A duck on Mt. Everest? This brief, true-but-improbable story illustrates the resilience of #birds and the compassion of which some people are capable. #hiking #climbing #ducks

On our latest show (#1,089 May 10): Mike O’Connor’s advice on keeping your hummers healthy; Tasha Messer on mentoring young birders; and a Plirding (Picking Up Litter While Birding) audio postcard from the Sunshine State. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive #birds

On our next show (#1,089 May 10): Tasha Messer on mentoring her award-winning Georgia Young Birders; and Mike O’Connor on keeping your hummers healthy. Find listening options at TalkinBirds.com or listen live online (Sunday 9:30 a.m. Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

This brief narrative describes the use of a bird band from when it's put on a bird to the end of that bird's life, so we can see why bird banding matters. #birds #science #usgs

On our latest show (#1,088 May 3): Our friend, the Chipping Sparrow; Mike O’Connor on Plirding; and the Hidden World of Nests and Eggs with Robyn Bailey. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive #birds

On our next show (#1,088 May 3): The Hidden World of Nests and Eggs; Mike O’Connor on Plirding (Picking Up Litter While Birding); and our friend, the Chipping Sparrow. Find listening options at TalkinBirds.com or live online (Sunday 930 am Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

World Migratory Bird Day is this Saturday, May 9th. Check this website for all you need to know to participate in -- and promote -- events: www.migratorybirdday.org #birds

On our latest show (#1,087 Apr. 26): the importance of egg shells; a fabulous festival on a Great Lake shore; and a hawk that acts like a vulture. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive #birds

On our next show (#1,087 Apr. 26): a great midwest birding festival; a hawk that thinks it’s a vulture; and a preview of Plirding (Picking Up Litter While Birding) Month. Listening options at TalkinBirds.com or live online (Sunday 930 am. Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

Such great news for Earth month! Over the course of March, the nation got more electricity from renewable sources than it did from natural gas, which is typically the largest source of energy on the U.S. grid. Read on to learn more and feel glad.

Although we wish the Great Pacific Garbage Patch didn't exist in the first place, we're impressed by the tenacity of the creatures that live there. A very interesting read.

On our next show (#1086 Apr. 19): Colorado’s pesticide pushback; and an Audio Postcard from the Sunflower State. Find listening options at TalkinBirds.com or listen live online (Sunday 9:30 a.m. Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

Congratulations to Talkin' Birds Ambassadors Gordon and Lori Lam on the opening of their birding tour company, Hereford Birder. Hereford Arizona is a biodiversity hotspot supporting nearly 500 species of #birds. Website here: www.herefordbirder.com#/ (Greater Roadrunner photo is theirs)

We're so glad that Birdability is having its second birdathon for blind birders! Here's all the information you need to sign up and tell friends.

On our latest show (#1,085 Apr. 12): The Global Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon; Mike O’Connor’s advice on feeder care; Glossy Ibis from Michigan; and the world’s most dangerous bird. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive #birds

On our next show (#1,084 Apr. 12), we’ll talk about a very dangerous bird, the second annual Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon, and our Talkin’ Birds Garden Frog’s new name. Find listening options at Talkinbiirds.com or listen live online (Sunday 9:30 a.m. Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

Hawaii is testing mixtures of road-paving materials that include recycled ocean plastic. The Hawaiian islands cope with plastic waste from tourism, fishing, and encounters with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

On our latest show (#1,084 Apr. 5): How global temperature increases are affecting bird migration. Plus, an audio postcard from New Orleans, LA; and Let’s Ask Mike Live from Orleans, MA. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive #birds

On our next show: Can migrating birds adjust their timing in the face of global warming? Plus, an audio postcard with some whistlers from New Orleans. Find listening options at TalkinBirds.com or listen live online (Sun 9:30 a.m Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

Curious about when, where, and how far #birds migrate? Want to watch migration in your area as it happens? Check out Birdcast from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. There are live maps, forecast maps, a dashboard for local alerts, and much more -- free -- at birdcast.org

This week's webcam features the Peregrine Falcons of Castle Rock, Wisconsin (Central time). When we tuned in mid-morning, we saw nothing but two eggs. Then we heard vocalizations. An adult returned to the nest, settled down on the eggs, & looked at the camera. An entire drama in 30 seconds. #birds

This fascinating news from Japan illustrates just how easy it is to overlook birds we think we know. As the article states, there might be new species right under our noses. #birds

On our latest show (#1,083 Mar. 29): The Wild Seed Project’s Emily Baisden as Gardening for Birds Month special guest; a tiny owl from the deep Southwest; and Mike O’Connor’s thoughts about cage feeders. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive #birds

On our next show (#1,083 Mar. 29): Big and little owls in Arizona; cage-feeder advice from Mike O'Connor; and the Wild Seed Project's Emily Baisden as our special guest. Find listening options at Talkinbirds.com or listen live online (Sun 9:30am Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

...but not in the way we think. And no, the use of cigarette butts in nesting material doesn't mean we should smoke. #birds #cigarettes #nests

Here's the article our Debbie Blicher mentioned to Ray during his visit to the Talkin' Birds Science Corner on our latest show (#1,082 Mar. 22). This is the one about Zebra Finches succumbing -- or not succumbing -- to peer pressure when they choose the color for their nests. #birds #nests

On our latest show (#1,082 Mar. 22): Early Spring Audio Postcards from Minnesota and South Carolina; Mike O’Connor’s report on his visit to Congaree National Park; and a Science Corner report on birds’ nest color preferences. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive #birds

On our next show (#1,082 March 22nd): Red-winged Blackbirds singing from St. Paul; and Denver Audubon’s clever use of that bird’s call in a human song. Find listening options at Talkinbirds.com or listen live online (Sun 930am Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

Have a peek at the Cornell Lab's Barred Owl Cam and appreciate these beautiful birds. Only the female incubates the eggs and chicks, but the male does most of the feeding. When we tuned in about 3 PM Eastern, we saw the female sitting on the nest. This cam is in Eastern time. #owls #birds

On our latest show (#1,081 Mar. 15): Conservation Scientist Desirée Narango explains why preserving the bird/insect/plant food web is so important for our gardens; plus, an Audio Postcard from an English castle, and a report on birds of Key West. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive #birds

On our next show (#1,081 Mar. 15): Conservation Scientist Desirée Narango details why insects, and the native plants that attract them, are so important for birds. Find listening options at Talkinbirds.com or listen live online (Sun 9:30 a.m. Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

Science has known for a long time that some birds can make speech-like sounds using their syrinx, the avian equivalent of our larynx (voice box). What's still being researched is why. This article explains the social reasons for bird speech and provides links to the research. SQUAWK!! #birds

On our latest show (#1,080 Mar. 8): Gardening for Birds Month continues with sustainable gardening expert Edwina von Gal, and Week 2 of our Name the Takin’ Birds Garden Frog contest. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive #birds

On our next show (#1,080 Mar. 8): Week two of our “Name the Talkin’ Birds Garden Frog” contest with a chance to win a Vortex Diamondback HD spotting scope. Find listening options at Talkinbirds.com or listen live online (Sunday 9:30 a.m. Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

Want to win a great spotting scope? We've got a contest going on until the end of the month! Listen to the show for all the info. We're on your favorite podcast platform, or you can hear us live on Sunday mornings 9:30am Eastern/6:30am Pacific. www.talkinbirds.com/listen #birds #podcast

If you listen to Talkin' Birds, you probably already have an inkling that birding is good for the human brain. Well, here's scientific proof. #birds #birding #birdwatching #brainHealth

It can be confusing to sift through all the online resources for finding native plans. Here's a whole bunch of them on one webpage, courtesy of Homegrown National Park. #birds #gardening #NativePlants

On our latest show (#1,079 Mar. 1): Colorado Master Gardener Kaitlyn Parkins on gardening with native plants; Cape Cod’s Mike O’Connor on enhancing your backyard bird experience; and the unveiling of our Name the Talkin’ Birds Garden Frog contest. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive #birds

On our latest show (#1,079 Mar. 1): Colorado Master Gardener Kaitlyn Parkins on gardening for birds; Cape Cod's Mike O’Connor on enhancing your backyard birding experience; and Florida’s new state bird. Here it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive

On our next show (#1,079 Mar. 1): Master Gardener Kaitlyn Parkins, and our Name the Talkin' Birds Garden Frog contest kick off our Gardening for Birds month. Find listening options at Talkinbirds.com or listen live online (Sun. 9:30 a.m. Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

On our show #1077 (Feb 15), Ray spoke with Tom Wheeler of the Environmental Protection Information Center of Wild California. They discussed the controversial plan to save endangered Northern Spotted Owls by sacrificing Barred Owls. Here's Tom's take on the Spotted/Barred Owl problem. #birds #owls

On our latest show (#1,078 Feb. 22): a cool audio postcard from New Zealand; plans for an exciting statewide birding trail in Georgia; and Mike O’Connor’s thoughts on American Robins in winter. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive

On our next show (#1,078 Feb. 22): An elegant (not Elegant) tern; an avian audio postcard from New Zealand; and a salute to Birds Georgia in their 100th year. Find listening options at talkinbirds.com or listen live online (Sun 9:30 a.m. Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/22 #birds

A brief story about a seabird asking for help at a hospital, of all places! We did not know that cormorants could read German, but apparently this one figured out that a hospital is where you go when you're injured. #birds #seabirds

On our latest show (#1,077 Feb. 15): a torrent-taming duck; Mike O'Connor on Angel Wing syndrome; and the pro side of the Barred Owl culling debate. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive #birds

On our next show (#1,077 02/15): The other view of the plan to eliminate huge numbers of Barred Owls; a most unusual gull; and the continuing Great Backyard Bird Count. Listening options at Talkinbirds.com or live online (Sunday 9:30 a.m. Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

This story is a sort of "Crow 101" -- a crash course in crows. Read or listen to it and learn how their range has changed, how they roost, what they eat, and so on. A must for crow fans everywhere. Plus, if you live in California's Bay Area, do let us know about the crows you see. #birds #crows

On our latest show (#1,076 Feb. 8): The Great Backyard Bird Count; the silky star of the southwest; and Mike O’Connor on the Birdman Cult of Easter Island. Hear it here: Talkinbirds.com/archive #birds

On our next show (#1,076 Feb. 8): The Great Backyard Bird Count; Mike O’Connor's backyard bird wisdom; and an audio postcard from Costa Rica. Find listening options at Talkinbirds.com or listen live online (Sunday 9:30 a.m. Eastern) here: player.amperwave.net/2231 #birds

On our show #1,075 (Feb. 1), Ray spoke with Susan Bonfield of the Western Humminbird Partnership about how to save – well – western hummingbird species. Here's the organization's website. Bonus: The photos are fantastic! #Birds #hummingbirds