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
146: Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers: The Tiny Bird That's Always on the Move 🐦
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, we're revisiting one of our favorite episodes about the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher—one of North America's smallest, busiest, and most beloved songbirds.
While John is off birding in New Zealand and Australia, we're taking a look back at this conversation about a bird that perfectly captures what makes birdwatching so rewarding. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers may be tiny, but their energetic behavior, buzzy calls, and constant movement make them unforgettable once you start noticing them.
When we originally recorded this episode, we talked about how special it would be to spend a day surrounded by Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and how important it is not to take those moments in nature for granted. Recently, that exact experience happened again, serving as a reminder of one of the best lessons birding can teach us: slow down, pay attention, and appreciate the birds around you.
In this episode, Field Museum ornithologists and curators of birds John Bates and Shannon Hackett join RJ and Amanda Pole to discuss Blue-gray Gnatcatcher behavior, bird identification, migration, habitat, nesting, bird songs and calls, and why these tiny birds are such favorites among birders.
We also answer a listener mailbag question about vultures and condors, exploring the fascinating world of scavenging birds and their important role in ecosystems.
If you love birding, birdwatching, songbirds, backyard birds, bird behavior, bird identification, vultures, condors, ornithology, wildlife science, and fascinating bird facts, this is an episode you won't want to miss.
Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow: