Birds of a Feather Talk Together
Birds of a Feather Talk Together is a birding and nature podcast for bird lovers of all experience levels. Hosted by professional ornithologists John Bates and Shannon Hackett, curators of birds at the Field Museum in Chicago, alongside birding enthusiasts RJ Pole and Amanda Pole, the show blends expert insight with fresh curiosity.
John and Shannon bring decades of ornithology experience and access to one of the largest bird collections in the United States, while RJ and Amanda represent newer birders—asking relatable questions that open the conversation to beginners without losing depth for seasoned bird watchers.
Each episode explores rare, exotic, extinct, and everyday birds, covering identification, behavior, conservation, and current avian research. From backyard birds to birds of the world, Birds of a Feather Talk Together offers expert knowledge in an approachable, conversational format.
Subscribe and discover the fascinating world of birds—one chirp at a time. 🐦
Episodes
145 episodes
141: Black-backed Woodpeckers with Ryan Shostack And Making Birding More Inclusive
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re joined by birder Ryan Shostack to talk about the incredible Black-backed Woodpecker—and how birding can be more inclusive for everyone.The Black-backed Woodpecker is a fascina...
140: Round Robin Championship, also Rusty Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and The Reiser Brothers Visit The Field Museum
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re diving into stories about two fascinating (and very different) blackbirds: the Rusty Blackbird and the Brown-headed Cowbird.The Rusty Blackbird is one of the fastest-declin...
139: Green Heron Explained: The Bird That Uses Tools to Catch Fish 🐦
Learn about the Green Heron, one of the only birds known to use tools to hunt, and how it uses bait to catch fish. This birding and birdwatching podcast explores heron behavior, wetland habitats, and surprising bird intelligence for beginners a...
138: Why Long-Eared Owls Roost in HUGE Groups 🦉 | Bird Behavior Explained
Learn about Long-Eared Owls, one of the most fascinating owl species in birding, and why they gather in massive communal roosts. This birdwatching podcast breaks down owl behavior, migration, and ecology for beginners and experts alike. This we...
137: A Rare Arctic Duck Appeared in Europe?! Spectacled Eider Explained
A rare Spectacled Eider showed up far outside its Arctic range—and birders took notice. Learn about eiders, migration patterns, and rare bird sightings in this birding podcast episode. A rare Spectacled Eider sighting in the Netherlands—...
136: Horned Larks with Nick Mason
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re joined by Dr. Nick Mason, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Curator of Birds at the Museum of Natural Science at LSU, for an in-de...
135: Can Birdwatching Slow Aging? The Science Behind Birding & Brain Health
Can birdwatching actually improve brain health or slow aging? We explore the science, what research says, and how observing birds may benefit cognition and mental wellness. We came across a recent article suggesting that birdwatching might a...
134: Eastern Wood Pewee - So Exciting That We Had A Malfunction :)
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re diving into the subtle but fascinating world of the Eastern Wood-Pewee—one of North America’s most recognizable (yet often overlooked) flycatchers. Known for its iconic “pee...
133: Are Magpies Smarter Than You Think? 🐦 Black-Billed Magpie Explained
Learn about the Black-billed Magpie, one of the most intelligent birds in North America, and how its behavior, social structure, and problem-solving abilities make it stand out among corvids. This birding and birdwatching podcast explores magpi...
132: Why Acorn Woodpeckers Store Thousands of Acorns (Wild Bird Behavior)
Acorn Woodpeckers have one of the strangest behaviors in birding—storing thousands of acorns in trees. Learn how this impacts survival, social structure, and evolution. This week, we’re diving into one of North America’s most unforgettable bird...
131: Calfbird - Bald Blue Heads - Sounds Like A Chainsaw?
This week, we’re diving into one of the strangest and most unforgettable birds in the world: the Calfbird. Found in the forests of northern South America, this bizarre species is famous for its bald head, striking blue skin, an...
130: Cedar Waxwing
Discover the beauty and biology of the Cedar Waxwing, one of North America’s most elegant songbirds, in this week’s episode of Birds of a Feather Talk Together. Join hosts and Field Museum ornithologists John Bates and Shannon H...
129: Top Science Stories of 2025
Welcome back to Birds of a Feather Talk Together—and welcome to our first new episode of 2026! After wrapping up our deep dive into ducks, we’re kicking off the new year by doing something a little different: each of us brings a f...
128: Wood Duck Revisited
We’re wrapping up our recent duck series with a revisit of one of our favorite Birds of a Feather Talk Together episodes: the Wood Duck. Known for its stunning colors, unique nesting habits, and remarkable conservation comeback,...
127: Harlequin Duck Revisited
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re diving back into one of our all-time favorite duck episodes—spotlighting the unforgettable harlequin duck, one of the most striking and resilient waterfowl in North America....
126: Mallard Revisited
In this episode, John breaks down the history and importance of the Christmas Bird Count, one of the longest-running citizen science projects in the world. Then, we dive deep into the fascinating world of the Mallard Duck—one of N...
125: LISTERS! - Movie Review! Plus a WILD Botfly story
We’re kicking off the year with a fun, laughter-filled episode all about our favorite birding movie of last year — LISTERS. If you love birding, birders, and the wonderfully obsessive world of listing, this film is a must-watch. We had a...
124: Snowy Owl - Chicago Sightings, Irruption, and Lemmings
Welcome back to Birds of a Feather Talk Together! We are officially in full winter swing, and that means it’s the perfect time to shine a spotlight on one of the most iconic cold-weather visitors out there — the Snowy Owl.If you...
123: White-Throated Sparrow Explained: Songs, Behavior & the “Two Types” Mystery
Learn how to identify the White-throated Sparrow by its song, behavior, and movement patterns, and discover why this common bird has two distinct morphs with different personalities. This birding and birdwatching podcast explores sparrow identi...
122: Flamingos with Ellen Weatherford
This week we’ve got a seriously fun one for you. We are joined by the wonderful Ellen Weatherford from the podcast Just the Zoo of Us.John and Shannon are guests on her show later this month, so we asked Ellen to come cha...
121: Varied Thrush - The Lone Forest Dweller AND The Occasional Vagrant
This week we’re diving into a fascinating forest bird—the Varied Thrush. If you’ve ever wandered through the deep, mossy conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest, you might’ve heard their haunting, single-note whistles echoing through th...
120: Why Mourning Doves Are EVERYWHERE (And What Makes Them So Unique) | Birding Explained
Learn about Mourning Doves, one of the most common birds in North America, and why their behavior, calls, and breeding habits make them so unique. This birding and birdwatching podcast breaks down dove behavior, ecology, and identification f...
119: Spoon-billed Sandpiper - One Of The Rarest Birds On Earth - Story of Convergence
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we’re exploring one of the rarest, most extraordinary birds on the planet: the spoon-billed sandpiper—a tiny shorebird with one of nature’s most fascinating evolutionary surprises.
118: Golden Eagle Explained: One of the Fastest & Most Powerful Birds of Prey
Learn about the Golden Eagle, one of the fastest and most powerful birds of prey in North America, and how it hunts with incredible speed and precision. This birding and birdwatching podcast explores eagle behavior, migration, and raptor ecolog...
117: Palm-nut Vulture - A Vulture Unlike Any Other!
Welcome back to Birds of a Feather Talk Together. Hosted by ornithologists and curators of birds at the Field Museum John Bates and Shannon Hackett, who are married, and also new birders RJ and Amanda Pole. Today we’re focusi...
