Conor Gearin
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Articles by Conor Gearin
Sandhill Crane Families Stick Together
BirdNote® Sandhill Crane Families Stick Together Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Sandhill Crane roost calls] Sandhill Cranes are famous for gathering in the tens of thousands during spring migration in Nebraska. They roost overnight in shallow prairie rivers. Then in the early morning, they take off. [Sandhill Crane calls get louder then fade] Within these massive gatherings of cranes are many smaller groups: tight-knit family units.
Orchard Orioles Band Together
BirdNote® Orchard Orioles Band Together Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Orchard Oriole song, ML100785] This bird’s song sounds like a nasally imitation of a robin, and the bird singing it is a rusty-brown riff on a Baltimore Oriole. Called the Orchard Oriole, males have chestnut-colored breasts and black backs and wings, while females and immature birds are mostly yellow.
How to Be a Better Wildlife Photographer
BirdNote® How to Be a Better Wildlife Photographer Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. Conservation photographer Noppadol Paothong says that if you go out to take pictures of birds, you shouldn’t just aim to take an eye-catching photo. Noppadol Paothong: I think what's different in my approach is that I know the subject I photograph. I like to watch the animal I photograph, and sometimes I would rather watch them than photograph them.
A Lost Hummingbird is Found Again
BirdNote® A Lost Hummingbird is Found Again Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Colombian mountain birdsong] The Santa Marta Sabrewing is a hummingbird species so rare, they’ve only been documented twice in recent years. Native to the mountains of Colombia, they’re part of the hummingbird group called “emeralds” for their luminous green feathers. Officially described in 1946, no one reported another sighting until 2010. Then the sabrewings went missing for years.
A Kettle of Vultures
BirdNote® A Kettle of Vultures Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Gusts of wind] The sight of hundreds of vultures slowly circling overhead might seem pretty ominous. But most of the time, it just means the vultures are on their way somewhere else. In the daytime, hot air rises as the sun heats the ground. The rising column of air is called a thermal, and it’s the perfect way for a Turkey Vulture to hitch a ride. Like an elevator to the skies, the thermal gently wafts the vultures upward.
Raising the World’s Deadliest Bird
BirdNote® Raising the World’s Deadliest Bird Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. You might think the first bird species that humans raised in captivity would be a relatively small one, like a chicken. [Rooster call] [Soundscape from Southern Cassowary habitat] But evidence suggests that people in New Guinea reared the cassowary, often called the world’s deadliest bird, as much as 18,000 years ago, long before the domestication of chickens.
Great-tailed Grackle
BirdNote® Great-tailed Grackle Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Great-tailed Grackle calls] Great-tailed Grackles live up to their name. The glossy black males trail their long, V-shaped tails behind them as they fly, almost like a plane towing a banner ad. And while not quite as flashy, the brown-feathered females have impressively long tails, too. The males settle disputes by fanning their tails — but if the feathers aren’t enough to intimidate their rival, a wrestling match ensues.
From Bobwhite Coveys to Pairs
BirdNote® From Bobwhite Coveys to Pairs Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Northern Bobwhite covey call] [Winter Ambience] Throughout winter, Northern Bobwhites gather in groups called ‘coveys’ to search for food during the day and share warmth at night. These small quail arrange themselves in a circle, with their tails in the center and heads outward, huddled up like a wreath of plump birds to survive frost and snow.
BirdNote® Common Yellowthroat Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Common Yellowthroat song] Flitting from stem to stem, a yellow bird in a tiny black bandit mask sings with a voice many times his size. [Common Yellowthroat song] Common Yellowthroats are one of the most abundant warblers in North America. They’re adaptable birds, thriving in places that pickier warblers pass over. So it’s easy to find yellowthroats in urban areas.
Melanin Makes Feathers Stronger
BirdNote® Melanin Makes Feathers Stronger Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Ring-billed Gull calls] If you take a look at birds’ wings, you might notice a pattern. Many species have black feathers on the trailing edge of their wings, regardless of what color most of their feathers are. Birds as different as gulls, pelicans, storks, and flamingos all have black-tipped wings. [American Flamingo flock calls] These flight feathers are rich in a pigment called melanin.
Field Sparrow Nests Climb Higher and Higher
BirdNote® Field Sparrow Nests Climb Higher and Higher Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Field Sparrow song, ML94430, 0:32-0:35] When a Field Sparrow builds a nest early in spring, dense grasses offer the best cover, so that’s where she builds. But it’s only the first of several nests she’ll make. Later in the season, as shrubs and trees grow their leaves, Field Sparrows nest again and again, higher off the ground each time — to protect their eggs from mammals and snakes.
Squirrel or Bird?
BirdNote® Squirrel or Bird? Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Fox Squirrel barks] Identifying birds by ear means getting familiar with each species’ unique voice. And that means learning the other voices in the ecosystem, too.
Glimpsing the Future Through Washington's Puffins
BirdNote® Glimpsing the Future Through Washington's Puffins Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Ambi: crashing surf] When Peter Hodum learned that few people were studying the Tufted Puffin in the Pacific Northwest, he began delving into what was known about the local puffin population. Peter Hodum: And so, when we realized that even with the minimal information available, that the species was declining worryingly, we needed to almost start from the beginning.
BirdNote® Female Condors Have Offspring Without Males Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [California Condor wing flaps, ML 163903, 0:06-0:08] California Condors are critically endangered. In 1982, there were only 22 left. Fortunately, a captive breeding program set the species on the path to recovery, and hundreds of wild condors now soar throughout the southwest U.S. But when biologists reviewed the family tree of the condor breeding program, they uncovered a big surprise.
BirdNote® Danielle Whittaker on the Mystery of Bird Scent Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. When biologist Danielle Whittaker started studying bird odors, some scientists tried to discourage her. They repeated an old myth: birds can’t smell. But that only deepened her curiosity. Danielle Whittaker: When I first heard the idea that birds didn’t have a sense of smell, they became this mysterious puzzle I had to study.
Upland Sandpipers Whistling from Fences
BirdNote® Upland Sandpipers Whistling from Fences Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Upland Sandpiper call, ML516735, 0:29-0:30] Upland Sandpipers cut a strange figure when they’re perched on a fence. They’re slender shorebirds that live far from the shore, and have tiny heads on long necks. Their song is a whistle that rises and falls. [Upland Sandpiper song, ML516735, 1:00-1:03] Upland Sandpipers need large areas of grassland habitat for their breeding grounds.
Starlings Evolving in New Habitats
BirdNote® Starlings Evolving in New Habitats Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Flock of European Starlings, ML282613271] European Starlings, first introduced in New York City, have become invasive and compete with native species for nesting sites. They’re now one of the most common birds in many cities across North America. But as they’ve entered new habitats, they’ve begun to change. [European Starling call, ML107248] The starlings’ ancestors lived in mild and temperate climates in Europe.
Moonwalking Manakins
BirdNote® Moonwalking Manakins Written by Johanne Ryan and Conor Gearin Michael Stein: This is BirdNote. The Golden-headed Manakin is a tiny bird with dance moves that would turn a pop star green with envy. Johanne Ryan, a nature educator who lives in Trinidad, tells us more about this bird’s remarkable breeding display. [Golden-headed Manakin males at display grounds] Johanne Ryan: The air is still under the forest canopy in Trinidad. A Golden-headed Manakin sits, alert but patient.
Storm-Petrels: Myth and Reality
BirdNote® Storm-Petrels: Myth and Reality Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [storm/wind ambi] Sailors once believed that Wilson’s Storm-Petrels foretold a dangerous tempest. The bird’s dark wings and white-banded tail were an omen of trouble on its way to the ship. [Wilson’s Storm-Petrel calls, ML 51676, 0:12-0:15] Like many legends, there’s probably a grain of truth. Wilson’s Storm-Petrels are tiny seabirds weighing just over an ounce.
Different Beaks, Different Foods
BirdNote® Different Beaks, Different Foods Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Northern Cardinal song, ML339922801] In some bird species, males and females look pretty different — for example, male Northern Cardinals are bright red, and females are mostly brown. In some species, the differences between sexes even help them eat different foods.
Birding 101: Don’t Get Discouraged by Lookalikes
BirdNote® Birding 101: Don’t Get Discouraged by Lookalikes Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Canada Goose flock calls, ML530928361] Some bird species look almost identical, creating headaches for birders just starting out. One example? In the interior of North America, flocks of Canada Geese might also have another species called Cackling Geese mixed in. They look almost the same – the Cacklers are just smaller.
BirdNoir – The Mystery of the Blue Bird | BirdNote
BirdNote® BirdNoir - The Mystery of the Blue Bird Written by Conor Gearin and Mark Bramhill This is BirdNoir. I’m Michael Stein, Private Eye. [Saxophone rises] I have this friend, Danny. Talks fast, sometimes gets a little mixed up. He called me the other day — bird emergency. Danny: [on the phone] Michael, you gotta help me. There was a blue bird in my backyard — boy, I’ve never seen a bird that blue — but now he up and vanished. Gone, presto. What happened? Slow down, Danny. Run that back.
How Terns Read the Water
Birdnote ® How Terns Read the Water Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [wave sfx] Looking out at the ocean, we might just see a chaos of waves and troughs. But, like an expert angler, a tern can read the surface of the water to find where to catch its next fish. [Roseate Tern diving and calling, XC 593573, 0:16-0:18] Researchers studying the feeding habits of terns piloted a drone to learn how the birds zero in on good fishing spots.
Geese Whiffling in for a Landing
BirdNote® Geese Whiffling in for a Landing Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. Looking at a Canada Goose, you might not think their bodies are designed for fancy flying. But watch as a flock of geese comes in for a landing at a lake and you might be surprised. [Canada Geese calling and flying, ML 87499, 0:30-0:34] [“Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins”] If the flock comes in too fast or too high above the water, geese have a little trick to slow themselves down for a safe landing.
Titmice Lead the Way
In winter, many songbirds join flocks made up of multiple species that travel around looking for food, benefitting from safety in numbers. But a bird flock that doesn't move in the same direction soon scatters to the wind. It turns out that the Tufted Titmouse, a small gray songbird, is often the one leading the flock.
Learning to Sing from a Blackbird
BirdNote® Learning to Sing from a Blackbird Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Red-winged Blackbird song] Author Ray Young Bear has a special bond with a Red-winged Blackbird in his backyard on the Meskwaki Nation’s land in Iowa. Ray Young Bear: The Red-winged Blackbird is very friendly and it's the first time that's ever happened in my life. I've asked it in Meskwaki, [speaks in Meskwaki] I've got some food here, please wait. And the bird will listen.
Nuthatches Sweeping the Nest
BirdNote® Nuthatches Sweeping the Nest Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. White-breasted Nuthatches aren’t the toughest birds on the block. They’re petite songbirds that walk upside down on tree trunks looking for food, and their song sounds a bit like laughter. [White-breasted Nuthatch song, ML 105478841] But when it comes to their nests, nuthatches know how to put up defenses. Squirrels could easily duck inside a nest cavity and gobble up the eggs.
Haley Scott on New York's Indigenous Landscapes
BirdNote® Haley Scott on New York’s Indigenous Landscapes Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Carolina Wren song] Haley Scott lives in the Bronx, where she helps other people experience the joy of New York’s wildlife as a bird walk leader. But she maintains a connection with another community of birds outside the city. Haley Scott: On my dad’s side I’m Unkechaug, we’re a nation from Long Island. And we’re still located in Mastic, New York on Poospatuck Reservation.
Bright Yellow Northern Cardinals
BirdNote® Bright Yellow Northern Cardinals Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Northern Cardinal song, ML 130905, 0:19-0:22] Northern Cardinals are known for their iconic red feathers. Males are bright scarlet, and females sport red wing and crest feathers. So if you saw a Northern Cardinal that was lemon-yellow, you might think it was a different species entirely. In fact, these are Northern Cardinals, but with a genetic mutation. All cardinals ingest yellow pigments in their food.
What If You Only Have a Feather?
BirdNote® What If You Only Have a Feather? Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Northern Flicker “pileated” call, ML 84808, 0:47-0:55] When a bird flies off and leaves only a feather, is that one clue enough to identify the species? The short answer is: maybe. But first, remember that unless you have special permission, collecting feathers is prohibited in the U.S. to protect birds from poachers looking for ornamental feathers. Instead, you can take a photo.
Hear White-throated Sparrows Learning to Sing
BirdNote® Hear White-throated Sparrows Learning to Sing Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [White-throated Sparrow song, ML 98808] The White-throated Sparrow’s melancholy whistle is hauntingly beautiful. Some birders remember the syllables of the tune as “Old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody.” [White-throated Sparrow song, ML 98808] But when you hear an adult sparrow performing, just know that the bird wasn’t always an expert singer.
How to Help Birds that are Far Away
BirdNote® How to Help Birds that are Far Away Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. There’s so much we can do to help birds right where we live, like planting native species and keeping cats indoors. But for species like the Tufted Puffin, which lives on remote cliffsides and islands away from people, what can an ordinary person do to help?
Identify Bird Sounds on Your Phone
BirdNote® Identify Bird Sounds on Your Phone Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [cell phone recording of Northern Hawk Owl] On a morning walk with her dog Aari near Denali National Park in Alaska, Denise heard an unfamiliar bird call. She asked the dog for an opinion – Denise: [on recording] What do you make of that noise? – but no luck there. She recorded the mysterious screech on her phone.
The Sound of a Thousand Geese Taking Off at Once
BirdNote® The Sound of a Thousand Geese Taking Off at Once Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Snow Geese calls, ML529854981] Snow Geese flocks are massive. During migration, they gather in the tens of thousands. And they coordinate their movements with the skill of schooling fish or starlings that turn together on a dime. These Snow Geese are resting on the surface of the water. Then, the sight of a Bald Eagle spooks them, and they all take flight… simultaneously.
Investing in Our Listeners' Learning Journeys
BirdNote® Investing in Our Listeners' Learning Journeys By Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Western Sandpiper calls] Even before chicks hatch from their eggs, they’re listening carefully to their parents. Researchers have found that song learning begins inside the egg. In some shorebird species, chirping begins before the chicks hatch, and some even know to fall silent when they hear the calls of a predator nearby. In other words, many birds emerge ready to survive and face the world.
Supporting the Nest
BirdNote® Supporting the Nest by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Wood Thrush songs] A Wood Thrush nest is a marvel of engineering. The female first weaves twigs, grasses and leaves into a sturdy cup. Then, she lines the interior with mud, using her own body to pat it down into a smooth surface. The final step is adding very small roots as a soft lining for her eggs. She carefully chooses each piece of the structure, because her eggs will depend on it for warmth and protection.
BirdNote Helps Kids Learn Their Birds
BirdNote® BirdNote Helps Kids Learn Their Birds Written by Conor Gearin and Jessica Frantz This is BirdNote. I’m Jonese Franklin, BirdNote’s Content Director. One thing we love to hear at BirdNote is when educators and parents are able to use the show as a teaching tool — like BirdNote listener Kim Bradmon! Kim Bradmon: One thing I like about BirdNote is the length — short little bites. I even use it in the kindergarten classroom.
Listeners Help Us Delve Deeper
As part of our fundraising week, we’re sharing a clip from our podcast, Bring Birds Back. Because of listener support, we’re able to take our time and make long-form episodes that dig a little deeper. BirdNote® Listeners Help Us Delve Deeper Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. I’m Jazzi Johnson, Managing Editor of our long-form projects, and this week, we’re highlighting the importance of listener support in keeping BirdNote in the air and on the air.
The Eurasian Tree Sparrow
BirdNote® The Eurasian Tree Sparrow Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [House Sparrow flock, ML 211312851] The House Sparrow, introduced to North America from Europe in the mid-1800s, has spread across the continent and can be seen grabbing French fries off the sidewalk from coast to coast. They often compete with native species for nesting sites. In the 1870s, another European sparrow came to the U.S., but had a completely different fate.
Prions Filter-Feed Like Whales
BirdNote® Prions Filter-Feed Like Whales Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [ocean ambi: light surf] Birds have many ways of grabbing a meal. They swoop, dive, peck, hop, and hover for food. But birds called prions [PREE-awns] have an especially creative approach. They pass seawater through their mouths and filter it to catch tiny animals such as krill and other small crustaceans. It’s similar to how baleen whales feed, leading to the prion’s nickname: the whale-bird.
Sofia Barboza on Becoming More Aware of Birds
BirdNote® Sofia Barboza on Becoming More Aware of Birds Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. When climate scientist Sofia Barboza was living in New York City, she found it challenging to connect with the outdoors the same way she had growing up in Pennsylvania. Sofia Barboza: But luckily I was living like a 10 minute walk from Central Park and a 10 minute walk from Morningside Park. So that was really my refuge.
Rosa Malagon on Leading Hikes in Florida
BirdNote® Rosa Malagon on Leading Hikes in Florida Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. Rosa Malagon grew up believing that birds hold spiritual significance, thanks to teachings from her Mexican heritage that her mother would share. For example — Rosa Malagon: If we were to hear an owl at night… [Barn Owl call] Rosa Malagon: …that meant that someone was going to be passing away.
Cowbird Mafia | BirdNote
BirdNote® Cowbird Mafia Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Brown-headed Cowbird song] Brown-headed Cowbirds have a sneaky approach to parenthood. They lay eggs in the nests of other songbirds, and the songbird hosts often raise the cowbird chick as their own. It’s called nest parasitism. It exploits a songbird’s tendency to care for any young in the nest. But sometimes the hosts catch on to the cowbirds’ ruse and throw out the odd-looking egg.
Keeping Wood Storks on the Road to Recovery
With their bare heads, long legs and massive bills, Wood Storks seem to have flown out of a fairytale — but in the American South they’re a real-life part of the ecosystem. Developers drained large areas of wetlands, causing the Florida Everglades population to decline to just 5,000 breeding pairs in the 1970s, placing them on the endangered species list.
Janet Ng on Becoming a Wildlife Biologist
BirdNote® Janet Ng on Becoming a Wildlife Biologist Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Saskatchewan wetland soundscape] When Janet Ng was a kid, there was a very specific moment when she realized what she wanted to be as a grown-up. Janet Ng: I actually expressly remember watching a nature documentary, and they were interviewing a wildlife biologist.
Flying Dinosaurs: Leaping and Gliding
BirdNote® Flying Dinosaurs: Leaping and Gliding Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Pileated Woodpecker call] For years, scientists debated whether the first flying dinosaurs, the ancestors of modern birds, began by running and making little hops off the ground, or leapt off a tree branch to glide. It’s called the “ground up vs. trees down” debate, for short. But there’s a newer perspective on this mystery. Maybe the old debate misses the point.
Create Bird Habitat at Home with Native Plants
BirdNote® Create Bird Habitat at Home with Native Plants Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Red-bellied Woodpecker calls] Birds have lost many habitats they’ve called home for millions of years, but people can help create bird habitats wherever they live. It all begins with native plants. They’re the building blocks of a healthy, diverse habitat.
Birding 101: Learning How to Strike Out
BirdNote® Birding 101: Learning How to Strike Out Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Bird chorus] When you go birding, sometimes you’re in the right place at the right time and there are more species than you can count. [Birdsong fades, whistling wind sad harmonica plays] Other times, not so lucky. Not a song, not a sight of a bird. [Whistling wind] Striking out when looking for birds is frustrating. But it’s an essential part of the journey.
Introducing Aviary, the Shapeshifting Bird Superhero
BirdNote® Introducing Aviary, the Shapeshifting Bird Superhero Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. I’m Ariana Remmel. Well, that’s what I go by in my normal life, anyway… [Electric bass] I was just a mild-mannered birder going about my business when a radioactive feather mite bit me and I became … Aviary.
Giving Chimney Swifts a Place to Live
BirdNote® Giving Chimney Swifts a Place to Live Written by Conor Gearin This is BirdNote. [Chimney Swift calls] What did Chimney Swifts do long ago, before chimneys existed? [Chimney Swift calls] Back then, there were many big, hollow trees for swifts to roost and build their nests inside. Swifts can’t perch with their tiny legs — they can only cling onto a rough vertical surface, like the inside of an old tree — or a brick chimney.
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