Birds of a Feather Talk Together
Birds of a Feather Talk Together is a birding and birdwatching podcast for beginners and experts alike, blending expert ornithology with curiosity, storytelling, humor, and real-time discovery.
Hosted from Chicago by married Field Museum ornithologists and curators John Bates and Shannon Hackett, alongside birding enthusiasts RJ and Amanda Pole, the podcast explores the fascinating world of birds through conversations that are educational, approachable, and fun.
Each episode dives into bird behavior, bird migration, bird identification, bird songs and calls, backyard birds, conservation, bird intelligence, evolution, ecology, and the science behind how birds live and adapt. From hummingbirds, owls, woodpeckers, warblers, and herons to rare bird sightings, viral bird stories, and surprising animal behavior, every episode uncovers something remarkable about the natural world.
What makes the show unique is the mix of professional scientists and newer birders learning in real time together. Whether you’re an experienced birder, a casual birdwatcher, or completely new to birding, the conversations are designed to make ornithology accessible and engaging without losing the depth of the science.
The podcast regularly features stories and research connected to the Field Museum, listener-submitted bird sightings, birding adventures, wildlife conservation topics, and current events from across the birding world.
If you love birds, birdwatching, nature podcasts, wildlife, science storytelling, animal behavior, or simply want to better understand the birds around you, Birds of a Feather Talk Together will help you see the natural world in a whole new way.
Birds of a Feather Talk Together
46: Billions of Cicadas Are Emerging… And It’s Affecting Birds, Fungus & More 🪲🐦
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This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we take a break from birds to explore one of the wildest natural events happening in North America right now: the massive cicada emergence in Illinois.
For the rare first time in centuries, both the 13-year cicada brood and the 17-year cicada brood are emerging at the same time, creating an extraordinary insect phenomenon across the Midwest. Joining us is Maureen Turcatel of the Field Museum, who helps us break down the science behind cicadas, insect life cycles, and what makes this emergence so unusual.
We discuss how billions of cicadas impact birds and ecosystems, the rare blue-eyed cicadas people have been searching for, and the bizarre fungus that infects cicadas and alters their behavior in shocking ways. We also dive into insect taxonomy, museum collections, horse flies, and how scientists study insect evolution and diversity.
Maureen Turcatel is an insect taxonomist and collections manager of insects at the Field Museum, specializing in horse fly diversity, phylogeny, and museum specimen research. Her expertise makes this one of our most fascinating science conversations yet.
If you love cicadas, insects, bird behavior, wildlife science, entomology, nature podcasts, bizarre animal behavior, conservation, and fascinating facts about the natural world, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
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