Your Bird Story

Owls are back in the news in New York City. This time, two Barn Owls on the Upper West Side. In honor of the city's owls, famous and incognito, we're rerunning "Christine Mott Advocates for Free Birds."

New Yorkers who bird know that a common way to experience birds in the city is seasonal, and in his new book, Bird City, Ryan Goldberg captures the lives of resident and migratory birds across all five boroughs of the city. Ryan shines a light on New Yorkers who come out rain, shine, and snow to witness, protect, and advocate for the birds. He also teaches us about the city’s natural history and how its geography shaped and continues to shape the fauna and flora we share this mostly archipelagic city with. (The Bronx is the exception; it's the only borough attached to the mainland.)

The start of each of the four sections, a nod to the four seasons, is beautifully illustrated by Aimee Lusty. Here’s what Goldberg had to say about Aimee: “She captured the drama and wildness of the city and its bird life in her illustrations, and I loved how the urban context was always there in her illustrations, like the rides of Coney Island in the background of winter's sea ducks at Breezy Point or Manhattan's illuminated skyscrapers behind warblers migrating through the Tribute in Light beams.”

Resources

Ryan Goldberg’s website: https://ryangoldberg.net/

Aimee Lusty on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aimee.lusty/

Bird Vocalizations

King Eider male call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/31729201

King Eider calls https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/137307

Common Yellowthroat https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/245666251

Peregrine Falcon https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/81384371

European Starling https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/151901161

Eurasian Owl https://xeno-canto.org/1077911

Red-tailed Hawk juvenile calls https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/175635401

Piping Plover song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/64002271

Northern Shoveler female calls https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/43124

About the podcast

Your Bird Story is an initiative of Local Nature Lab. The podcast is hosted by Georgia Silvera Seamans on Lenapehoking, and produced by Pod to the People.

Support Our Work

Subscribe, follow, like, or leave a comment.

It costs $100 to produce each episode. Donate here.

The American Robin, Turdus migratorius, is a common migratory bird found throughout much of the United States; however, the population in Chicago appears to be decreasing. Is this trend specific to Chicago, or are Robins experiencing declines in other cities across the U.S? Wildlife biologist Emily Williams returns to the podcast to discuss migration patterns and the possible factors contributing to the decline of the American Robin population.

Resources

• Learn more about Emily Williams’ American Robin research at https://www.audubon.org/magazine/fall-2020/scientists-are-unraveling-american-robins.
• Dr. Karina Sanchez’s Lab
• Smithsonian Nestwatch project

Bird Vocalizations

Robins - alarm call (NY) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/170498741

Robins - song (NY) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/151051571

Robins - call (NY) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/213807211

Robins - call (juvenile) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/167221021

About the podcast

Your Bird Story is an initiative of Local Nature Lab. The podcast is hosted by Georgia Silvera Seamans on Lenapehoking, and produced by Pod to the People.

Support Our Work

Subscribe, follow, like, or leave a comment.

It costs $100 to produce each episode. Donate here.

What can birding in a different city tell us about ourselves and the culture of perceiving nature in our community? We check in with Loyan Beausoleil about her recent trip to Japan where she observed Warbling White-eye and plentiful Brown-eared Bulbul among blooming cherry trees, listened to the song of the Japanese Bush Warbler who eluded her on Izu Island, and spotted Falcated Ducks when she least expected them, exploring the moat outside the Imperial Palace.

Read Loyan's report on Avian Species Richness and Activity at the Naval Cemetery Landscape.

Bird Vocalizations

Chimney Swift calls https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/107413

American Kestrel calls https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/226931021

Warbling White-eye song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/6059

Brown-eared Bulbul calls https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/170597841

Japanese Bush Warbler song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/214569401

Eurasian Sparrowhawk calls https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/387888231 (Germany)

Cooper’s Hawk calls https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/231229541

Sharp-shinned Hawk calls https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/4153

Green-winged Teal https:/ /macaulaylibrary.org/asset/230140701

Falcated Duck calls https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/601476851

Eurasian Sparrowhawk calls https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/62269311 (Kyrgyzstan)

About the podcast

Your Bird Story is an initiative of Local Nature Lab. The podcast is hosted by Georgia Silvera Seamans on Lenapehoking, and produced by Pod to the People.

Support Our Work

Subscribe, follow, like, or leave a comment.

It costs $100 to produce each episode. Donate here.

Alejandro Vinueza, a wildlife biologist and current youth programs manager, has birds in his wild city of New York. He has watched Ruby-throated Hummingbirds nectaring in Fort Tryon Park, heard Red-tailed Hawks screeching on-the-wing while playing basketball at Cabrini Park, and observed Great-horned Owls on Staten Island. Alejandro describes himself as a bird nerd trying to “grow the flock” among his friends and community. He has a unique voice in science communication. His informative videos about bird behavior are always entertaining, never didactic. You’ll laugh while you learn! We highly recommend watching them @wingin_it_with_al (Instagram) and @winginitwithal (TikTok)

Bird Vocalizations

Black-throated Blue Warbler https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/120458

Northern Cardinal duet https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/54675

American Robin https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/148704811

Scarlet Tanager https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/31258871

Red-tailed Hawk https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/241076151

Blue Jay https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/226854181

American Woodcock https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/221633191

About the podcast

Your Bird Story is an initiative of Local Nature Lab. The podcast is hosted by Georgia Silvera Seamans on Lenapehoking, and produced by Pod to the People.

Support Our Work

Subscribe, follow, like, leave a comment.

It costs $100 to produce each episode. Donate here.

Indigo Goodson-Fields is a writer, poet, birder. We begin our conversation with Indigo’s essay, “Black Woman's Guide to Loving through Birds” (read it!), and end with her memory of seeing her first Northern Flicker in the Native Flora Garden at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. She recalls the sun illuminating the yellow shafts of the bird in flight from the ground. In between Indigo talks about her literary inspirations and the essential role of birding in her life which happens to be the title of her upcoming anthology titled Essential Birding.

More information about Indigo Goodson-Fields

https://linktr.ee/indigoindaflow

“Black Woman's Guide to Loving through Birds”

Bird Vocalizations

White-throated Sparrow https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/136579

Northern Flicker https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/263782231

About the podcast

Your Bird Story is an initiative of Local Nature Lab. The podcast is hosted by Georgia Silvera Seamans on Lenapehoking, and produced by Pod to the People.

Support Our Work

Subscribe, follow, like, leave a comment. It costs $100 to produce each episode. Donate here.

Dudley Edmondson’s writing and photography spotlight Black, Indigenous, and People of Color on the frontlines of conservation. Edmondson is a role model for People the Planet Needs Now, which is also the title of his latest book. He lives the talk by managing his yard as bird habitat. We talk about his favorite birds, influencing his neighbors, and what is was like to be in the room where the America's Great Outdoors Initiative was signed.

More information about Dudley Edmondson

https://dudleyedmondson.com/

Bird Vocalizations

Golden Eagle call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/164698

Peregrine Falcon call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/136378

Tennessee Warbler song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/136170

American Goldfinch song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/230747651

Cerulean Warbler song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/147601691

Rough-legged Hawk call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/137553

Sharp-shinned Hawk call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/4153

About the podcast

Your Bird Story is an initiative of Local Nature Lab. The podcast is hosted by Georgia Silvera Seamans and produced by Pod to the People.

Support Our Work

It costs $100 to produce each episode. Donate here. We also appreciate follows, likes, and reviews.

Are you ready for it…a new way to court and find love? In 2020, Wenfei Tong released her book, Bird Love, which dives into the fascinating world of avian mating and parenting strategies, was published. Fast forward to 2022 when Bryony Angell picks up Tong’s book for the second time. What happens next is the topic of this podcast. You’ll hear about Tong’s inspiration for writing Bird Love, Angell’s successful attempt at pair bonding (with a human), and more.

More information about our guests

Bryony Angell’s writing: https://www.bryonyangell.com/portfolio-bryony-angell

Wenfei Tong’s books including Bird Love: https://www.wenfeitong.com/work/books

Bird Vocalizations

Crimson Sunbird https://xeno-canto.org/483932

Osprey https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/106651

Herring Gull (call) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/186415451

Black-capped Chickadee (song) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/94959121

About the podcast

Your Bird Story is an initiative of Local Nature Lab. The podcast is hosted by Georgia Silvera Seamans, and produced by Pod to the People.

Support Our Work

It costs $100 to produce each episode. Donate here. We also appreciate follows, likes, and reviews.

This month we talk with Christine Mott about her new book Free Bird: Flaco the Owl’s Dreams Take Flight, and the rights of animals. Mott was raised in New York City but wrote the book from Southern California. She was the Chair of the Animal Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association. CONTENT NOTICE: This episode contains descriptions of violence towards people and animals in a discussion about animal welfare legislation.

More Information

Learn more about Free Bird at Lantern Publishing.

Bird Vocalizations

American Robin (songs)

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/148704811

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/151051571

Pigeon (song) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/44449551

House Sparrow (song) ​​https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/138707321

Snowy Owl (calls)

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snowy_Owl/sounds

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/138288

About Us

Your Bird Story is an initiative of Local Nature Lab. The podcast is hosted by Georgia Silvera Seamans, and produced by Pod to the People.

Support Our Work

Like and review this episode. Subscribe to the podcast. Or, make a financial donation.

Birds of a feather flock together, and more. Dr. Joan Strassmann studies cooperation and conflict within and between species, mostly social amoebas. In her latest book, The Social Lives of Birds, Strassmann trains her lens on the sociality of birds. The book is a riveting set of profiles of the how and why birds band together to breed, nest, and raise their young. The opportunity to hear from Strassmann directly was even more compelling.

More Information

Learn more about The Social Lives of Birds at Penguin Random House. Curious about social amoebas? Explore Dr. Strassmann’s research lab at Washington University in St. Louis.

Bird Vocalizations

Northern Flicker https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/30597061

Sociable Weaver https://xeno-canto.org/793359

Taiwan Yuhina https://xeno-canto.org/976799

Northern Gannet https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/133317

Superb Fairywren https://xeno-canto.org/935812

About Us

Your Bird Story is an initiative of Local Nature Lab. The podcast is hosted by Georgia Silvera Seamans, and produced by Pod to the People.

Support Our Work

Like and review this episode. Subscribe to the podcast. Or, make a financial donation.

Matthias Garff is an artist based in Germany. His sculpture practice is 80% focused on birds. His passion for birds developed through his relationship with his grandfather, who sent poems about the birds in his garden in Buenos Aires. We spoke with Garff about his year-long International Studio & Curatorial Program Residency in New York City, where he used discarded materials to create life-sized birds of the city. Garff’s goal is to "show biodiversity or...this variety of life around us.”

*Leave a review. Share the episode with a friend.*

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Follow Matthias Garff on his website and on Instagram.

⁠Click here⁠ to learn more about the International Studio & Curatorial Program.

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Creator and Host: Georgia Silvera Seamans

Producer and Editor: Pod for the People

Vocalizations:

American Robin (song) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/151051571

Blue Jay (call) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/107289291

Pigeon (song) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/108565061

Eurasian Jay (call) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/254553511

Jenn Lodi-Smith is a PhD psychologist and founder of The Spark Bird Project. The initiative flickered into life at the Hog Island Audubon Family Camp where Lodi-Smith was introduced to the concept of "spark birds." Lodi-Smith and her colleagues record and analyze contributed stories to better understand how people become birders and why they continue to bird. The Spark Bird Project shares its research findings with community partners to help organizations engage with established and new birders.

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The Spark Bird Project website

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Creator and Host: Georgia Silvera Seamans

Producer and Editor: Pod for the People

Vocalizations:

Atlantic Puffin call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/62361

Atlantic Puffin bill rattle https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/216892

Barred Owl (duet) https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/28839251

Screech Owl https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/107446

Atlantic Puffin bill rattle https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/216892

In this episode, we talk with Amy Berkov, a research scientist specializing in beetles and plant chemistry. Dr. Berkov shares her journey from artist to scientist, and her strong expertise in insect ecology, and the relationships among plants and birds.

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Read Amy Berkov’s research.

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Creator and Host: Georgia Silvera Seamans

Producer and Editor: Pod for the People

Vocalizations:

American Goldfinch song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/230747651

Montezuma Oropendola https://xeno-canto.org/522867

Red-winged Blackbird song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/223686181

Hooded Merganser call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/229281

Wood Duck call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/136505

Edmundo Martinez’s patches are Starlight and Concrete Parks in the Bronx. He has seen inland birds including warblers and woodpeckers as well as aquatic birds like herons and egrets. The Bronx River, New York City’s only fresh water river, flows through these parks. Martinez birds big parks like Pelham Bay Park (2,722 acres) and small parks like Hunts Point Riverside Park (1.4 acres). He purposefully birds smaller parks in Black and brown communities to show that you don’t have to leave your neighborhood to observe the species of birds typically associated with Central Park. Martinez found his way to birding while cycling; “I’m a big cycling guy,” he said. Observing birds has become a form of meditation for him, bringing him peace and joy.

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Follow Edmundo Martinez @bxmundo.

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Creator and Host: Georgia Silvera Seamans

Producer and Editor: Pod for the People

Vocalizations:

Downy Woodpecker drumming https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/62766

Hairy Woodpecker drumming https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/211304391

Laughing Gull flock call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/97299221

Great Black-backed Gull long call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/171253471

Pileated Woodpecker drumming https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/63086

Northern Flicker drumming https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/534422

Kelli Hata founded the Haecceity Project to chronicle the birds who die by colliding with glass structures on the Yale University campus. The word haecceity was coined by John Duns Scotus, a Medieval scholar. Wikipedia defines haecceity as meaning “each individual entity has a unique, unrepeatable quality that makes it different from every other entity.” The bird care work which Hata has been involved with for years in California and in New Haven embodies the sacredness and innate value of each and every bird. We also discuss practicalities--(1) the preventability of glass collisions and (2) the responsibility of universities to conserve birds as they migrate through their campuses.

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Follow the Haecceity Project, Yale @yale_haecceity.

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Creator and Host: Georgia Silvera Seamans

Producer and Editor: Pod for the People

Vocalizations:

Scrub Jay: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/225405191

Mockingbird song: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/213457711

Prothonotary Warbler song: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/99435531

Dark-eyed Junco song: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/85243

What do you do when there isn’t a bird guide for neck of the woods? You write one. Aaron N.K. Haiman is the author of the new book,Birds of the California Delta. Haiman talks about Delta habitats and shares his insights into the lives of a few of the 25 bird species profiled inBirds of the California Delta. Web search “Yellow-billed Magpie” now! Haiman is also a mentor, paying forward his passion and expertise by supporting young people in birding including a bird-a-thon team.

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You can findBirds of the California Deltaathttps://www.heydaybooks.com/catalog/birds-of-the-california-delta/ or your local bookseller. Haiman is on Instagram as@ abirdingnaturalist andYouTube.

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Creator and Host: Georgia Silvera Seamans

Producer and Editor: Pod for the People

Vocalizations:

Sandhill Crane juvenile callhttps://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/42404971

Great-tailed Grackle callhttps://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/210599

Sandhill Crane callhttps://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/28803581

Yellow-billed Magpie callhttps://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/199531981

American Kestrel callhttps://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/133146

Bryony Angell writes about birding culture and lifestyle. Her latest exploration into our relationship with birds is bird-friendly comestibles. In this episode, we talk about cocoa grown by Zorzal in the Dominican Republic, a bird reserve and farm certified as 100% bird-friendly by the Smithsonian Institute. Three chocolatiers based in the U.S. use Zorzal's cocoa in their bars and other chocolate products: Raaka Chocolate, Dandelion Chocolate , and Fruition Chocolate. Georgia has eaten bars by Raaka and Fruition--two thumbs up. Eat sweetly for bird conservation!!

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You can find Bryony Angell on the web at https://www.bryonyangell.com and on Instagram as @ bryonyangell.

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Creator and Host: Georgia Silvera Seamans

Producer and Editor: Pod for the People

Vocalizations:

Bicknell’s Thrush song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/195711

Bicknell’s Thrush in Independencia, Dominican Republic https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/96097

Bicknell’s Thrush call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/197068

In this episode, I talk with Melissa Hafting about her birding routines and rituals. Hafting’s life is about “giving back to the birds for all they have done for us.” She is the keeper of the BC Rare Bird Alert and founder of the BC Young Birders Program. Entering birding, Hafting—a Black woman—experienced gatekeeping. This challenging experience motivated her to establish the BC Young Birders Program, a welcoming space in nature for BIPOC and the LGBTQ community. She is a biologist and has worked with the City of Richmond to install nest boxes for Tree Swallows and Purple Martins. She is also the author of Dare to Bird which she dedicated to her parents both of whom passed away before the publication of the book.

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You can find Melissa Hafting on Instagram as @ bcbirdergirl, on the web at https://daretobird.blogspot.com/ and https://bcbirdalert.blogspot.com/ and https://www.bcyoungbirders.ca/. Her book is Dare to Bird: Exploring the Joy and Healing Power of Birds.

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Creator and Host: Georgia Silvera Seamans

Producer and Editor: Pod for the People

Vocalizations:

Western Bluebird song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/111074

Western Bluebird https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/111074

Snow Goose https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/142622161

Tree Swallow song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/49588

Siberian Accentor https://xeno-canto.org/424294

Rough-legged Hawk call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/133387

Are you the bird swiftie? Can you tell the different swifts apart? Do you know the connection between hummingbirds and swifts? Have you watched swifts come home to roost? Can you hold your house together with your saliva?

Longtime friend and supporter of the pod, and conservationist, Loyan Beausoleil joins Your Bird Story to talk about Chimney and Vaux's Swifts.

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Creator and Host: Georgia Silvera Seamans

Producer and Editor: Pod for the People

Vocalizations:

Chimney Swift https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/57780721

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/107413

Crested Treeswift

https://xeno-canto.org/439763

Vaux’s Swift

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/72057131

SamSam Graves is a NYC-based artist, zine maker, and birder. In our conversation we touched on these aspects of her life. SamSam spoke passionately about Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) conservation.

You might be surprised to learn that Piping Plovers nest annually on Rockaway Beach in NYC!! However, subspecies C. m. melodus are listed an endangered species in New York State and classified as threatened by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.

SamSam also shares her stance on birding ethics and a fascination with mousebirds.

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Information about New York City’s Piping Plovers is available at NYC Plover Project, NYC.gov, NYC Parks, NYS DEC, and U.S. FWS.

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Creator and Host: Georgia Silvera Seamans

Producer and Editor: Pod for the People

Vocalizations:

Piping Plover call: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/27747281

Northern Cardinal: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/225370771

Piping Plover song: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/64002271

Speckled Mousebird https://ebird.org/species/spemou2