64: Inti Tanager with Kevin Burns - The Mysterious Bird Hidden in Peru for 20 Years 🐦

This week on Birds of a Feather Talk Together, ornithologist Kevin Burns returns to the show to discuss one of the most fascinating bird discovery stories in recent memory: the Inti Tanager.Kevin, a professor of biology at San Diego State University and longtime colleague of John and Shannon, walks us through the incredible story of this mysterious bird—from its first sighting in Peru in the early 2000s to finally being officially described as a new species nearly 20 years later.Known for its striking yellow plumage and bold black facial markings, the Inti Tanager earned the unofficial nickname “Kill Bill Tanager” because its colors reminded birders of Kill Bill and Uma Thurman’s iconic yellow outfit in the film. We discuss the bird’s appearance, habitat, evolution, taxonomy, and what makes discovering and describing new bird species such a difficult and exciting process.We also answer a listener question about a leucistic Red-tailed Hawk seen in Michigan, leading to a fascinating conversation about plumage abnormalities, bird genetics, and unusual bird coloration.Field Museum ornithologists and curators of birds John Bates and Shannon Hackett join RJ and Amanda Pole for a conversation full of bird science, evolution, ornithology, tropical birds, bird identification, and fascinating bird facts.Here are links to our social and YouTube pages, give us a follow:YouTube InstagramTikTokBlueSky