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Illustrator David Sibley and actor H. Jon Benjamin will face off in the bird illustration battle of the century during BirdNote's Year-end Celebration and Auction!
In honor of BirdNote's milestone 20th Anniversary, our team and some Science Advisory Council members have handpicked some of their favorite BirdNote episodes! Check out our picks and learn more about each episode below. Visit our Team page to get to know our entire team, and check out our Science Advisory Council members here.
Nick Bayard, Executive Director
The Birdsong Chameleon
""The Birdsong Chameleon" walks us through the incredible vocal mimicry skills of the Superb Lyrebird. It was first released as a dual language episode alongside the Spanish language version, "El Camaleón de Sonido" during the launch of BirdNote en Español in 2022, so it marks an important moment in BirdNote's history. I tend to be partial to episodes that focus on one thing--one bird behavior, one particular call, one adaptation, etc. Camilo Garzón wrote and narrated both versions of this episode, and the palpable joy and amazement in his voice reflects what a lot of us feel when we learn something new and amazing through BirdNote storytelling."
Found in Australian forests, male Superb Lyrebirds can mimic calls well enough to convince the bird they’re imitating that the lyrebird is one of their own! While males sing to attract mates, females imitate the calls of predators, which could help frighten other birds off their territories.
Jessica Rugh Frantz, Director of Development
The Link Between Birds and Alligators
I’ve always been fascinated by history and the process of evolution. This episode about the link between birds and alligators is a surprising and entertaining glimpse into the interconnectedness of all things. Through the hustle and bustle of daily life, it is grounding to feel connected to our ancestors - and our shared future.
The crocodilians — crocodiles and their relatives, like the American Alligator — are the closest living relatives of birds. About 250 million years ago, the ancestors of all crocodiles split off from the dinosaur group that gave rise to modern birds. While crocs these days are mostly short-legged ambush predators, before mass extinction there were ocean-dwelling crocodilians and even species that ran around on two legs.
Bibi Baksh-Pabion, Director of Communications
Birds Talk, People Squawk
"I’ve always been fascinated by the cognitive abilities of birds, parrots in particular. It’s amazing to me that birds as small as Budgie Parakeets can have a vocabulary of more than a thousand words!"
Darvin Gebhart is a champion goose-caller. But there are also birds that use human language. Sparkie Williams was a famous parakeet, or budgerigar, that lived in England in the 1950s. He recorded commercials for bird seed and released his own hit single "Pretty Talk." Alex, the African Grey Parrot, was another notable talking bird, with amazing cognitive abilities.
Jonese Franklin, Director of Content
Common Nighthawks at the Ballgame
"Besides really enjoying the Nighthawk calls and booms in this one, I like the setting of a baseball game. When I first heard it, I immediately could picture insects flying under those big stadium lights. It's a really fun episode!"
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 perfect snack for the game’s avian attendees! Common Nighthawks swoop with their wide mouths open to hoover up the flying insects under the lights, performing aerial stunts over the athletes on the ground.
Katie Meyer, IT and Web Manager
Spider Silk - Duct Tape for Bird Nests
"I love remembering this episode when I see or hear hummingbirds: that one of the tiniest birds around uses spiders' silk to make such strong, flexible nests. As if they are tiny superheroes, using a secret weapon to protect their offspring!"
The spider’s web is an intricate piece of precision engineering. Made from large proteins, it’s sticky, stretchy, and tough. So it’s no surprise that many small birds — including this Anna’s Hummingbird — make a point of collecting strands of spider silk to use in nest construction. Spider silk not only acts as a glue, holding the nest together, but it’s flexible enough to accommodate the growing bodies of nestlings. And it’s resilient enough to withstand the bustle of raising those hungry babies.
Jazzi Johnson, Managing Editor
Bring Birds Back: The Noise Report
"This is one of my faves because of the breadth of knowledge and history shared, from Dr. Erica Walker who is a noise expert who primarily studies the effects on humans to Dr. Clinton Francis, who focuses on the changes in birds due to noise pollution. I learned so much during the interviews and even more in post-production, one of my favorites that I love to recommend to listeners!"
In this special episode, we explore the critical effects of noise pollution on both humans and birds. Dr. Erica Walker offers an insightful view of how people are negatively impacted by loud disturbances, from everyday life to health complications. And Dr. Clinton Francis shares his discoveries about the impact of noise on bird health and reproduction, from abandoning their habitats to doubling their fertilization rate. Co-produced by our guest host, Tasha Lawson.
Zahiyah Frazier, Development Coordinator
Moonwalking Manakins
"As a person who isn't necessarily into birds or birding, this episode brought back sentimental memories of my family in Trinidad and my summers spent there as a child. Because they are so common in certain parts of St. Augustine (TNT), I've always recognized their beautiful colors, but I never knew they danced, or "moonwalked" until listening to this episode. Of course after listening, I looked up additional information about the manakin's dance and found out some pretty interesting details."
The Golden-headed Manakin is a tiny bird with dance moves that would turn a pop star green with envy. Johanne Ryan, a nature educator who lives in Trinidad, describes this bird’s remarkable breeding display, which features a moonwalk and tail-flicks.
Mark Bramhill, Senior Producer
Bridging Hawaiian Culture and Conservation
"Interviewing Sam ‘Ohu Gon was really special. He speaks with such love and conviction for conserving both native Hawaiian flora and fauna and cultural traditions. Making this episode gave me a deeper understanding of Hawai‘i — and hope for the future."
Sam ‘Ohu Gon is the Senior Scientist and Cultural Advisor for the Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i. He's something of a rare combination: academically trained in conservation biology as well as traditionally trained in Hawaiian chant and ceremony. Sam's work tries to bridge traditional Hawaiian knowledge with conservation to ensure the remaining species stay with us.
Sam Johnson, Producer
Music of a City Lake
"I find it really funny that this episode is basically: "How can we make a show that fits as many sounds as we can possibly fit in?" Usually our shows have 2 or 3 sounds but this one has 7. I'd be interested to know which show has the most sounds in it but this one has to be up there."
A city lake is one of the most prized places in a fast, growing environment. It’s also often difficult to distinguish all of the bird calls from each other. With a splash of a beak, a glide of a wing, and an eye of a predator — listen closely, and then again to sharpen your bird ear.
Sarah Saunders, Science Advisory Council Member
Threatened: Puffins: Cute to Catalyst
"So much of the story resonated with me and my own spark bird: piping plovers. Much like puffins, their charismatic nature and (dare I say it) cuteness often helped motivate folks to engage and care about their survival along Great Lakes beaches, where I did my graduate work.
In particular, Steve Wallace’s quote in the episode particularly resonated: “But if I get a down day, I come to the coast with the sound of the seabirds and the sound of the sea crashing. I love rough seas as well, I love watching rough seas. And it lifts my spirits, you know, makes you feel like it's still worth hanging in there.”
That’s exactly how I feel about my beloved Great Lakes beaches and plovers: as soon as spring arrives – and the plovers along with it – I can feel my spirits lift seeing them scurrying along the sand, hearing the water crashing on the shore, and knowing that they soon will be raising families in the glorious days of Michigan summer (where I’m located and the majority of them nest)."
Puffins on the English coast draw crowds of adoring fans; can they inspire people to change their habits?
At Bempton Cliffs, on the Yorkshire Coast on the east side of the UK, about 3,000 charismatic little seabirds nest. The puffin is a spark bird for producer Paul Drury-Bradey and many others that come to see them in the summer months. But these awkward flyers with colorful bills can spark more than just an interest in birds and birding. Conservationists hope they can also spark interest in addressing climate change, reducing and cleaning up plastic waste, and other human-caused challenges that threaten their existence.
Adé Ben-Salahuddin, Science Advisory Council Member
The Freedom Song: Harriet Tubman's Barred Owl Call
"It's a fascinating fun fact about such an important historical figure, and it's a fun way to implicitly learn how to identify this bird's call. Plus, Tasha's rendition is so good that I genuinely couldn't tell which ones were hers when I first listened!
In the event that one's already chosen, my other pick is "Craig Santos Perez and the Last Safe Habitat". It tells such a painful ironic story that links the loss of biodiversity to a loss of culture, and the poetry, music choices, and sound design were all curated and woven together with hauntingly affecting poignancy. I didn't cry, but I certainly felt moved during and after listening to it."
Harriet Tubman was a heroic abolitionist in the cause to end chattel slavery. She was also an excellent astronomer and naturalist — and an expert birder. She mastered the hoot of the Barred Owl, using it as a signal throughout the Underground Railroad to let freedom seekers know she had arrived.
Chad Witko, Science Advisory Council Member
Storm-Petrels: Myth and Reality
"Storm-Petrels: Myth and Reality" is a standout BirdNote episode for me, weaving together some of my favorite things: seabird ecology, maritime lore, and the role of birds as environmental sentinels. It captures the magic of these tiny birds while highlighting their vulnerability to climate change—an elegant blend of science and storytelling that epitomizes BirdNote's mission."
Sailors once believed Wilson’s Storm-Petrels foretold a dangerous tempest. There might be a grain of truth: the tiny seabirds might find a little shelter from the gusts near a ship. Wilson’s Storm-Petrels are found in every ocean. When foraging, their feet patter across the surface, stirring up prey. Their fondness for feeding in cold, salty water could make them an indicator for changes in ocean conditions due to climate change.