCES

• Hanson’s “Snowed In” is the quintessential Christmas album. 
• James Bond’s “Birds of the West Indies” Peterson Field Guide
• Get the info on the 2019 Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count taking place near you! 

BIRDS WE MENTION (in order)

• Rock Pigeon
• American Black Duck
• Red-legged Partridge (French Partridge)
• Gray Partridge
• European Turtle-Dove
• Faverolle (chicken breed)
• Eurasian Blackbird
• American Robin
• Graylag Goose
• Mute Swan
• Trumpeter Swan
• Ring=necked Pheasant
• European Goldfinch
• Scarlet Macaw
• Northern Cardinal
• Blue Jay
• Great Tit

BIRDS IN THE NEWS

• Happiest bird story of 2019: this 91-year-old Canadian man who has built 900+ birdhouses
• James Bond was an ornithologist IRL. True story. (And RIP <3)