Birds of a Feather Talk Together

98: Peter Kaestner Interview - Seeing 10,000 Bird Species In The Wild!

John Bates, Shannon Hackett, RJ Pole, Amanda Marquart, Peter Kaestner Episode 98

This week, we have a truly special guest—Peter Kaestner, the first person in history to see over 10,000 bird species in the wild. It’s a mind-blowing achievement. Peter took us on an unforgettable journey through his life as a birder, and how his career as a diplomat allowed him to travel the globe. He shared incredible stories—like birding in Colombia during the height of Pablo Escobar’s power, and even discovering a new species. His passion, humor, and humility made this such a joy to record. Honestly, we were having so much fun, none of us wanted the conversation to end. You’ll hear us try to wrap it up multiple times but then just get into some more fun stories and conversation. 

As always, you’ve got married ornithologists and Field Museum curators John Bates and Shannon Hackett, plus RJ Pole and Amanda Marquart.

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