PODCAST · science
Avian Beauty
by Scott Bourne
Avian Beauty is the bird-lovers' podcast. It's all about birding.
Episodes
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Avian Beauty Podcast #21
Thanks for listening to the 21st episode of the Avian Beauty podcast. Today I have some news. I have listened to the feedback I am getting from listeners and the majority of you want a longer show. Those who I polled overwhelmingly want me to bring on guests as well. This involves a lot more...
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Avian Beauty Podcast #20
Today's Avian Beauty podcast will be a departure. Instead of talking about a specific bird, I'll be sharing some basic tips on how to enjoy birdwatching, or birding as those of us in the trenches call it. The first thing you need to do is get yourself a set of binoculars. Don't worry if you can't...
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Avian Beauty Podcast #19
Bird Songs - Hummingbirds Birds are like mother nature's juke box. Their songs and sounds fill the morning air. Birds have different kinds of calls. Just as you and I will change our tone, delivery and volume depending on what we're doing or trying to communicate, birds - especially hummingbirds,...
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Again Beauty Podcast #18
Last week we talked about why birds matter. But some people have birds that they just don't like. What are some of the least popular birds in the USA? It may seem unusual to find someone who hates birds of any kind but it's common to at least dislike certain bird species. Most of us who are…
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Avian Beauty Podcast #17
Why should birds matter to you or me? Simple - birds can save us - but only if we can save them first. Beyond culture, color and the enrichment that they offer all of us, birds offer practical help. My goal this week is to get you thinking about all of this and why birds matter. Birds offer...
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Avian Beauty Podcast #16
What's the most popular bird in the United States? Well if you guessed Bald Eagle - you'd be right. But what about the second most popular bird? Believe it or not it is the Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus). There's a reason that the Snowy Owl is so popular. Firstly, raptors in general and owls...
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Avian Beauty Podcast #15
Last week on Avian Beauty, I talked about the role of owls in our culture. This week, it’s the eagle’s turn. Whether it’s music, the written word or our national symbol, the eagle is a much beloved figure in popular culture. Bald Eagle Photograph by Scott Bourne Bette Middler sang of eagles as…
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Avian Beauty Podcast #14
Based on response I get to this podcast and to my bird photography, it's safe to say that people love raptors and particularly owls. (One exception is on the African Continent where most people think they are evil - but that's another podcast.) For all of man's time on this earth, owls have been...
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Avian Beauty Podcast #13
The great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) is a successful hunter. Early naturalists called these owls "winged tigers" because of their ferocity. While rare, a great horned owl can occasionally catch and kill even a peregrine falcon! When clenched, a Great Horned Owl’s strong talons require a force…
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Avian Beauty Podcast #12
Imagine that you're a mourning dove - happily flying around when all of a sudden, you see a terrifying peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) flying straight at you. Peregrine falcons are very powerful, fast-flying hunters who's favorite meal would be another bird. The Peregrine eats mourning doves,...
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Avian Beauty Podcast #11
Thankfully - birders only need one thing to be successful - they need birds. And finding birds is easy - if you know where to look. I live in the United States and here, we have a wonderful National Park System as well as a superb National Wildlife Refuge System where you can find hundreds of...
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Avian Beauty Podcast #10
You light a fire with a simple spark. And in birding, that first bird that really captures your attention and makes you fall in love with birds and birdwatching is called your "spark bird." For some people, it's a regal bird, like the golden eagle. For others, it's as simple as a goldfinch or a...
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Avian Beauty Podcast #9
If you hang out with birders for any length of time, you'll eventually come upon the term, "lifer." In a sentence, you'll hear it used like "That bird was a lifer for me." Simply put, a lifer is a bird you observe for the first time. Most birders keep lists (life lists) and every time they...
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Avian Beauty Podcast #8
I am a lucky guy. I live in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and in my backyard, it's very easy to meet up with a Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri). There are jays in every corner of the USA. But each region has their own jay. In the midwest and east, it's the blue jay. In the…
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Avian Beauty Podcast #7
Do you have a favorite diner? Maybe you just love grandma's home cooking. All of us have a favorite dish. Well if you're a bird, native flowers, berries and seeds are the best meal available and your backyard can be their favorite place to stop in to dine. Did you know that more than 150 bird...
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Avian Beauty Podcast #6
Do you recognize that sound? It's very possible you've heard it emanating from your own back yard. It's the song of a northern cardinal; one of the most popular birds in the USA - despite the fact it's also one of the most common. The cardinal is the state bird of seven different states…
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Avian Beauty Podcast #5
The cry of the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is memorable - the golden eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the northern hemisphere. It's also one of the largest birds in North America - with wings that are longer than a red-tailed, hawk. These birds are fast - with a top speed of…
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Avian Beauty Podcast #4
This episode of Avian Beauty starts with a quiz... The term "king of birds" relates to: A song by R.E.M. from the album Document. Garuda, the king of the birds in Hindu mythology The Peacock - especially in the western part of Nigeria The bald eagle... Actually, it was a trick question because…
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Avian Beauty Podcast #3
What do bees, bugs and butterflies have in common with birds - other than the fact that they can fly? Birds are great pollinators. Somewhere between 1000 and 2000 bird species pollinate and without them, our flower shops would likely go out of business. Do you remember the old television…
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Avian Beauty Podcast #2
SHOW NOTES: That's the sound of a Lucifer Hummingbird - one of more than 300 species of hummingbird in the world. And while only two dozen or so of those species make it as far north as the United States, polls show that most Americans love hummingbirds - and that's no surprise. These colorful...
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Avian Beauty Podcast #1
The call of an American Goldfinch starts us off today on Avian Beauty which is something of a brand new journey for me. While I have hosted many podcasts in the past, they have always been about technology or photography – including bird photography. But at my heart – I am a birder first and...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Avian Beauty have?
Avian Beauty currently has 21 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Avian Beauty about?
Avian Beauty is the bird-lovers' podcast. It's all about birding.
How often does Avian Beauty release new episodes?
Avian Beauty has 21 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Avian Beauty?
You can listen to Avian Beauty on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Avian Beauty?
Avian Beauty is created and hosted by Scott Bourne.
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