The Science of Birds – Details, episodes & analysis

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The Science of Birds

Ivan Phillipsen

Science

Frequency: 1 episode/14d. Total Eps: 154

The Science of Birds is a lighthearted exploration of bird biology. It's a fun resource for any birder or naturalist who wants to learn more about ornithology. Impress your birding friends at cocktail parties with all of your new bird knowledge! Hosted by Ivan Phillipsen, a professional birding guide and passionate naturalist with a PhD in Zoology.

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https://birdmerch.com/collections/spring-2026-shirts
126 shares
https://earlham.edu/birding/
118 shares
https://birdmerch.com/collections/new-designs-november-25
111 shares

https://www.patreon.com/scienceofbirds
157 shares

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onVbjDW-tqQ&amp
2 shares
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp
1 share
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9FEhejS-Yk&amp
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Score global : 53%

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Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Episode 124

Friday, October 31, 2025 • Duration 58:15

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts!

~~~

This is Episode 124. Host Ivan Phillipsen takes you on a tour of Mimidae—the New World family that includes mockingbirds, thrashers, catbirds, and tremblers. He describes the key features of these songbirds and what sets them apart.

Ivan explores the sounds that make this family famous: rich, extended songs, dazzling vocal control, and—for many species—impressive mimicry.

You'll also learn about mimid diversity and evolution, from North American backyards to Caribbean islands and desert specialists of the Southwest, plus a look at conservation challenges facing some species.

Links of Interest

Northern Mockingbird Wing Flashing [VIDEO]
Catbird singing [VIDEO]

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

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Random Bird Thursday: A Fatally Fearless Bird That Seems to Swallow Basketballs

Thursday, October 9, 2025 • Duration 20:38

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These are birds we might overlook, even though they certainly deserve some appreciation and attention.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!

The featured species in this episode is the Arabian Bustard (Aredotis arabs).

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From the Field: Mongolia

Episode 119

Friday, July 11, 2025 • Duration 01:01:33

This is Episode 119. In this unscripted “From the Field” episode, host Ivan Phillipsen takes you on a journey through the grasslands, forests, and mountains of Mongolia. Fresh from a ten-day scouting trip in central Mongolia, Ivan recounts his experience scouting for a future birding tour.

Along the way, he explores ancient ruins, crosses epic landscapes, and shares observations of unique habitats like the Eastern Steppe, the Daurian Forest Steppe, and the Trans-Baikal Conifer Forests.

Ivan highlights some of the most thrilling bird and wildlife encounters of the trip, from charismatic Steppe Eagles and Demoiselle Cranes to critically endangered Siberian Cranes, and the iconic Przewalski’s Wild Horse.

Whether you're a seasoned birder or simply curious about the world’s wilder places, this episode offers a look at Mongolia’s ecology, avifauna, and wildlife. Learn more about Ivan’s upcoming Mongolia tour at wildlatitudes.com.

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

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Artificial Intelligence in Bird Research

Episode 29

Friday, May 28, 2021 • Duration 50:34

We hear the terms ‘artificial intelligence’ and ‘AI’ all the time these days. Beyond the issue of evil robots taking over the world, AI technology is helping scientists do some pretty amazing things in the field of ornithology.

In this episode, we’ll talk about what artificial intelligence is and give some interesting examples of how it’s being used to study birds.

We’ll also touch on some tools that use artificial intelligence to help you in your quest to identify birds.

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Links of Interest

BirdCast
BirdNet
Merlin
iNaturalist
Haiku Box
Digital Guide monocular

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

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New World Warblers

Episode 28

Wednesday, May 12, 2021 • Duration 56:58

New World Warblers are all the birds in the family Parulidae. You’ll sometimes hear these birds referred to as ‘Wood-Warblers.’

New World Warblers are among the most celebrated and sought after birds in North America. We love them here. They’re colorful, they’re energetic, and many of them have pleasant little songs.

These birds have also been the subjects of many scientific studies over the years. Which is great, because it means there’s a lot that ornithologists know about the biology of these magnificent little creatures.

{Special thanks to Sue Riffe for permission to use her Kirtland's Warbler recording}

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Links of Interest

How to Avoid Getting Warbler Neck

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

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Mate Choice and Sexual Selection in Birds

Episode 27

Tuesday, April 27, 2021 • Duration 51:20

This episode is all about how birds choose their mates and the evolutionary outcomes of those choices.

A lot of what we’re talking about today has to do with sexual selection, which is a special form of natural selection.

In sexual selection, individuals compete for mates. This is when females and males choose their partners based on specific traits. Traits like plumage color or song, behavior, etc.

This choosiness has resulted in some spectacular features in birds. Many of the things we love most about birds are consequences of sexual selection.

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Links of Interest

Video of Long-tailed Manakin Display

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

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Sandpipers

Episode 26

Sunday, April 11, 2021 • Duration 46:17

Birds in the family Scolopacidae include all the world’s sandpipers and birds such as godwits, curlews, snipes, dowitchers, willets, stints, and more.

We know these as familiar ‘shorebirds.’ They haunt coastal habitats from autumn through spring (Oct to Apr, or so). But in summer most of them migrate long distances to breed in the highest temperate latitudes or in the Arctic.

Learn about sandpiper diversity, evolution, feeding, and more in this episode.

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Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

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Bird Intelligence

Episode 25

Sunday, March 28, 2021 • Duration 47:06

Our understanding of bird brains and intelligence has grown tremendously in the last couple decades.

Thanks to countless scientific studies, we now know that many bird species are highly intelligent. Some of them perform better than primates, dogs, and young children on certain cognitive tests.

In this episode, we look at how intelligence is defined and some evidence for it in birds. We have a look at the avian brain and consider how intelligence evolved in birds.

Which birds are the smartest? Which birds are numbskulls? Have a listen and find out!

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Links of Interest

Book: The Genius of Birds
Book: Bird Brain
New Caledonian Crow Video 1
New Caledonian Crow Video 2
Kea Video

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

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Vermilion Flycatcher

Episode 24

Sunday, March 7, 2021 • Duration 19:08

The Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) is a charming bird found in the arid southwest of the United States, as well as in Mexico and down to southern South America.

This bright red flycatcher is a favorite of birders and bird photographers. Join Ivan as he introduces you to the basic features of this species.

We’ll also take a look at some interesting questions, like “Why are the Vermilion Flycatchers of Lima, Peru so dark and sooty-looking?”

Note: Some ornithological authorities have now split this species into several. Under this new classification, the birds found in the US, Mexico, and northern South American are Pyrocephalus obscurus, not P. rubinus.

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Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

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Cats vs Birds

Episode 23

Wednesday, February 24, 2021 • Duration 37:38

Join Ivan as he wades into the conservation quagmire surrounding house cats and their effects on wild birds.

First, we’ll look at the status of house cat and feral cat populations around the world. How are all these free-ranging cats affecting our wild birds?

Many scientific studies of this issue give us some answers. Research also provides guidance for how best to solve the problems that cats create for birds. Some approaches are more severe than others.

We’ll also go over a few ways that responsible cat owners can help protect their local birds as well as keep their kitty happy.

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Links of Interest

Further Reading: The Moral Cost of Cats
Catio Tours in Portland, Oregon

Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website

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The Science of Birds – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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The Science of Birds – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other99+

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Youtube89

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other99+

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Youtube89