This week on Bird Brain, I’m joined by Alice Vassallo, zookeeper and host of Asshole Animals with Alice.

Together we talk about Red Lories and Iago. We dig into why Disney’s sharp-tongued parrot is so unforgettable, and which real-life animals might make even better troublemakers. A chat full of colour, chaos, and charismatic villains!

This week on Bird Brain, I’m live from Global Birdfair 2025, joined by ecologist Naomi Davis, my first non-binary guest on the pod!

Together we dive into the iconic flock of chickens from Chicken Run, that stop-motion classic once pitched as “The Great Escape with Chickens.”

We cover everything from the genius of the word “wazzock” and why it matters , to the way internalised misogyny shapes how we read characters like Mac. Along the way, we explore how films like Chicken Run can both reinforce and subvert cultural ideas about birds, gender, and freedom.

If you love your bird chat with a mix of cinema, social insight, and a touch of clay-feathered rebellion, this one’s for you.

Follow Naomi here:

https://www.instagram.com/naturnaomi?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

This week on Bird Brain, I’m joined by ecologist, bird ringer, and rewilding champion Penny Green, fresh from a decade at Knepp and now heading into her next wild chapter on the South Downs.

We’re talking about Green Woodpeckers (also known as yaffles), with a specific focus on Professor Yaffle from Bagpuss. We look at everything, from their role as habitat engineers to their unmistakable laugh.

Penny shares what it’s been like witnessing nature bounce back at Knepp, why unimproved meadows are more vital than ever, and how her new podcast The Wandering Ecologist aims to lift us out of doomscrolling and celebrate what’s working in the world of conservation.

If you like your bird chat with a healthy dose of hope, woodpecker lore, and practical ecology, this one’s for you.

Follow Penny on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sussex_emerald?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=dTVlamx1eHF5dnA=

🎙️ In this episode of Bird Brain, we soar into the vibrant and endangered world of the Spix’s Macaw—the striking blue parrot made famous by Blu in the animated film Rio.

Joining me is Scarlett Hilton—BTO Young Leader, nature poet, and passionate advocate for equitable access to nature.

We discuss:
🦜 Rio and the real-life story behind Blu
🌵 The caatinga biome – What makes this dry forest ecosystem so vital for macaws
⚖️ Poaching and pet ownership – From international trafficking to Minnesota’s bizarre exotic pet laws
🎧 Bioacoustic monitoring – How sound is helping track and protect endangered birds
📚 The Falcon Thief – A gripping read on wildlife crime, recommended by Scarlett

Scarlett also shares her thoughts on the role of storytelling, poetry, and youth engagement in bird conservation.

Check out these links:
🔗 The Falcon Thief by Joshua Hammer – Waterstones
🔗 Association for the Conservation of Threatened Parrots (ACTP)
🔗 Chico Mendes Institute, Brazil
🔗 Can you own any exotic animals in Minnesota? – The Environmental Literacy Council

Bonus Beasts: Iorek Byrnison, from the His Dark Materials trilogy.

This episode isn’t just about polar bears. It’s about what happens when you’re stripped of your purpose — and how, for some people, recovery means forging a new kind of armour. To explore that, I’m joined by psychiatrist and trauma specialist Dr Mathew Hoskins — who’s worked on cutting-edge therapies for PTSD, including MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.

Today we’re asking: what can a fictional bear teach us about real psychological healing?

In this episode of Bird Brain, we take flight into the world of geese in literature, folklore, and nature with Liliana Tarrant Snedden—President of the Cardiff University Ornithological Society and BTO Youth Rep.

We discuss:
Kaisa the daemon – Exploring how Philip Pullman's choice of a Snow Goose for a witch’s familiar in His Dark Materials is subverting the usual image of a witch’s bird, often linked to corvids or birds of prey.
📜 Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese 

🧬 Genetic diversity – Why it’s crucial for species survival and conservation.

Liliana also shares how young birdwatchers can get free birding equipment to level up their skills! Check out these links:
🔗 BTO Equipment Scheme: Access free birdwatching kit
🔗 BTO Youth Reps: Find out more
🔗 Follow Liliana on Instagram: @liliana.rts

Please like and share this episode ✨

#Birdwatching #HisDarkMaterials #Geese #WildlifeConservation #PhilipPullman #DaemonTheory

Roadrunners, Cuckoos, and Cold War Cartoons: A Chat with Jon Carter from the BTO

In this episode, we’re joined by Jon Carter, Media Manager at The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), to talk all things birds—and a bit of Looney Tunes! 🐦🎥

We dive into why Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote became a surprising cultural phenomenon in the Soviet Union during the Cold War, explore the fascinating connection between roadrunners and cuckoos, and debate whether the cartoon duo symbolizes the unattainable American Dream.

Plus, Jon shares how bird surveys like the BTO’s Garden BirdWatch and Nest Count Project play a vital role in tracking bird populations—and how you can get involved.

📢 Listen now and visit BTO’s Garden BirdWatch and Nest Count Project to make a difference for our feathered friends!

To get involved with the tracking of cuckoos specifically, click here:

https://www.bto.org/cuckoos

In this episode of Bird Brain, I’m joined by Stu for a lively conversation as we unpack the challenges of Stu’s vegan lifestyle and examine the often arbitrary ways humans categorise animals—shifting between entertainment, companionship, and consumption.

We dive into the ethical implications of mega-corporations like Disney, their influence on wildlife conservation, and the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. Who made the better Scuttle: a Herring Gull or a Northern Gannet? And what does the choice say about representation and realism?

Finally, we tackle the avian flu crisis and plunge diving killing machines.

If you’re into birds, ethics, or pop culture, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

References:

Glamour article by Nylah Burton, 'I'm begging people to be normal about The Little Mermaid'

https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/the-little-mermaid-halle-bailey-racism-feminism-criticism

Explore the Disney Conservation Fund Interactive Grant Map 

In this episode of Bird Brain, I’m joined by a special guest, Tom Morath, Deputy Head of Living Collections at The Hawk Conservancy Trust. Together, we dive into the fascinating world of vultures—one of the most misunderstood and critically endangered groups of birds on the planet. We’ll discuss why these incredible scavengers are vital for ecosystems and explore their depiction in popular culture, especially in The Jungle Book.

Plus, we assemble our very own "Winged Avengers"—picking five of the most powerful birds of prey for the ultimate avian superhero team!

Follow the Hawk Conservancy Trust here: @hawkconservancy
Listen to more from Tom: Hawk Conservancy Trust Podcast

If you love birds in pop culture and want to learn about their real-world counterparts, you won’t want to miss this episode of Bird Brain!

In this exciting episode of Bird Brain, host Kelly Keegan takes flight into the fascinating world of ravens, focusing on Matthew the Raven from the popular comic and Netflix series, Sandman. Joined by longtime friend and comic book aficionado Joe, Kelly dives deep into the myths and misconceptions surrounding these enigmatic birds.

Discover how the real-life raven stacks up against its fictional counterpart and why these intelligent creatures are often misunderstood. Spoiler alert: Kelly isn’t a fan of the myths, and she’s ready to set the record straight on why she thinks they are such a snoozefest.

Tune in to Bird Brain on Spotify to unravel the truth about ravens and enjoy a lively discussion full of insights and surprises.

Every 6th episode of the podcast will be dedicated to Bonus Beasts (in honour of the number of the beast!). Whether it’s interviews with humans who are doing incredible work in the conservation and nature spaces or just an excuse to take about beavers, these are the episodes where you’ll find additional content about how popular culture intersects with the natural world.

In this inaugural episode of Bonus Beasts I had the pleasure of interviewing Tim Appleton, founder of Global Birdfair, LIVE at Birdfair itself. Tim is the titan of the episode!

We discuss fundraising a whopping 42 million pounds, the significance of a “flagship species” and the (predictably dismal) British weather.
To find out more about Global Birdfair:

https://globalbirdfair.org/

To Follow Global Birdfair on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/global_birdfair?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

To follow Bird Brain on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/bird.brain.pod?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

In this week's episode I am joined by writer Charlie Bingham; together we swoop through pop culture to tackle 2024's Migration (produced by Universal Pictures and Illumination) and explore how similar the character of Chump is to real pigeons.

Charlie can be found on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/_charliebingham?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

She is represented by:

https://www.instagram.com/aevitas_creativeuk?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

In this week's episode I am joined by Roddy and Jack from the How Many Geese? podcast; together we swing through pop culture to tackle the 1997 blockbuster hit George of the Jungle, and explore how similar the character of Tookie Tookie is to a real toucan.

A certain "jacking off" monkey also gets an honourable mention, at just before the 32 minute mark - Skip about a minute if you don't want tiny ears to hear about that.

Jack and Roddy's fantastic show can be found here:

https://open.spotify.com/show/5Ac9xGSKV0FhtXeMFFSQHR?si=fb0cebd45efd41f1

Jack Baddams Instagram account:

https://www.instagram.com/jabaddams?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Roddy Shaw's Instagram account:

https://www.instagram.com/slideshowrod?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

This is a podcast for people who like pop culture and nature.

In this episode of Bird Brain I tackle the subject of whether the representation of Red-Billed Hornbills, via the character of Zazu in The Lion King, has done the species justice. I am joined by author Lucy McRobert and translator (of nature books and bird ID guides) James Lidster.

You can find Lucy and James on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/wildlylucy/

https://www.instagram.com/james.lidster/

Special thanks to Sound Engineer for this episode, Oscar, who managed the recording live from Birdfair 2024, he can be found at:
https://oscarhenderson.wixsite.com/oscarcreates

In this episode of Bird Brain, artist Carly Sharp and I tackle the subject of whether the representation of Adelie Penguins in the Dreamworks Madagascar franchise has done the species justice.

This is a podcast for people who like pop culture and nature.

Carly's work can be seen on Instagram at:

https://tinyurl.com/bdhr6j4y

Join us for episode one of Bird Brain, Stephen Moss (renowned nature writer and ornithologist) and I delve into the portrayal of Hedwig from Harry Potter. Discover whether the depiction aligns with the true traits of Snowy Owls and explore the storied history of anthropomorphising this fascinating species.

Expect avian anecdotes, fantastic facts, wizarding world geekery, and an appearance from my Fairy Godson, Eloquent Elliott, aged 9. 

Read more from Stephen Moss at the Guardian : https://www.theguardian.com/profile/stephenmoss1

Thank you to Amy from Flashbulb for the sound editing: https://flashbulb.info/