Bird Facts – Détails, épisodes et analyse

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!

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

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/forsters-tern#:~:text=Forster's%20Tern%20looks%20so%20much,on%20top%20of%20muskrat%20houses.

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.

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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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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.npr.org/2023/03/14/1157862843/endangered-snail-kite-invasive-apple-snail-florida

• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-pigeon-that-someone-dyed-bright-pink-has-died-180981627/

• https://www.npr.org/2022/09/26/1124759293/puffling-season-iceland#:~:text=Press-,During%20puffling%20season%2C%20Icelanders%20save%20baby%20puffins%20by%20throwing%20them,a%20crucial%20life%2Dsaving%20endeavor

• https://www.southernliving.com/harriet-bald-eagle-missing-7107955

• https://www.southernliving.com/southwest-florida-eagle-cam-m15-sleeps-away-from-nest-7369595

• https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/regional/florida/florida-high-schoolers-scrub-jay-new-state-bird/77-47229b39-c7c2-4841-9a30-fb3ce9b51188

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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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

Follow us on Instagram: @birdfactspod

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

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/northern-shrike#:~:text=This%20tough%20bird%20feeds%20on,open%20field%2C%20watching%20for%20prey.

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

Follow us on Instagram: @birdfactspod

Email us: birdfactspod@gmail.com

Twitter: @birdfactspod

Thanks for listening, and happy birding!