Research biologist Heather Hayes of the Intermountain Bird Observatory takes us to a Long-billed Curlew nest she’s been monitoring in an alfalfa field. Before the West was settled, curlews nested in rich, diverse native grasslands. An alfalfa field has a totally different species…

Scientists have long suspected that bird poop may play a role in the dispersal of fish species to new bodies of water. After seeing a fish egg in a fecal sample from a wild Coscoroba Swan in Brazil, a scientist staged an experiment to see whether killifish eggs could endure a trip through…

When humans ride a skateboard or snowboard or surf a wave, most prefer the same foot forward every time. A new study finds that Ospreys, too, often exhibit a favorite foot forward in flight. Today's show brought to you by the Bobolink Foundation.

With its enormous size and black tuft of a beard, the Lammergeier, or Bearded Vulture, has a stark appearance. These distinctive birds erroneously acquired a reputation for killing livestock and stealing babies, which led to relentless persecution and eventual disappearance from much of…

The Anna’s Hummingbird has undergone a major range expansion since the 1930s. And that’s largely due to humans. One study found that Anna’s Hummingbirds tend to colonize new locations, even cold ones, based on housing density — that is, how many people live there — and the availability of…

In many birds, plumage is often the easiest way to tell males from females. But in raptors, size is often the best indicator of sex. In many bird and mammal species, males are larger than females. But in birds of prey, including Ospreys, hawks, falcons and eagles, the rule is reversed. It…

A Burrowing Owl is about as big as a can of beans on stilts. Between the long legs, bright yellow eyes, and signature bobbing salute, these little birds are comical members of the western ecosystem. Cowboys riding Western rangelands have a nickname for these little owls. They call them…

People who watch birds have developed nicknames and a whole lingo to talk about the birds they love. But don’t feel like you have to know everything – or anything! Birders love to share. Peeps are sandpipers. Can you guess what butterbutts are? Listen to today’s episode and find out…

Osceola, also called Florida, Turkeys are right at home in Florida’s flatwoods and dense, swampy landscapes, which likely protected it from overhunting in the early 1900s. If you ever find yourself in the Florida woods, be sure to keep an ear out. If you’re on turkey turf, you’re likely to…