Birds of a Feather Talk Together
A podcast all about birds. Two bird experts, John Bates and Shannon Hackett, talk with two amateur birders on all things bird related. With access to one of the largest bird collections in the United States, the hosts dive into exotic, rare, extinct, and also common birds. For experienced birders to people who are brand new to birding, this podcast is for anyone who has ever been interested in birds!
Birds of a Feather Talk Together
80: The Feather Thief Part 5: The Crime, The Importance of Museum Collections, also a discussion on Canada and also precious metals
Welcome back to Part 5 of our exploration of the book The Feather Thief. We discuss the horrific act that’s still causing ripples in the world of museums. We’ll also take a closer look at the role museum collections play in science—a subject misunderstood by some fly-tiers in the book. We also talk about how museum specimens drive scientific progress. We’ll also touch on some of the oddball research requests museums have received over the years, including one inquiry about the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker.
We begin with a brief talk into Shannon’s thoughts on Canadian-American relations, particularly the threats of tariffs, before drifting into a discussion on precious metals and their unexpected influence on foreign policy decisions. But don’t worry—it’s all over in a flash, and then, it’s back to The Feather Thief and all its intrigue.
As always, you have John Bates, Shannon Hackett, Amanda Marquart, and RJ Pole here for Birds of a Feather Talk Together.
Please send us your questions for us to answer as well! You can send them to podcast.birdsofafeather@gmail.com
Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Blue Sky Social, YouTube and tik tok as well!!