In this episode Kristen surprises Maeve with an episode about Maeve's favorite bird, the Eastern Screech Owl. They learned so many interesting facts about this cute, tiny, and effective predatory bird. The Eastern Screech Owl is native to the eastern portion of the United States, nests in holes in trees, and is so well camouflaged that you may have seen one and did not even know!
We will be taking a break for some of winter and will return sometime in the spring. In the meantime, please continue to write in with your stories and requests. We love you all!
Eastern Screech Owl
Come learn with us about the Common Raven.
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Screech-Owl/lifehistory
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/eastern-screech-owl
https://www.hawkmountain.org/raptors/eastern-screech-owl
Additional Resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gi5ry3AZje8
Video from Auburn University Raptor Center - get up close with two individuals one of each color
Eastern Screech owls hanging out in trees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snmhUoTSsP0
Fast Facts about Eastern Screech Owls - Brookfield Zoo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDBwVJloiRU
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Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
Join Kristen and Maeve as they speak with Janet Macklin, one of our listeners located in Wisconsin. Janet is involved with some local bird rescues in the area and tells our hosts about her experiences helping rescue birds in need of help. She also provides some tips such as what to do if you spot a bird in distress, and what sort of fishing tackle is best for bird safety.
Note that Janet is not speaking as a representative of any of the organizations she mentions, and opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the opinions of those organizations. Do not handle any wild animals without training and authorization from a reputable organization.
Additional Resources:
These are the Wisconsin organizations that Janet mentions in the episode:
REGI - Raptor Education Group, Inc. https://www.raptoreducationgroup.org/
Wisconsin Loon Rescue
https://www.facebook.com/groups/942848699396690/
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Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
Come join our hosts as they speak with special guest Dr. Eric D. Mortensen, professor of religious studies at Guilford College. Eric tells Kristen and Maeve about his experiences working with ravens and studying their languages and use in augury in Tibet.
Here is list a of the materials that Eric recommended to listeners:
Bernd Heinrich has several books that include or are about ravens
John M. Marzluff, In the Company of Crows and Ravens
Candace Savage, Bird Brains
Kimberley Christine Patton, Religion of the Gods
Thank you listeners for your patience around our technical issue and the late release of this episode. Join us next time for a discussion about bird rescue organizations in Wisconsin.
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Email us: birdfactspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @birdfactspod
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
Come learn with us about the Common Raven, a large all-black bird that is found in many different habitats throughout the Northern Hemisphere. These birds are known for their curiosity and intelligence, and feature prominently in folklore and mythology around the world. Kristen also tells Maeve a little about how to tell crows apart from ravens, and see some of the links below for more information.
In our next episode we are joined by special guest Dr. Eric Mortensen, John A. Von Weissenfluh Professor of Religious Studies at Guilford College, who tells Kristen and Maeve about raven languages and augury.
Let us know what else you might like to learn about ravens!
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Raven/overview
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/common-raven
https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/the-ravens/#gs.4ko193
https://www.audubon.org/news/how-tell-raven-crow
Additional Resources:
Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven, read by James Earl Jones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcqPQXqQXzI
Ravens hopping https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyKoVREALec
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Twitter: @birdfactspod
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
In this special episode we celebrate our 1 year anniversary covering everyone's favorite bird, Big Bird, from the kid's television program Sesame Street. Kristen and Maeve are joined by special guest Sarah (she/they) who is on Maeve's other podcast, Mystics and Mulder.
Kristen tells Sarah and Maeve all there is to know about Big Bird's species, bigus canarius, as well as fun facts about Big Bird and a little about the history of Sesame Street. They also learn about Carol Spinney, who provided the voice of Big Bird as well as the puppetry for most of the history of Sesame Street.
All photos that Kristen showed Sarah and Maeve will be available on our Instagram account, which is linked below.
If you are interested in connecting with Sarah, follow them on medi.okra. Please also check out Mystics and Mulder, a fantastic podcast that Sarah and Maeve do together that addresses the link between faith and popular culture. Kristen has even been on one episode! You can find Mystics and Mulder on many streaming services.
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources:
-Borgenicht, David. (1998). Sesame Street Unpaved: Scripts, Stories, Secrets, and Songs. Children's Television Workshop.
-Davis, Michael. (2008). Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street. Penguin Books.
-Itzkoff, D. (2018, October 17). Original Big Bird, Caroll Spinney, Leaves ‘Sesame Street’ After Nearly 50 Years. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/17/arts/television/sesame-street-big-bird.html
-LaMattina, D., & Walker, C. N. (Directors). (2014). I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story [film]. Tribeca Film.
-Muppet Wiki. (n.d.) Big Bird. Fandom. https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Big_Bird
-Sesame Street Unpaved
-Throughline. (2022, August 3). Getting to Sesame Street [audio podcast episode]. In Throughline. npr. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/31/1191069674/getting-to-sesame-street-2022
Additional Resources:
-Big Bird deals with Mr. Hooper's death https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxlj4Tk83xQ -Big Bird on SNL, Weekend Update https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dv3tLVxng0
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Twitter: @birdfactspod
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
Join our hosts as Maeve tells Kristen about the most recent three episodes of Extraordinary Birder, a new show hosted by the intrepid birder, Christian Cooper! The show is available for your streaming pleasure on Hulu and Disney. Cooper travels to Palm Springs, Washington D.C., and Alabama, encountering numerous bird species and other exciting adventures along the way. Come learn with Kristen about some very unique birds and so much more about the wondrous world of birding!!
Join us for our next episode where will learn about Big Bird.
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Email us: birdfactspod@gmail.com
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
In our latest episode, and the funniest one to date, Maeve tells Kristen about the first three episodes of Extraordinary Birder, a new show hosted by the intrepid birder, Christian Cooper! The show is available for your streaming pleasure on Hulu and Disney.
Cooper travels to Puerto Rico, New Nork City, and Hawaii, encountering numerous bird species and other exciting adventures along the way. Come learn with Kristen about some very unique birds, environmental issues, and so much more about the wondrous world of birding!!
Follow us on Instagram: @birdfactspod
Email us: birdfactspod@gmail.com
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
In this episode Kristen tells Maeve about the American Woodcock, a request sent in by one of our dear listeners. This is a cute, plump shorebird with short legs and short neck. They prefer deciduous or mixed woods with much young growth and moist soil, such as thickets along streams. These birds have a cool adaption with their bill that allows them to sense invertebrates moving in the soil and grab onto them while they are still underground. Our hosts’ favorite thing about this bird is a strange as-of-yet scientifically unexplained ‘dancing’ behavior. Links to the videos Kristen shows in the show notes below.
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Woodcock/overview
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-woodcock
https://www.audubon.org/news/10-fun-facts-about-american-woodcock#:~:text=In%20an%20extraordinary%20feat%20of,have%20longer%20bills%20than%20males.
Additional Resources:
Videos of courtship displays:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx-iRZPts6E
“Dancing” videos that Kristen Showed Maeve:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF3-LvmHM4E
https://www.tiktok.com/@kmkamp20/video/7242838441162018090?_op=1&_r=1&_t=8dgST1TGibK
Follow us on Instagram: @birdfactspod
Email us: birdfactspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @birdfactspod
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
** content warning ** This episode is about birds in horror films, so we do discuss dead birds, and describe the deaths of birds as well as cats. Our discussion is not graphic in our minds, but we trust that you can make the best decision for yourself whether to listen or to expose to younger ears.
Join Kristen and Maeve as they discuss a paper that Kristen wrote for a class last semester. The paper was titled “The Use of Birds as Tropes for Portents of Death in Horror Films.” The title says it all, but our hosts discuss three specific horror tropes that inform the audience when the horror begins in a film. They also discuss why birds are used for these tropes, referencing mythology and folklore. Birds are used in horror films in many other ways as well, so we are planning a follow up episode with a special guest.
Please note that our release schedule will probably be a little bit off this semester after all, as Kristen and Maeve are both deeply involved in academic and/or professional endeavors that are more time consuming than expected. Happy birding!
____________________________________________________________
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources:
-Bude, Tekla. “What is a Trope? Definition and Examples.” School of Writing, Literature, and Film. Oregon State University, Accessed April 24, 2023. https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-trope-definition-and-examples
-Fahy, Thomas. “Introduction.” In The Philosophy of Horror, edited by Thomas Fahy, 1-13. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 2010.
-Feher-Elston, Catherine. Ravensong: A Natural History of Ravens and Crows. New York: Penguin Books, Ltd., 1991.
-Nickel, Philip J. “Horror and the Idea of Everyday Life: On Skeptical Threats in Psycho and The Birds.” In The Philosophy of Horror, edited by Thomas Fahy, 15-41. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 2010
-Moreman, Christopher M. “On the Relationship between Birds and Spirits of the Dead.” Society & Animals 22, no. 5 (2014): 481-502. DOI: 10.1163/15685306-12341328
__________________________________
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Twitter: @birdfactspod
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
It's migration season here at Bird Facts, and so in this episode, Kristen tells Maeve about Forster's Tern, a species of tern that was migrating through where Kristen was recently visiting in Wisconsin. This is a small, attractive bird known for its neat fish-diving habits, and for nesting in saltwater, freshwater, and brackish marshes. They winter along various places (mostly but not exclusively coastline), migrate through all of the United States other than the Northeast, and summer in marshes in the Great Plains and Great Lakes areas.
In our next episode, Kristen will tell Maeve about all the research she did for her final paper on the use of birds as tropes in horror films for her class Birds, Religion, and Mythology. Birds appear in many ways in horror films, so this episode will have a follow up bonus episode with a special guest. You will not want to miss it!
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Forsters_Tern/overview
Migration map:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Forsters_Tern/maps-range
Additional Resources:
Courtship displays:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qry1CXgPV4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM92g1FJ0Zg
Videos of terns diving:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oSYcRHtu7Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cxpeEJOyh8
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Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
Join Kristen and Maeve for a special bonus episode. If you have not listened to our episode on the Resplendent Quetzal bird from March 27, be sure to check it out. That bird had a special relationship with the Aztecs, and we did not have enough time in our main episode to go into detail on all of the history and mythology.
In this episode, our hosts are joined by Joe Rosales, studying at Harvard Divinity School for a Master of Theological Studies degree in comparative theology with a special focus on Christianity and the Aztec religion. After he gave a presentation in one of Kristen's classes on Quetzalcoatl, Kristen invited him to share what he has learned about the Resplendent Quetzal bird as well as other interesting things about the fascinating Aztec Empire.
We learn all about human sacrifice, polytheism, discuss why birds make excellent symbols for charismatic leaders, the similarities between Queztlecoatl and Jesus, and so much more. Kristen also tells Joe the Bird Facts origin story.
Catch us next week for a regular episode about Forster's Tern.
If you are interested in connecting with Joe, he wants to hear from you! Please send bird facts a note via Gmail (contact info below) and we will forward it along to him.
Follow us on Instagram: @birdfactspod
Email us: birdfactspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @birdfactspod
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
In this special episode, we change things around a bit as Maeve tells Kristen about the Piping Plover, reading from a book she recently got on a birding outing.
Piping Plovers are attractive, little gray shorebirds that live along the shores in the Northeast United States as well as some alkali wetlands in the Great Plains and Great Lakes areas. The eat crustaceans and other animals that live on shores or in wetlands. Since they lay their eggs directly on the sand, they are at great risk of being trodden on and disturbed by humans and pets. Maeve tells us what we can do to keep this species in a healthy population size. In our next episode, we have a special guest that will talk to us about the Aztec Empire and their relationship to birds. Since it will be a follow up to and directly related to our episode about the Resplendent Quetzal from March 27, we recommending giving that a review. As always check our Instagram for photos related to each episode.
It’s migration season! Keep a lookout for birds passing through your area and feel free to write in about what you are seeing and/or hearing.
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Piping_Plover/overview https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/endangered-threatened-species/essential-wildlife-habitat/pplt-nests.html https://maineaudubon.org/projects/plovers-terns/
Follow us on Instagram: @birdfactspod Email us: birdfactspod@gmail.com Twitter: @birdfactspod Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
Great Blue Heron
Requested by one of our listeners, Griff, the Great Blue Heron is found in North America, Central America, northern South America, and the Galapagos Islands. This bird has an almost 6 foot wingspan and can be found near freshwater or saltwater. Outside of mating season they are solitary, often standing statuesque in water looking for prey - which they often catch after a sudden strike. Their unique neck vertebrae allow for a shockingly quick jab into the water.
FYI we may have an irregular posting schedule for a month or so as we are lining up very exciting guests.
In our next episode, Maeve will turn the tables and tell Kristen about the Piping Plover.
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/id
https://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america/great-blue-heron
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/great-blue-heron
Additional Resources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/how-do-i-keep-herons-from-eating-the-fish-in-my-pond/#
Video of a Great Blue Heron catching fish https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/435241
Telling egrets and Herons apart https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/how-to-identify-white-herons-excerpt-from-better-birding-book/
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Email us: birdfactspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @birdfactspod
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
*FYI* Maeve and Kristen each have unusually busy schedules this month so we are taking a few weeks off publishing. See you in two weeks for our episode on the Great Blue Heron!
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources:
https://www.southernliving.com/harriet-bald-eagle-missing-7107955
https://www.southernliving.com/southwest-florida-eagle-cam-m15-sleeps-away-from-nest-7369595
Additional Resources: Learn more about the Snail Kite: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snail_Kite/id
Check out the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam: https://dickpritchettrealestate.com/
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Twitter: @birdfactspod
Come learn with us about the Resplendent Quetzal, an exceptionally beautiful bird native to Central America. This bird loves fruit and lives in a special type of rainforest known as a cloud forest. Males of this species grow a 3 foot long tail feather during the mating season to entice birds. Kristen goes a little into the mythology around the quetzal bird, who was revered by the Aztecs. In the show notes you can link to a video that shows how clapping outside certain Aztec temples brings back the sound of the quetzal.
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources:
https://abcbirds.org/bird/resplendent-quetzal/
https://ebird.org/species/resque1
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/resplendent-quetzal
https://www.britannica.com/science/cloud-forest-ecology
Carrasco, David (ed.). “Feathered Serpent.” The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures, 2001. eISBN: 9780195188431
Additional Resources:
Sounds of the Mayan Temple - Like the Quetzal Bird https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTKCk9iLqRc
How to pronounce Quetzalcoatl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAc4CXJZXgk
Follow us on Instagram: @birdfactspod
Email us: birdfactspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @birdfactspod
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56189600
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/science/split-sex-gynandromorph.html https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fossils-of-a-340-pound-giant-penguin-found-in-new-zealand-180981611/ https://www.npr.org/2023/02/08/1155458695/woodpeckers-700-pounds-acorns-in-wall-home https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/owl-escapes-from-zoo-becomes-a-new-york-celebrity-180981619/#:~:text=BirdCentralPark%20via%20Twitter-,A%20Eurasian%20eagle%2Dowl%20named%20Flaco%20has%20been%20on%20the,has%20so%20far%20evaded%20capture. https://www.npr.org/2023/03/09/1162024728/giant-eggshells-madagascar-elephant-birds-science-research
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Email us: birdfactspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @birdfactspod
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
** content warning ** This episode features some graphic depictions of bird vs. prey interactions, so if you listen with little ones you may wish to check out the episode on your own first to feel it out.
Maeve tells Kristen all about the Northern Shrike, whose common name of 'butcher bird' is well deserved. This large songbird is entirely carnivorous, and has some fascinating adaptions that allow it to catch prey close to its own size. Our hosts also discuss other interesting facts, like what this bird has in common with baseball or football players and how this episode was inspired by a Hoozier song. Tune in next week for our first ever Birds in the News segment. We can't wait to share that with you!
Also, take a minute to check out Maeve's other podcast, Mystics and Mulder, a podcast "at the intersection of pop culture and faith." Their latest episode is about Hoozier, and Maeve mentions in today's other episode.
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Shrike/overview
Additional Resources:
Shrike - by Hoozier https://youtu.be/DOBHyBPPSow
Northern Shrike calling from a tree https://youtu.be/8RmRivUbvAE
Differentiating between the Northern and Loggerhead Shrikes https://youtu.be/t5l7GPs4ePE
Blog about the tomial tooth - https://kaylafisk.com/2022/02/25/bird-anatomy-tomial-tooth/
https://www.audubon.org/news/what-do-baseball-players-and-shrikes-have-common
*Trigger warning - animal corpses*
https://www.audubon.org/news/shrikes-have-absolutely-brutal-way-killing-large-prey
Shrike impaling prey behavior - so metal! https://youtu.be/kE6y-v7m-JY
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Email us: birdfactspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @birdfactspod
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
In this exciting episode Kristen tells Maeve about the Laughing Kookaburra, a request sent in by our listener Eoin. Famous for it's breathtaking "laughing call," this bird is the only member of the kingfisher family that does not eat fish. The Laughing Kookaburra is endemic to Australia, maintains multi-generational family units, and is super cute to boot. Our hosts also discuss how this bird's iconic call has been used and misused by Hollywood, and they also include two musical representations of the Laughing Kookaburra.
Starting two weeks from now, we will transition back to our weekly episode release schedule, and every other episode will be a segment about birds in the news.
Research for today’s episode came from the following sources:
https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2005/12/blockbuster-movies-turn-lab-ornithology-blockbuster-sounds
https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/laughing-kookaburra
https://australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/laughing-kookaburra/
Additional Resources:
Video of a kookaburra calling from the Brookfield Zoo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jW7A2glZbk
Meet Taco, a laughing Kookaburra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lZt-JLhsg4
Kookaburra song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2VitpGRalw
Opening scene to Raider’s of the Lost Ark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWLjtvbGuoo
If you liked Brandon's Kookaburra song, you can check out some of his other music at https://www.youtube.com/@CSPAN4archives
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Email us: birdfactspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @birdfactspod
Thanks for listening, and happy birding!
