Explore every episode of the podcast The Warblers by Birds Canada
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window Collisions: an invisible threat to birds | 08 sept. 2026 | 00:54:13 | |
From science and building design, to art and community action, there are many ways to reduce bird-window collisions. This is a significant conservation challenge, but we already have the tools and knowledge to make a difference. This is truly an expansive issue with just as many solutions. Explore more below, and don't forget to enter into the prize draw!
Enter the Draw! To win one of three Feather Friendly Pro DIY kits, follow these steps:
Reviewers located in Canada are eligible for the give-away. Dr. Brendon Samuels is the Bird Safe Buildings Coordinator with FLAP Canada and a postdoctoral researcher with the Ecological Design Lab at Toronto Metropolitan University. Brendon lives in London, Ontario where he works closely with London's local Bird Friendly City team, as well as the municipal government in a community advisory role. Originally trained in ecology and psychology, Brendon's research focusses on developing municipal policy solutions for bird safe buildings and improving landscape connectivity in cities. Vanessa Hum is a bird-friendly window artist based in Ottawa, Ontario. She recently completed her Masters at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, where her research focused on quantifying bird-window collisions across campus. Passionate about making science accessible, Vanessa combines science with art by creating bird-friendly window murals that help prevent bird collisions while transforming glass into engaging public art. She is also part of Feather Friendly’s Artist Series, where homeowners and businesses can purchase her ready-made bird-friendly patterns or commission a custom design that is both beautiful and effective. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Tracking Semipalmated Sandpipers at the Bay of Fundy | 04 août 2026 | 00:41:24 | |
The Bay of Fundy is one of Canada's best kept birding secrets. Following the ebb and flow of the tides are tens of thousands of Semipalmated Sandpipers - and just off the coast, the rocky islands are alive with nesting terns, razorbills, puffins and more! Lucas Berrigan and Avery Nagy-MacArthur join us to explain why this region is so magical for Semipalmated Sandpipers, and how the Motus Wildlife Tracking System has been essential in understanding how and why birds move through the area. They also give top-tier advice on how to help shorebirds across the country, and offer ideas for how locals can get involved with the birds at the Bay of Fundy. Fly like a bird onto a dream vacation with Birding Ecotours! Check out all their tour options at birdingecotours.com Listeners of The Warblers now get 10% off Bird-friendly coffee orders from Birds and Beans with the code 'warblers' at checkout. Learn more about Space to Roost and Motus - start by exploring the Motus map for Semipalmated Sandpiper. Avery Nagy-MacArthur started volunteering with Birds Canada as a Piping Plover monitor in 2008 on the south shore of Nova Scotia, which sparked an interest in a career in ornithology. Throughout her Bachelor's and Master's studies, she focused on Whimbrel, and breeding Arctic and Common Terns. She now works as the Atlantic Canada Shorebird Programs Biologist for Birds Canada. Lucas Berrigan completed a Master’s on the post-breeding behavior of Swainson’s Thrushes at Acadia University, then joined the Birds Canada’s team in the Atlantic Region in 2018 to run the Maritimes Marsh Monitoring Program. Since then, he has taken on more responsibilities related to the Motus Wildlife Tracking System – namely, managing the Atlantic array of Motus receiver stations and supporting Motus users worldwide. He works as the Motus Manager of Technology and Web Development for Birds Canada. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| The Wake-up Call: Evening Grosbeak | 06 juil. 2026 | 00:22:14 | |
The Warblers go birding! Join Andrea Gress and Jody Allair as they search for the Evening Grosbeak. While searching the woods, they chat about how to use eBird to find a specific species, discuss nerdy fun facts about Evening Grosbeaks, and encounter a variety of forest loving birds - from Western Tanagers to Pacific Wrens. Jody also shares why Birds Canada picked the Evening Grosbeak as the 2026 Avian Ambassador - what makes this species worthy of some extra love. Read Jody's blog on Evening Grosbeak, complete with stunning pictures and range maps. The eBird checklist from their adventure. When you order from birdsandbeans.ca/warblers you receive 10% off your coffee order, plus you support bird-friendly coffee farms which provide essential habitat for birds. It's a win-win! Jody Allair is an avid birder and naturalist who enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world. He is the Director of Communications at Birds Canada and has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature. You can find him on Bluesky and Instagram at @JodyAllair. | |||
| Do field guides still matter? The latest guide to the birds of Alberta | 01 juin 2026 | 00:32:07 | |
With apps like Merlin and eBird, do field guides even matter anymore? David Scott and Gavin McKinnon share why they developed a brand new book: A Field Guide to the Birds of Alberta. Backed by their love of birds, this episode is full of birding adventure stories from the boreal forest to the Rockies to the prairies, along with interesting insights about writing a field guide - a massive undertaking that is still worth the effort. Get a copy of A Field Guide to the Birds of Alberta, sold at most major book stores. Huge thanks to Gavin, David, and all the photographers who contributed, for sending proceeds to Birds Canada. Listeners of The Warblers now get 10% off coffee orders from Birds and Beans with the code 'warblers' at checkout. Choosing Bird Friendly coffee is an easy (and delicious) way to support migratory species! Get on a tour with Gavin - check out Meadowlark Birding Tours. Gavin McKinnon developed a deep fascination for birds at an early age after he visited Point Pelee National Park on a weekend trip with his parents. Since then, he has traveled extensively in Canada and to numerous locations in the tropics and around the globe in search of unique birding opportunities. In 2022, Gavin founded Meadowlark Birding Tours, intending to share his passion for birds with others. After high school, he studied Renewable Resource Management at Lethbridge College and briefly worked in environmental consulting. In addition to leading tours, Gavin is actively involved in the local birding community, serving as a volunteer eBird reviewer. David Scott was born and raised in northern Ontario, and began venturing from home to find birds while in high school and has been an avid birder and naturalist ever since. After moving to southern Alberta, he came to love the birds of the prairies, badlands, foothills, and mountains as he did those of the boreal forest on the Canadian Shield. A librarian by trade, David works at the University of Lethbridge and volunteers for Nature Lethbridge, eBird, the Christmas Bird Count, and the provincial bird records committee. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| The Wake-up Call: Louisiana Waterthrush and Acadian Flycatcher | 04 mai 2026 | 00:39:16 | |
The Louisiana Waterthrush or "Eastern Forest Dipper" exudes quiet and calm, much like the forests it's found in. Meanwhile, the Acadian Flycatcher screams "PIZZA" as it bursts from a branch to snag a bite (of insect!). Both birds are charming in their own ways, but both face a worrying threat: Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, an invasive species that has made it's way into Canada. We hear from researchers Brendan Boyd and Samreen Munim, who spend their summers deep in the forests with these birds. The joy they get from their work is contagious - this is a delightful episode about a very serious issue. As a special treat, listeners of The Warblers now get 10% off coffee orders from Birds and Beans with the code 'warblers' at checkout. Learn more about how to monitor and stop the spread of HWA. Samreen Munim, as the Ontario Forest Birds Program Assistant Coordinator for Birds Canada, works with volunteers, as well as private and public landowners across southern Ontario, to monitor, study, and conserve forest birds. She loves meeting people who are so passionate about forests and forest birds, and greatly enjoys getting to spend so much time outdoors with some of the most at-risk species in Ontario (and some of the best birds out there!). Brendan Boy, Ph.D, Ontario Forest Birds Program Coordinator with Birds Canada, studied the long term effects of nesting in small forest fragments for Wood Thrushes– where he spent four field seasons living at Long Point, fully immersed in Ontario’s Carolinian region. He’s thrilled to once again be working in this amazingly biodiverse area, and excited to play a key role in the conservation of Ontario’s forest birds. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| The Secrets of Bird Nests with Mark Peck | 07 avr. 2026 | 00:49:55 | |
Bird nests literally come in all shapes and sizes: burrowed into a sand bank, tucked into grass, underground, high up, stretchy, sturdy, flimsy. Even the chicks are radically different, with some leaping out of trees at a day old, and others clinging to the nest for weeks. Each species has their own unique nesting strategy - Mark Peck helps us explore how and why they work. He also shares tips on how to observe the breeding birds around us! Join Project NestWatch here. Grab a cup of Birds and Beans - Bird Friendly coffee that donates to this podcast when you order at: birdsandbeans.ca/warblers From Madagascar to the Philippines, and even tours closer to home - Birding Ecotours has a dream trip for you! Explore their tours at birdingecotours.com Mark Peck was the Collections Specialist in Ornithology at the Royal Ontario Museum for 41 years until his retirement in 2024. He is the author of Bird Eggs: A Young Naturalist’s Guide, is Vice-President of the Ontario Field Ornithologists, who awarded him the Distinguished Ornithologist Award in 2024, and is a longtime member of the Toronto Ornithological Club. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Kinglets: flashy crests and stretchy nests | 17 mars 2026 | 00:26:06 | |
Overlooked and underappreciated - kinglets are one of Canada’s toughest little birds! Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets are both fascinating and unique in their own ways. One stays with us all winter long, which is impressive for a bird smaller than a chickadee. And the other lays up to 12 eggs in a stretchy nest! Join us for an exploration of both species: identification tips, bird songs, and fun facts. We're always keen to hear from you! Email the podcast with your episode ideas, leave a comment on YouTube or Spotify, or drop us a review on any of the podcasting platforms like Apple or Overcast. Birds and Beans will donate to this podcast when you use the code "warblers" at checkout. Thanks for your support! Kyle Horner was gifted the love of birdlife and storytelling from his father. From a young age he was obsessed with talking about nature to others (whether or not they wanted to hear it), and his career has been spent doing just that. Kyle has worked in environmental education and science communication for parks, zoos, botanical gardens, outreach programs, non-profits, and the University of Guelph. As the NatureCounts Engagement Coordinator, he is excited to find the stories in the data and share the incredible potential of this fascinating project. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Birds and Cats | 02 mars 2026 | 00:54:03 | |
With close to 9 million domestic cats in Canada, and a third of them regularly roaming outdoors, we know that birds are heavily impacted by cats. In fact, cats are considered the number one threat to birds in Canada. Travel to Madagascar, and other dream birding destinations with Birding Ecotours, visit birdingecotours.com Warm up with some Bird Friendly coffee from Birds and Beans. They donate to this podcast when you order at birdsandbeans.ca/warblers
Jonathan Chu is a PhD candidate at the University of Guelph studying the impacts of outdoor domestic cats on wildlife. He accomplishes this by attaching tiny animal-borne cameras to cats, allowing him to see the world from the point-of-view of a cat! Jonathan started in ecology from his love of birds and previously studied North American bird migratory timing advance, dispersal distance and wing morphology. He is also an avid birder who finds any excuse to go out and watch birds, though less so currently as a busy PhD student! Julia Kilgour (she/her) is an urban ecologist based in Guelph, Ontario who wants to solve the problem of outdoor cats and their impacts on birds. For the last 10 years, she’s been studying the effects of outdoor cats on birds and people in cities across North America. Julia is excited to work with communities in Canada to develop local strategies to help address this daunting issue. She is passionate about wildlife of all kinds, and loves watching and learning about birds (and other creatures) in her local urban forests. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Marsh Bird Madness | 17 févr. 2026 | 00:39:14 | |
Some of Canada's weirdest and most wonderful birds can be found in marshes! But which ones have the marshiest adaptations?...is it the Thunder Pumper? Join Marsh Watch if you'd like to dip your toes into the marsh, or the Marsh Monitoring Program if you're keen to take your skills up a notch and help marsh birds at the same time. Both are heaps of fun! Help warblers and The Warblers podcast with some Birds and Beans coffee. Birds and Beans donates to this podcast when you order at birdsandbeans.ca/warblers. Thank you! Gwendolyn Clark studied ecology and evolutionary biology in university with a focus on tropical fish, and during this time she volunteered as a nest searcher at Tommy Thompson Park in Toronto and rediscovered a love of birds. At Birds Canada she first managed the Chimney Swift Chimney Restoration Fund, but now is now the Marsh Monitoring Field Coordinator in Atlantic Canada. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Shorebird Conservation in James Bay, "Just you and the birds" | 03 févr. 2026 | 00:28:46 | |
James Bay is an essential stopover site for thousands of migrating shorebirds - Hudsonian and Marbled Godwits, Whimbrels, Red Knots, and more. But this once reliable habitat is threatened. Back in August, Cléa Frapin of Birds Canada, headed to a shorebird camp in James Bay to see it for herself. She spoke with Indigenous Elders, wildlife biologists and locals, to better understand the threats that Canada's North is facing, and why we must all tune into this issue and work together - for the birds and for the people. Learn more about the Mushkegowuk Council here, and the James Bay Shorebird Project here. A warm welcome to our newest sponsor, Birding Ecotours! Be sure to check out their selection of birding tours from all across the globe at birdingecotours.com Cléa Frapin is originally from France, but moved to New Brunswick in 2018 to pursue a MSc in seasonal trophic interaction modeling across the Arctic biome. She has worked with Birds Canada on Piping Plover and Bicknell Thrush monitoring programs in the Atlantic, and now works on Northern habitat conservation and contributes to the development of Indigenous-led conservation initiatives with the Science in the North program. Edward Sutherland is is from Kashechewan First Nation, and works as the Community Engagement Coordinator with Mushkegowuk Council's Lands & Resources Department. Vicki Sahanatien has 25+ years of experience leading natural resource conservation programs and multi-disciplinary teams in the Canadian Arctic. Currently she works as the Knowledge and Research Manager with Mushkegowuk Council. Christian Friis works at the Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Christian is interested in shorebird ecology, with a focus on migrants in Ontario and James Bay. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. | |||
| Do birds have feelings? Experts answer your questions | 15 déc. 2025 | 00:56:55 | |
It's back! We've called upon guests from across Canada to help answer your birdiest questions! Do the Northern Lights impact migratory birds? How do Surf Scoters digest whole clams? What does the "cheeseburger" song of the chickadee really mean? We answer these questions, and many more! A special thanks everyone who sent in questions, and to our experts guests who have so wonderfully helped to answer them! If you loved this episode, please consider donating to Birds Canada to support the show and bird conservation in Canada. And continue learning with some of the other episodes we talked about:
If you want to spend more time enjoying birds this winter, join Project FeederWatch! Dan Mennill is a Professor of Ornithology at the University of Windsor. He studies acoustic communication in wild animals, especially the songs of birds. He has helped pioneer many new recording and playback technologies for field research. He has published more than 180 papers, and supervised over 40 graduate students. Nelsy Niño is a a Colombian biologist and anthropologist, and a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Windsor. Her research focuses on bio- and eco-acoustics, as well as sound in general, sharing knowledge in the field with local communities. Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk is a Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta. Andrew studies how and why brain anatomy varies within and across species, focusing primarily on birds. He recently published the book, Bird Brains and Behaviour: A Synthesis with MIT Press. Tyler Hoar has been leading the Winter Finch Forecast since 2020. He has studied and worked with many species, including shorebirds, raptors, parrots, and passerines. His work has taken him from the high Canadian Arctic south to the deserts of Arizona and the rainforests of the Caribbean. Doug Tozer is the Director of Waterbirds and Wetlands with Birds Canada. His academic and professional career has focused on developing workable conservation solutions for birds, and raising awareness of the importance of these animals; through programs such as the Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program, Canadian Lakes Loon Survey, and Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Program. Jody Allair is an avid birder and naturalist who enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world. He is the Director of Communications at Birds Canada and has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature. You can find him on BlueSky and Instagram at @JodyAllair. | |||
| Toronto: a city of Blue Jays and Birders | 01 déc. 2025 | 00:25:31 | |
Canada's largest city attracts a surprising diversity of bird species - and peeping at them from along the shores of Lake Ontario: countless birders. Among these birders, you'll find Jean Iron, Mark Peck and Nancy Barrett - three of Toronto's well known faces in the birding community. They share their favourite birding stories, explain the science behind why Toronto is a hotspot for birds, and relish in the community and friendships they've made through birding. Plus we hear about their new book, and give away a few copies! Donate to Birds Canada for your chance to win a copy of Toronto's Birds: 100+ species photographed in the GTA . Go to birdscanada.org/donate and mention the podcast in the comment field. When you order from birdsandbeans.ca/warblers, Birds and Beans donates to this podcast - thank you for supporting us, and our migratory birds! We mentioned lots of volunteer opportunities in this episode:
Mark Peck was the Collections Specialist in Ornithology at the Royal Ontario Museum for 41 years until his retirement in 2024. He is the author of Bird Eggs: A Young Naturalist’s Guide, is Vice-President of the Ontario Field Ornithologists, who awarded him the Distinguished Ornithologist Award in 2024, and is a longtime member of the Toronto Ornithological Club. He lives in Toronto, Ontario. Nancy Barrett worked as a medical transcriptionist for 31 years at a community hospital. She belongs to several bird and nature organizations, including as a member of the board at THE TOC (Toronto Ornithological Club), OFO (Ontario Field Ornithologists), and is the VP at the Friends of Sam Smith Park. Jean Iron was President of the Ontario Field Ornithologists for nine years and editor of its newsletter for fourteen; she received its Distinguished Ornithologist Award in 2016. She is an Honorary Member of the Toronto Ornithological Club, and has authored many articles about birds, illustrated with her own photos, and leads tours for birding clubs and at birding festivals. She lives in Toronto, Ontario. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Superhero Senses - of birds! | 03 nov. 2025 | 00:53:10 | |
Discover the unique ways that birds understand the world through their senses! Some birds have bendy beaks, some swivel their eyes, and others sense magnetic fields. Andrew Iwaniuk is an expert on bird brains, and he helps us explore specialized bird senses and how their brains work! Send us your bird questions! We'll answer them in our end of year episode.
Big thanks to Birds and Beans for supporting the podcast! When you order from birdsandbeans.ca/warblers, Birds and Beans donates to this podcast. Thanks! Get a copy of Andrew's book, Bird Brains and Behavior: A Synthesis Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk is a Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta. Andrew studies how and why brain anatomy varies within and across species, focusing primarily on birds. His lab houses the world’s largest bird brain collection and he has published over 100 scientific articles, contributed to National Geographic magazine and Earthsounds documentary series, and recently published the book, Bird Brains and Behaviour: A Synthesis with MIT Press. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Trick or Tweet: Ghostly sounds, murders, and bloodsucking birds | 20 oct. 2025 | 00:31:52 | |
In the spirit of spooky season, we bring you an eerie episode filled with spine-tingling bird facts. We debate the most haunting bird sounds, learn about blood sucking birds, corvid funerals, toxic species, and more. Plus you'll get some inspiration for a bird-themed Halloween costume! Natasha has shared some links with additional facts:
Natasha Barlow grew up near Point Pelee National Park in southern Ontario, and didn't fully appreciate the area until she had already moved away. Thankfully, she realized the error in her ways, and after completing her masters assessing the efficacy of restoration and conservation strategies on protecting sagebrush songbirds, she now coordinates various field-based research projects, runs citizen science programs, and advocates for change for aerial insectivores in Ontario as a Projects Biologist with Birds Canada. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. Sound credits: Northern Potoo: Peter Boesman (xeno-canto) | |||
| Exploring Blackbirds with Experts Peter Burke and Alvaro Jaramillo | 06 oct. 2025 | 00:51:56 | |
Think you know blackbirds? This episode will change the way you see them. Andrea Gress and co-host Jody Allair discuss the underrated beauty and behaviour of blackbirds with experts Peter Burke and Alvaro Jaramillo. They highlight the diverse species within the Icteridae family, including Red-winged Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, and Orioles. They explore population trends, cultural perceptions, and the challenges of tracking species like the Rusty Blackbird. You won't want to miss the incredible stories from the pair who literally wrote the book on blackbirds!
Alvaro Jaramillo: Alvaro has been a birder just a tad less than Peter, starting at 11 years old in Toronto. His local patch was “The Spit,” now Thommy Thompson Park. He studied Ecology and Evolution, first at Guelph University, then University of Toronto where he researched Argentine cowbirds for his MSc. After a short stint in Vancouver, he moved to California where he lived for decades, operating Alvaro’s Adventures an international birding tour company, and pelagic birding operator. He recently moved back to Ontario, to wonderful Prince Edward County. Peter and Alvaro worked together on the Birds of Chile, and New World Blackbirds: The Icterids. Alvaro also wrote the ABA Field Guide to California. And he is one of the co-hosts of the Life List Birding Podcast. | |||
| Biking for Birds: athletics to inspire bird conservation | 17 sept. 2025 | 00:27:58 | |
Migration is one of the most remarkable phenomena in the animal kingdom. What if the human body made the same trip? Athletes Timm Döbert and Leanna Carriere join us to discuss their up-coming expedition, “Wings of Survival”, where they’ll bike from Alaska to Patagonia, following the route of the Whimbrel. This duo is using athletics to draw attention to nature and conservation. They tell us about their recent ride across Canada’s grasslands, how they’ve been linking Key Biodiversity Areas, and how they see birds as an essential part of the story. Learn more about the ride at wingsofsurvival.com or support through their GoFundMe. Timm Döbert holds a PhD in Global Change Ecology from the University of Western Australia. He studies the human footprint on natural ecosystems, motivated by a drive to safeguard wild spaces and wildlife. Timm is an member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Commission on Education and Communication, and the World Commission on Protected Areas. He holds fellowships in the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the Scientific Exploration Society and the World Explorers Collective. He is an Explorers Club member, an ambassador for the Athlete Media Group and Wilderness International, and a Global Sustainable Sport partner. Leanna Carriere is an endurance athlete, personal trainer and entrepreneur. For nearly a decade, she competed internationally in women’s pole vault and is recognised as Canada’s first female decathlete. She has completed several Ironman events, the Mt. Everest Marathon and the Patagonman Xtreme triathlon. She is the co-founder of Edmonton-based chocolate company 7 Summits Snacks. As a motivational speaker, she advocates for the deep connection between human and planetary health. She loves exploring the outdoors with her 6-year-old daughter Adalynn. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Up in the clouds with Black Swifts | 02 sept. 2025 | 00:33:56 | |
Black Swifts are also playfully known as Cloud Swifts, a suitable nickname for one of Canada's most impressive and mysterious birds. Join us above the clouds with researcher and mountain enthusiast, Rémi Torrenta, as he shares Black Swift season updates. He describes meeting Black Swifts at the top of a mountain, shares mind boggling facts about the species, and uplifting stories from a successful season of nest monitoring. For an immersive episode on Black Swift research listen to The Wake-up Call: Black Swift, or watch Of Waterfalls and Wings – Surveying for the Mysterious Black Swift. Help migratory birds simply by drinking Bird-friendly Certified Coffee. When you order from birdsandbeans.ca/warblers Birds and Beans donates to this podcast. Thanks! Rémi Torrenta has always had a passion for wildlife and birds. He obtained a MSc in Ecology in the south of France, and then a PhD at Université de Moncton, NB. After 8 years of work experience with forest birds in eastern Canada, he has been the BC Projects Coordinator for Birds Canada since 2021. Remi delivers Citizen Science programs, as well as various Species at Risk research and monitoring projects, and outreach and education programs in western Canada. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| The Wake-up Call: Chestnut-collared Longspur | 05 août 2025 | 00:35:02 | |
The Chestnut-collared Longspur is an icon of the Prairies – an aerial acrobatist, singing and dancing in the sky. Jody Allair shares his love for this longspur, helping us understand why this charming species should be on everyone’s life list. As he describes his road trip to seek out the Chestnut-collared Longspur earlier this spring, Jody offers helpful advice on how to find a rare bird – this advice can be applied anywhere, to find any species. And with all Wake-up Call episodes, we’ll also learn about threats and challenges, and how you can help the Chestnut-collared Longspur. We touched very briefly on how purchasing grass-fed beef can help grassland species. For more depth on this topic, listen to our episode Grasslands, Birds and Beef. If you live in the Prairies, try seeking out local organizations that are doing work to help grasslands, such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada and Nature Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan you can report Chestnut-collared Longspur sightings to 1-800-667-HOOT or outreach@naturesask.ca When you order from birdsandbeans.ca/warblers Birds and Beans donates to this podcast, plus you support bird-friendly coffee farms which provide essential habitat, simply by drinking a cup of coffee. Jody Allair is an avid birder and naturalist who enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world. He is the Director of Communications at Birds Canada and has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature. You can find him on Bluesky and Instagram at @JodyAllair. | |||
| Bird Photography: tips and tricks from Liron Gertsman | 22 juil. 2025 | 00:29:21 | |
Taking good photos of birds isn't just about the gear - knowing bird behaviours and habitats is equally as important. Professional wildlife photographer, Liron Gertsman, joins us to offer helpful pointers for folks looking to take their bird photography to the next level. He also shares the stories behind some of his most iconic photos, important notes on how to practice ethical bird photography, and tips for following a similar career path in combining photography with a love of birds. Donate today to get your copy of the 2026 Birds Canada Calendar! Visit birdscanada.org/warblerspodcast and click Donate. Any donation helps support bird conservation in Canada. Additional links: See Liron's photography, join one of his tours, or buy prints here: linktr.ee/liron_gertsman Ethical Owl Photography tips from Birds Canada Ethical Field Practices from the North American Nature Photography Association Liron Gertsman is an award-winning naturalist and professional wildlife photographer whose work has appeared in Canadian Geographic, Audubon, Sierra Magazine, The Smithsonian Institution, London’s Natural History Museum, and more. Liron combines his photographic artistry with his biology background from the University of British Columbia to create eye-catching images and unique photography workshops around his home in western Canada and worldwide. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| The Wake-up Call: Long-billed Curlew | 07 juil. 2025 | 00:25:39 | |
Join us on a road trip to Skookumchuck Prairie to seek out the Long-billed Curlew. Our editor Kris Cu takes the reigns, leading us through the grassy valleys of Southeastern British Columbia. Kris is joined by David Bradley of Birds Canada, and Dianne Cooper, the caretaker of the Skookumchuck Prairie Key Biodiversity Area. Through their eyes, we learn about the Long-billed Curlew - threats, challenges, conservation efforts - while also learning more about KBAs and how they offer essential habitat for species at risk. When you order from birdsandbeans.ca/warblers Birds and Beans donates to this podcast, plus you support bird-friendly coffee farms which provide essential habitat, simply by drinking a cup of coffee. Learn more: The Long-billed Curlew Project David Bradley is the Conservation Scientist & Director for Birds Canada in British Columbia. He completed his Ph.D in New Zealand on the ecology and conservation of an endangered endemic bird, the North Island Kokako. His postdoc, at the Birds Canada head office in Ontario and the University of Guelph, focused on migration and breeding phenology in Tree Swallows. He is currently involved in an invasive mammalian predator study in Haida Gwaii, and a Long-billed Curlew migration tracking study in the Kootenay Mountains. Dianne Cooper has been the volunteer caretaker for Skookumchuck Prairie KBA for 8 years. She is very involved in the local birding community, being the eBird editor for the region and a compiler for the Christmas Bird Count. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Revisiting Chewie the Piping Plover, and Queerness in Nature | 25 juin 2025 | 00:11:31 | |
While working with Piping Plovers in June of 2022, Andrea Gress and the rest of the plover team, observed a same-sex pairing between two well known plovers. It was a first for the species. But was it really? In today's episode, Andrea shares a brief history of how queerness in nature was viewed by the scientific community, and how these perspectives have evolved. To explore this further, we also re-share an episode originally aired in 2022: Piping Plovers - A Love Story. As promised, here are some additional resources to explore: Watch: Animal Pride: Nature's Coming Our Story, the Nature of Things Listen: A Field Guide to Gay Animals by Canadaland The Seagulls by Radiolab Read: Same-sex partnerships in birds: a review of the current literature and a call for more data by Gillies and Siddiqi-Davies 2025 Same-sex sexual behaviour among mammals is widely observed, yet seldomly reported: Evidence from an online expert survey by Anderson et al 2024 Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Is the White-throated Sparrow Canada's most interesting bird? | 02 juin 2025 | 00:37:33 | |
Discover the fascinating world of the White-throated Sparrow: birds with two colour morphs, a unique mating system, and songs that spread like the latest Taylor Swift release. Professors Ken Otter and Scott Ramsay reveal the surprising complexity behind these seemingly ordinary birds. When you order from birdsandbeans.ca/warblers Birds and Beans donates to this podcast, plus you support bird-friendly coffee farms which provide essential habitat, simply by drinking a cup of coffee. Scott Ramsay is a Biology professor at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON, where he has been studying White-throated Sparrows since 2001. Since joining the faculty at Laurier, his research has included studies of the White-throated Sparrow populations in Algonquin Park, and Prince George BC in collaboration with Ken Otter. Ken Otter is a professor at the University of Northern British Columbia. Ken and his team were behind much of the song research for White-throated Sparrows. His primary interest is in how forest birds respond to anthropogenic disturbance. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Exploring Bird Sounds with Dan Mennill | 05 mai 2025 | 00:45:09 | |
In this episode we get answers to some of our biggest questions about bird songs, calls, and non-vocal sounds. Learn how thrushes make that haunting flute-like sound, listen to the duetting phenomenon of tropical songbirds, and explore how some birds learn their songs while others don’t. Dive into the complex world of avian communication – and so much more! Help the iconic Wood Thrush and so many more migratory birds by drinking Bird-friendly Certified Coffee. When you order from birdsandbeans.ca/warblers Birds and Beans donates to this podcast. Dan Mennill is a Professor of Ornithology at the University of Windsor. He studies acoustic communication in wild animals, especially the songs of birds. He has helped pioneer many new recording and playback technologies for field research. He has published more than 180 papers in scientific journals and supervised more than 40 graduate students. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| The birds are back: spring behaviours explained | 08 avr. 2025 | 00:40:05 | |
The birds are back! From raptors doing trust falls, to grebes running across water - birds are displaying their finest selves all across Canada! In this episode, Kyle Horner breaks down the common, the weird, and the obscure bird behaviours that you should be looking for this spring. We also get interesting insights into the "mess" that is the Canada Goose. And Kyle shares what he considers the best birds to look for at this time of year, whether you're in Halifax, Kelowna, or somewhere in between! Want more info on how to help birds? Visit Your Guide to Helping Canada's Birds. Birds and Beans will donate to this podcast when you use the code "warblers" at checkout. Thanks for your support! Kyle Horner was gifted the love of birdlife and storytelling from his father. From a young age he was obsessed with talking about nature to others (whether or not they wanted to hear it), and his career has been spent doing just that. Kyle has worked in environmental education and science communication for parks, zoos, botanical gardens, outreach programs, non-profits, and the University of Guelph. As the NatureCounts Engagement Coordinator, he is excited to find the stories in the data and share the incredible potential of this fascinating project. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Point Counts and Missing Pots: The Adventures of Bird Atlassing | 03 mars 2025 | 00:46:15 | |
The Breeding Bird Atlas is the ultimate province-wide bird survey. In this episode, Atlas coordinators from Newfoundland, Ontario, and Saskatchewan share how and why Atlassing is a key part of bird conservation. We hear their biggest challenges, favourite stories from the field, and why you should be a part of it all. From boast worthy birds, to blackflies - the Breeding Bird Atlas is a project driven by a love for birds and for Canada's most far to reach places. It's not too late to join an Atlas!
Pull out the camping pot, boil some water, and brew some bird-friendly coffee! Birds and Beans will donate to this podcast when you use the code "warblers" at checkout. Catherine Dale had an early career job studying Tree Swallows which sparked her love for birds, animal behaviour, and spending time in the field. She began working with Birds Canada in 2019 as the Coordinator of the Newfoundland Breeding Bird Atlas, and has spent the past six years learning about the amazing province she now calls home. She also coordinates the NL Nocturnal Owl Survey and the newly launched Short-eared Owl Survey. Kaelyn Bumelis spent her undergraduate summers studying aerial insectivores, which inspired her to pursue a Master of Science in Biology at Western University, where she focused on niche segregation among sympatric Barn, Cliff, and Tree swallows. Today, Kaelyn serves as the Project Manager for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, a role that allows her to blend her love of birding and conservation with her enthusiasm for connecting and exchanging knowledge with others. LeeAnn Latremouille is originally from Montreal, but fell in love with the prairies and has called Saskatoon home for the last 10 years. In addition to coordinating the Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas, she also runs the Saskatchewan Nocturnal Owl Survey, delivers the MarshWatch educational program, and has recently taken on a role with our Grassland Bird Conservation Team as the coordinator for the Integrated Monitoring of Bird Conservation Regions effort in Prairie Canada. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| So cute, so deadly: Northern Saw-whet Owl | 03 févr. 2025 | 00:22:28 | |
By size, shape and style, you might mistake this owl for a cuddly toy, but it's actually a deadly predator. In today's episode we chat about the Northern Saw-whet Owl - their adaptations, how to identify them by sound, how banding operations are helping to track their populations, and how you could get involved! | |||
| Did a chickadee steal my hotdog? Experts answer your questions | 16 déc. 2024 | 00:38:40 | |
As a special treat we've rounded up some of your most curious bird related questions and answered them in this episode (or tried to!).
Lindsay Lalach is currently working towards her Masters of Science in Biology at Simon Fraser University, her research is focused on the winter movement and foraging ecology of Brandt's Cormorants in the Salish Sea. Doug Tozer is the Director of Waterbirds and Wetlands with Birds Canada. His academic and professional career has focused on developing workable conservation solutions for birds, and raising awareness of the importance of these animals; through programs such as the Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program, Canadian Lakes Loon Survey, and Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Program. Jody Allair is an avid birder and naturalist who enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world. He is the Director of Communications at Birds Canada and has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram at @JodyAllair. | |||
| The Wake-up Call: Eastern Whip-poor-will | 25 nov. 2024 | 00:33:45 | |
Some call them goatsuckers, others may think of them as dragons in the night sky...but we know them lovingly as the Eastern Whip-poor-will. And if you'd like to keep learning, check out the State of Canada's Birds, get some quick facts, or dive into some research that was mentioned in the episode! Help birds and bugs today by ordering some bird-friendly coffee. When you use the code 'warblers' at check out, Birds and Beans makes a donation to this podcast. Lauren Weeks is completing her master's in the McGuire Lab at the University of Waterloo. Her main topics of interest are avian migration and diet composition. Passionate about the outdoors, Lauren loves hiking while looking for cool birds and bugs. She hopes her research will contribute to conservation efforts to support species at risk. Natasha Barlow grew up near Point Pelee National Park in southern Ontario, and didn't fully appreciate the area until she had already moved away. Thankfully, she realized the error in her ways, and after completing her masters assessing the efficacy of restoration and conservation strategies on protecting sagebrush songbirds, she now coordinates various field-based research projects, runs citizen science programs, and advocates for change for aerial insectivores in Ontario as a Projects Biologist with Birds Canada. | |||
| Winter is better with Project FeederWatch | 04 nov. 2024 | 00:20:34 | |
As we get deeper into the fall months, we're joined by Olivia Carvalho to chat about an underappreciated pastime... winter birding! | |||
| Canada's bird populations: the good, the bad, the uplifting | 15 oct. 2024 | 00:30:51 | |
How are Canada's birds doing? Recently released, The State of Canada's Birds brings us valuable insights into the health of our favourite species. Some have recovered wonderfully, like waterfowl and birds of prey, yet others are struggling and need urgent attention. | |||
| Quebec's river of warblers | 23 sept. 2024 | 00:25:27 | |
An incredible migratory phenomenon occurs along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. Thankfully, the Tadoussac Bird Observatory is located in just the right place to observe and study this mass movement of warblers and other songbirds. | |||
| Vultures: Sentinels of the Skies | 26 août 2024 | 00:38:48 | |
With their heads buried in a carcass, vultures may seem like gross, unwanted creatures. But we have to disagree! Vultures have fascinating adaptations that make them essential parts of a healthy ecosystem. John Kinghorn joins us from South Africa to share his unabashed love for vultures, help us understand why their populations are plummeting, and what we can do to help. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Grasslands, Birds, and Beef | 29 juil. 2024 | 00:35:19 | |
Grassland ecosystems and birds are increasingly under threat as agricultural operations expand to meet growing food demands. Yet, agriculture itself can be the solution! Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| The Wake-up Call: Olive-sided Flycatcher | 24 juin 2024 | 00:28:05 | |
"Quick, three beers!" Jody Allair joins us to propose that the Olive-sided Flycatcher is one of Canada's best boreal birds. Will you agree? | |||
| Getting to know Swifts and Swallows | 10 juin 2024 | 00:16:58 | |
This bonus episode is all about getting to know swifts and swallows, those speedy aerial acrobats that make summer skies so lively. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. | |||
| Warblin' about Warblers | 21 mai 2024 | 00:37:51 | |
Around 37 warbler species nest in Canada each summer. But how much do you really know about them? Alex Isreal is an aspiring naturalist, wildlife biologist, and an all-around nature enthusiast. Alex’s interest in birds began during her undergraduate degree, and she continued to pursue this interest into her Master’s degree where she studied nesting behaviour in Wood Thrushes. Although Alex is currently working as a bat researcher, her first love and introduction to wildlife biology will always be birds. | |||
| A Writer's Guide to Conserving Grasslands | 29 avr. 2024 | 00:29:24 | |
Trevor Herriot grew up exploring the aspen parkland and grasslands of southern Saskatchewan, deeply connected to the natural world around him. His passion for the prairies led him to become one of Canada’s most vocal proponents for the protection of grassland birds through his writing. | |||
| NatureCounts: Helping Birds with Your Data | 25 mars 2024 | 00:32:38 | |
Do you track bird sightings on eBird? Or have you participated in a citizen science project that helps to monitor bird populations, like Project FeederWatch or the Christmas Bird Count? | |||
| The Wake-up Call: Roseate Tern | 26 févr. 2024 | 00:33:46 | |
The Roseate Tern is a dapper looking seabird that spends much of its breeding season far away from humans....yet most of the threats it faces are human related. Julie McKnight joins us to explore the challenges and joys of protecting and monitoring this threatened species. | |||
| The Superb Snowy Owl | 09 févr. 2024 | 00:14:14 | |
To celebrate Superb Owl weekend (or the big football game for some folks), we decided to throw you an episode about one of our star players, the Snowy Owl! | |||
| The healing power of nature and birds | 29 janv. 2024 | 00:28:31 | |
January is a tough time of year, but birds can help! We guarantee *good feels* by the end of this episode. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Program for Birds Canada. | |||
| How do birds survive the extremes of winter?! | 12 janv. 2024 | 00:14:07 | |
Brrrr! A polar vortex is chilling western Canada while the east is being battered by snowy winter storms! Yet, we can still see birds out the window...how do they do it? | |||
| A Year for the Birds: 2023 highlights from across Canada | 18 déc. 2023 | 00:37:09 | |
From British Columbia to Newfoundland, and everywhere in between...join Yousif Attia, Jared Clarke, and Andrea Gress, as they discuss some of the biggest birding news from 2023. Learn about how Red Crossbills might be more mysterious than you realize, hear their takes on Bird Names for Birds, and marvel over some of the best rare bird sightings of the year. Yousif Attia grew up chasing birds and exploring the wilds of central and southern Alberta since he and his family immigrated to Edmonton when he was four years old. After moving around the country, he is now settled on the Fraser Estuary on the West Coast of BC. Yousif has worn many hats at Birds Canada, including work on species-at-risk in southern Ontario, field surveys in the boreal including the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas-2, and overseeing the Long Point Bird Observatory where he became a North American Banding Council certified trainer. Yousif is now part of a team at Birds Canada that leads the Christmas Bird Count and eBird in Canada, and he manages the Birds Canada website and media library. Follow Yousif at @biophylia Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Program for Birds Canada. | |||
| The Wake-up Call: Black Swift | 21 nov. 2023 | 00:24:23 | |
Join Black Swift researchers on a journey through the forest to find one of the most elusive species in Canada....will they succeed? | |||
| The Wake-up Call: Burrowing Owl | 23 oct. 2023 | 00:35:19 | |
Burrowing Owls...those weird little owls that nest underground, and scowl disapprovingly at us with their bright yellow eyes. This episode is for them! We've invited Graham Dixon-MacCallum from the Wilder Institute to share quirky facts about this captivating species, help us understand why they're threatened, and learn more about a few of the conservation tools being used to help.
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| Indigenous-led Conservation Protects Bird Habitats | 26 sept. 2023 | 00:23:06 | |
We can learn a lot about conservation by looking to Indigenous leadership. In this episode, we head to Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick to learn about how Indigenous-led conservation may be exactly what the birds need. Gordon Grey is the Impact Assessment Manager for Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick (WNNB). He is a community member of Bilijk (the Wolastoqey community at Kingslcear) who works primarily with an environment first approach to assessing the multitude of projects within the Wolastoqey territory for adverse impacts to Aboriginal and Treaty Rights. He leads the Environment and Culture team for the WNNB, whose role includes cultural surveys, Indigenous monitoring and Indigenous Land and Resource and Use Studies (ILRUs). He has Western Science degree in Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Science from UBC, with mixed lineage but includes his Grandfather Wilfred Charles "Wimpy" Solomon , a renown medicine man and bastian for the Wolastoqey culture, he strives towards understanding for proponents and government officials through his two-eyed seeing approach. Andrea Gress (she/her) studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program for Birds Canada. Follow her work at @ontarioplovers | |||
| Sharing Anishinaabe Bird Names through Tourism | 12 sept. 2023 | 00:14:49 | |
You might remember Joe Pitawanakwat from a previous episode, Bneshiinyik, where he shared knowledge about how birds are named in the Anishinaabe language. Since we last spoke with him, Joe has been working on many projects to continue expanding and sharing Indigenous Knowledge. In this episode, we tag along with him for one of those projects. Join us for a birding adventure on Manitoulin Island! Andrea Gress (she/her) studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program for Birds Canada. Follow her work at @ontarioplovers | |||
| Every egg counts; an extraordinary conservation story | 29 août 2023 | 00:22:16 | |
With only 150 individuals in the Great Lakes region, every single egg matters. In 2023, the Piping Plover conservation effort went to great lengths, as Ontario eggs were raised and released from captive rearing in Michigan, for the very first time. Sydney Shephard joins us to share the juicy details about this effort, the chaos of a Piping Plover field season, and good news from the Great Lakes region. | |||
| The Power of Representation in Birding | 24 juil. 2023 | 00:41:47 | |
This episode features two groups that are working to improve representation in the outdoors. They're creating welcoming spaces for Indigenous, Black and/or Racialized people, and the 2SLGBTQ+ community to have outdoor and nature based experiences, often centralized around the thing that we all love....birds!
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| The Wake-up Call: Whooping Crane | 28 juin 2023 | 00:47:09 | |
The Whooping Crane population plummeted to a mere 15 birds in the 1900s, but thanks to intensive conservation efforts we now have over 500 individuals in the wild.... but Whooping Crane populations are not in the clear. John and Mark explain what conservation efforts currently look like, and the challenges they anticipate for the species in the coming years. Mark Bidwell is a Research Ecologist with the Wildlife and Landscape Science division of Environment and Climate Change Canada, where he conducts research on the ecology and health of whooping cranes and the landscapes they rely on during breeding and migration. Mark’s research involves fieldwork in Saskatchewan and at Wood Buffalo National Park, which is Canada’s largest park and the world’s largest fully protected forested area. Mark is currently lives in St. John’s but will return to his home base of Saskatoon with his wife and two sons this summer. | |||