El Niño is one of those strange climate phenomena that we're still trying to understand, particularly as it pertains to birds and birders, who are driven by and inspired by weather systems. This year's El Niño looks to be a particularly intense one, and birder and educator Tyler Wenzel explored it in a recent Field Ornithology piece on the ABA's website called Intense El Niño Sends Humboldt Current Seabirds to Central America. He joins us to explore it in more detail.

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Birding editor Ted Floyd joins host Nate Swick once again for another attempt to whittle down the Big Bird List using a random number generator. This episode of Random Birds features some widespread species that everyone has heard of, including a couple of common raptors and some eastern songbirds. Plus a swipe at Czech composer Antonin Dvorak that was a long time coming.

Also, some of 2026's most anticipated taxonomic changes were leaked from an unlikely source.

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In the next couple months, billions of migrating birds will be crossing the continent from north to south. Those birds increasingly must navigate a gauntlet of threats, not least of which are windows and lights, the combination of which kills untold numbers of birds annually. Holly Greenberg is an artist and founder and director of Bird Collisions in the Anthropocene, an organization that uses art and community engagement to bring awareness to these threats to birds and hopefully inspire action for their benefit.

Also, in light of lots of media about Gen Z birders, Nate considers the relative lack of Gen X birders.

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The end of August 20206 sees us looking forward to fall, but pausing first to enjoy a discussion about some interesting pieces of bird and birding news from the last few weeks. Friends of the podcast Martha Harbison, Frank Izaguirre, and Ryan Mandelbum join host Nate Swick to talk about urban bird behavior, the lifespans of female birds, and a whole lot about bird poop. Seriously. More than we expected.

Links to items discussed in this episode:

Urbanization reduces shyness and neophobia in a common waterbird

Do birds enjoy flying?

Why is it so hard to find DNA in bird poop?

Female birds have shorter lifespans than male birds across 35 North American species, researchers find

Guy Tudor, Whose Art Brought Obscure Birds to Life, Dies at 91

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Nashville based singer/song-writer Bonner Black is confidently making her way in the worlds of both music and birding. She's been touring bird festivals all over the world this year and and she is a fun follow on social media with often hilarious takes on birding culture. Bonner's well-received debut album Hopeless RomANTICS featured songs that landed on The New York Times 2023 Spring Playlist, and her fourth studio project is a 5 song EP titled Little Bird in a Big Sky, which features some birdy touches amongst the more expected tracks, releases on August 20th. She joins us to talk about birds, music, and how to make a living combining the two.

Also, sent Nate your hottest bird takes for a special LIVE Take it or Leave it at the Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival.

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Birds and trees are a natural combination, and in author Marina Richie's latest, Feathered Forest: Aloft With Birds in Ancient Trees, she meditates on the big forests of her home in the Pacific Northwest and the birds that inhabit them. From Pacific Wrens on the forest floor, to Vaux's Swifts high above the canopy, each bird offers insights into the grandeur of these places.

Also, thought we were done with NACC taxonomy? But wait, there's more! Nate updates listeners on the last proposal packet and the potential for a new crossbill.

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Migration is a tough time of year for many birds, as they make their long dangerous journey between breeding grounds and wintering territories. The path taken by many sees them passing over or stopping to nest in increasingly urban landscapes. These landscape changes affect birds in many ways, some obvious, some more subtle. That is the work of researcher Lauren Pharr, at the time of this interview, a PhD student studying urban noise and light pollution and their affect on birds. She joined host Nate Swick in April 2021 to chat about her work, wildlife research in urban settings, and community science.\

Also, Nate is back from a wonderful Black Belt Birding Festival.

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It's the last Thursday of the month and that means it's time for another This Month in Birding panel. July marks the turning point of the year, and the inexorable slide to fall. This month's panel features Jody Allair, Stephanie Beilke, and Nick Lund, who join host Nate Swick to talk AI's intrusion into birding, wind turbines marked for birds, and our favorite bird frenemies.

Links to articles discussed in the episode:

AI-altered images on birdwatching forums putting research at risk

Bio-informed blade patterns for mitigating bird collisions with wind turbines

This Rugged New York Heron Is Suddenly Facing Extinction in the City. Why?

55-years of Tree Swallow monitoring sheds light on the consequences of insect decline

Pigeons and People Have Been Frenemies for Longer Than You Think

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The White-eyes are coming! And in a few parts of the ABA Area, they are already here and spreading. Introduced non-native species often fly under the radar of birders until the moment comes that they simply cannot be ignored any longer, and it seems like we are at that point with White-eyes, who are an increasingly common part of the landscape in the west. Rajan Rao is a California birder and Cornell University student. whose article about white-eyes was the cover story of the May 2026 issue of Birding magazine...

Also, the US federal government proposes some significant changes to the Endangered Species Act.

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Many birders across the continent have been aware of, and concerned by, the state of American Kestrels and their steady decline from places where they had once been common. Thankfully, the species the focus of a lot of conservation attention too, namely the construction and monitoring of nest boxes across the US and Canada. Emmy Broeg is one of those kestrel advocates in her role at New Jersey's Wild Bird Research Group. You might also know her as @emmybebirdin on Instagram and TikTok, where she shares that work with a wider community that is getting excited about birding.

Also, Nate is all over the place this fall. Come and see him if your able.

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Split and Lump season is here again, and as we have since this podcast began, we welcome Dr. Nick Block of Stonehill College to discuss the exciting bird taxonomy changes that might be coming to a life list near you via the AOS NACC. Could this be the year we finally see the long awaited splits of Willet and Marsh Wren? Will Great Egret be picked apart into its continental forms? Is Prairie-Chicken on the way out in favor of Prairie-Grouse? We answer all those questions and more!

Also, Nate fact checks a phenomenal Short-eared Owl story from last week's Random Birds.

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