Winter is cold and sometimes I just want to be warm. This was one of those weeks where I just didn’t have the energy to bundle up and go birding outside. On Saturday, I opted to do some birding by car and used the drive time to catch up on a few birding podcasts.
As a newer birder, I find so much value in birding podcasts. Each one is like a field trip leader who’s teaching me not just about birds, but about the birding community. Podcasts have helped me navigate this often-confusing hobby, they’ve shared perspectives that broaden my understanding of what birding can be, they’ve kept me up-to-date on all the news in the broader birding world, they’ve helped connect me to new content and resources that help me be a more thoughtful and inclusive birder … the list goes on.
So, to help you navigate the wide world of birding podcasts (seriously, there are so many!) this week’s Entryway to Birding blog brings you a short list of where you might get started.
I’ve got seven excellent podcast recommendations for you in this week’s “clutch” of podcasts and I tried really hard to find a nest picture with exactly seven eggs. But apparently seven is, like, a lot for a clutch. Sooooo here is this adorable eastern towhee nest, nestled on the ground with five pale eggs, flecked with brown. Photo by USFWS Midwest Region
What I’m Listening To
The suggestions below include a range of podcasts—some are long-running and well-established, some are brand-spankin’ new, and a few of them include some foul language. (You’ve been warned).
What unites them all, though, is a genuine care for making the birding community a welcoming and inclusive space for everybody. These are podcasts that will revel in the joy of birds and the quirks of birding, but they are also podcasts that care enough about the wider birding community to call out the many things about birding culture that need to change for the better.
And that’s why I love them.
So, without further ado, here’s what I’ve been listening to:
Always Be Birdin’
Always Be Birdin’ is hosted by Sam, a black birder based in Oregon. Her podcast is all about uplifting BIPOC voices and experiences in the birding and conservation community. She’s working to change the narrative of what birding—and birders—can look like. She interviews BIPOC birders in her “Let’s Dig Into It” interview series, she shares stories and experiences about her own struggles in this very white hobby, and she offers her take on how the birding community can—and should—work harder to be better. While her podcast tackles some serious and important topics, it's also balanced with a healthy dose of goofiness and pure bird joy—be prepared for some fun birding breaks mid-episode!
Sam’s been birding for about two years and another reason that I like this podcast is that it’s so supportive and chill when it comes to learning about how to bird and taking things at your own pace. If you’re a new birder, this is a great podcast to listen to get some of that encouragement and support when you’re feeling like, “Geez, this is hard.” Sam brings it back to what really matters, which is the joy of birds and how that joy can be for everybody.
This is a newer podcast that got started this fall in the wake of Black Birders Week and it’s quickly become a favorite of mine. It’s not always an easy listen because it challenges me—but that’s good and important. It’s helping me learn how I can be a better ally to BIPOC folks, especially outdoors and in conservation, and I recommend it to anyone wanting to do the same.
Listen here. I also highly recommend following Sam on Instagram at @alwaysbebirdin_podcast for more great birding content.
Fowl Mouths Podcast
Remember that foul language I warned you about? Yeah, it’s mostly here in the Fowl Mouths Podcast, self-described as “not your grandmother’s birding podcast.” (I’ve warned you. Twice now.)
Fowl Mouths is hosted by Sean, Scott, and Heather, and they too are out there reminding you that the birding community is home to a lot of diverse people doing really cool work. They also want to make birding more accessible and engaging to new folks who might struggle to picture themselves in this hobby and that’s reflected in the diverse set of interviews they’ve hosted. It’s also chock-full of lots of bird banter, birding stories, and weird bird facts.
Fowl Mouths isn’t as frequently updated these days, but there’s a good backlog of episodes you can listen to. Check out their recent-ish episodes on the #BirdNamesForBirds movement and the push to rename birds species that have racist honorifics, or their interview with members of The Feminist Bird Club.
I recommend this podcast because it’s a great mix of goofy, weird, and casual, but serious when it needs to be— it’s a great listen if you want to feel like you’re sitting around with some birding friends, enjoying a drink by the campfire and talking about what makes this hobby so addicting.
Listen here. You can also follow them on Instagram at @fowlmouthspodcast.
The American Birding Podcast
The American Birding Podcast is a staple, a classic, a go-to when it comes to the latest news in the birding world. This podcast, hosted by Nate Swick, just recently had its four year anniversary—it’s one of the longer-running podcasts on this list and probably one you may have stumbled across already.
The ABA podcast was my first foray into the world of birding podcasts and always has a special place in the podcast chamber of my heart. I hadn’t really followed birding “news” until I learned about this podcast and it was one of the things that pushed me to learn more about what’s going on in the wider world of birding—not just in my metaphorical backyard.
Each episode, there’s a report on rare bird sightings across the country, news and discussion around topical current events, then a feature story or interview with a guest—and there have been some fascinating guests over the years! Each month also features a “This Month in Birding” episode with several guests who join to break down the latest birding news.
This podcast is updated weekly and any major birding-related news finds its way on here, so I highly recommend this podcast if you wanna be “in the know,” but I also recommend it for its interviews with birders, researchers, conservation experts, teachers, authors, and more. Nate Swick’s interviews are always stellar.
Listen here, and go here for more information about the American Birding Association.
Bird Sh*t
Bird Sh*t is hosted by two women, Mo and Sarah, who are equal parts enthusiastic, hilarious, and full of random bird facts. I love this podcast because their goofy banter reminds me a lot of the weird and off-the-wall birdy conversations that I have with my friends and it makes Mo and Sarah feel like kindred spirits I’ve never met.
Some of their episodes include interviews with fellow birders, and some are just the two hosts laying down a lot of really cool bird knowledge. They’ve got a great “Uncommon Facts about Common Birds” series going, bringing you all the knowledge about our often under-appreciated and underrated common bird friends.
The title alone should also hint that there’s some mild language in this podcast as well. There’s also a heck of a lot of enthusiasm and good birding vibes—this is a podcast that will cheer you up and remind you that birding, above all else, is full of joy and wonder and fun. It will also leave you prepared to dominate any bird-related trivia event.
Bird Sh*t is on a bit of hiatus right now, as both Mo and Sarah are new mothers, but there’s a great backlog to catch up on and they are still active on social media.
Listen here. You can also follow Bird Sh*t on Instagram at @birdshitpodcast.
The Birdy Bunch
The Birdy Bunch podcast is hosted by CJ Greco, Jon Sicinski, and Matt Valiga. In their words, they “talk conservation, education, fascination.” This is a podcast for nature enthusiasts of all sorts. It’s not as bird-focused as the other podcasts on this list and is a bit more all-encompassing as it explores ecology and conservation issues across a wide spectrum. They talk wildlife tourism, nature documentaries, evolution, extinction, queer ecology, environmental racism, zoos, and more.
I love the wide net that this podcast casts because even though I’m a birder, I love learning more about other animals and other topics related to wildlife conservation. The hosts are all extremely knowledgeable—and you can tell—but this podcast remains fun, casual, and informative without being overwhelming. That’s in part because the three hosts all have great chemistry and lots of good energy.
Each episode starts with a wellness check to see how everyone’s been doing, then has a “creature feature” before talking current events in the conservation world, then delving into their feature topic.
Listen here. You can also follow The Birdy Bunch on Instagram at @thebirdybunchpodcast.
Songbirding
I only just recently discovered Songbirding—and by recently, I mean I stumbled across it while gathering hyperlinks to put in this blog entry. I put on an episode or two to listen while I worked and … wow, I love it. It immediately made the blog list. Songbirding, where have you been all my life?!
Birding by ear doesn’t come naturally to me—I am that person that needs a more experienced birder to be there, right next to me in the field, pointing out vocalizations and helping me learn them. And that is exactly what Songbirding does—it takes you right into the field with excellent recordings while the host, Rob Porter, talks through each vocalization you hear.
It legitimately feels like you are on a field trip. A relaxing, soothing, bird-sound filled field trip where you are patiently guided through the ins and outs of birding by ear. The first episode I listened to was the recent “A Winter Finch Special” and one that I would highly recommend for any readers who are wanting help with IDing our winter visitors like red-breasted nuthatches, pine siskin, white-winged crossbills, red crossbills, and more.
Rob Porter is based in Ontario, which is good news for listeners in Wisconsin because it means he shares a lot of our eastern birds. Browse through past episodes on spring migration to brush up on those warbler songs! From the first few episodes I’ve listened to, Rob does an amazing job of making birding by ear less intimidating and accessible to everyone—he even has a version of the podcast for folks with high-frequency hearing loss.
Listen here. And, if you are someone that struggles with high frequency hearing loss, check out Songbirding Under 5kHz a modified version of the podcast where all the bird vocalizations above 5kHz are transposed down one octave. Learn more about how Songbirding is making birding by ear accessible to everyone here.
BirdNote
BirdNote is the “I don’t have time for podcasts” option, because it’s seriously, like, two minutes long, at most. If you’re not a podcast person yet, maybe start here and get a daily dose of birdy wonder. You might find yourself hooked.
You’ve maybe heard of BirdNote before, as it’s been around for years. But just in case you haven’t, you should consider adding this daily podcast—yes, daily!—to your list. Their vivid stories that delve into the lives of birds are a great way to not only learn more about new species, but also just … reflect on the wonder and beauty of the world. BirdNote only has two minutes to catch your attention and they use their time well by painting a vivid picture and using bird calls to set the scene. And as someone who always wants to be better at birding by ear, I appreciate hearing new songs and calls paired with a story.
Listen here. You can also check out some of BirdNote’s long-form journalism here.
This is just a small taste of what’s out there, but if you’re just now venturing into the world of birding podcasts, it’s a good place to start. Whether you are a new or experienced birder, podcasts can help you improve your birding skills, learn more about birds, and gain a stronger sense of community with the wider birding world outside of our small part of Wisconsin. There are so many diverse and talented birders out there and podcasts can help you find them.
Have you been bird-ifying your podcast listening for awhile now? Have any suggestions or recommendations you’d like to share? Leave them in the comments below!
That’s all for this week! The Entryway to Birding blog will be back next Monday. Happy podcasting!
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Caitlyn is the Communications and Outreach Assistant at Madison Audubon. She’s crazy for birds because they changed her life. She’ll be back next Monday with some tips and tools for birders, new and experienced! Between now and then, she’d love to hear about the birds you’re seeing and hearing. Leave a comment below or email to drop her a line!
