Episode 145 – Adelie Penguin: A Formal Feathered Friend

“…and today we’re talking about a formal feathered friend. But more on that later.”

Birds of a feather waddle together. And that’s never been truer than it is for the Adelie penguin. As the dapper flippers make their way across the Antarctic ice each year, it’s important for each one to stake their claim on what little land is available. But how can birds solve these gerrymandering disputes? With money of course! But having a crude currency is just one of the Adelie’s survival techniques here in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.

Episode 133 – Fork-Tailed Palm Swift: A Passerine Pirate

“Thank you to Casy for our theme song. Hear more of Casy’s music by searching Casy Michelle on Youtube. Today we’re talking about a bird with a penchant for piracy, but more on that later…”

Birds often display unexpected ingenuity. They’re famous for building nests, and those nests come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny wood-pecker holes to giant, kiddie pool sized eagles nests. You may expect that sticks and foliage are mainstays in bird construction, but one avian family nests with interesting building materials. And one species, get their materials from strange, if not unscrupulous, sources. But sustainably sourced insulation is one recipe for success in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.