Birds on Birds

Hannah Gamble + Cleo Wells
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Nature

A narrative podcast from two bird lovers (and friends) exploring all things bird.

  1. 1d ago

    Strawberry Finch: Red Avadavat

    The cutest little fruity bird, with a strangely mysterious wingspan... Join Hannah + Cleo this week as they talk through this color changing cutie, THE STRAWBERRY FINCH *Government Name: Red Avadavat. Music by Fknsyd Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/redava/cur/introduction?login https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red_Avadavat/overview https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Amandava_amandava/ https://www.curiousspecies.com/my-species/red-avadavat http://youtube.com/watch?v=87lkC7kJk1U&themeRefresh=1 https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/creatura-with-bec-crew/2020/08/the-red-strawberry-finch-is-the-sweetest-songbird/ https://www.fws.gov/media/strawberry-finch

  2. Aug 12

    Local Heroes: Lark Sparrow and Lark Bunting

    Two grassland birds, one unique state bird. This week, Hannah and Cleo dig into the Lark Sparrow and the Lark Bunting, who are both summer regulars at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Plus: the true story of how Colorado picked its state bird in 1931, what birds so many states are stuck sharing, and how one very passionate Fort Collins educator won a multi-year lobbying campaign for a bird "unknown to ninety percent of Colorado citizens." Music by fknsyd Larks and States discussion starts at 15:55 Sources All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) — Ruddy Duck: Overview, ID, Life HistoryAll About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) — Pied-billed Grebe: Overview, ID, Life HistoryMissouri Department of Conservation, Ruddy Duck field guide: https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/ruddy-duckMaryland DNR, Pied-billed Grebe: https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/pages/plants_wildlife/pie-billed_grebe.aspxNew Jersey DEP, Pied-billed Grebe status (State Endangered): https://nj.gov/dep/fgw/ensp/pdf/end-thrtened/pbgrebe.pdfAudubon Field Guide, Pied-billed Grebe: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/pied-billed-grebeTweeters mailing list, Pied-billed Grebe territorial "Circle Display" / "Bluff Diving" behavior notes (citing Birds of the World): https://mailman11.u.washington.edu/pipermail/tweeters/2023-May/002759.htmlBritannica, The Odyssey (2026 film, dir. Christopher Nolan), release date and cast: https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Odyssey-film-by-Nolanhttps://www.sciencenews.org/article/ducks-penis-length-depends-other-guysBright-Eyed Birder Reel

  3. Aug 5

    Hell Diver vs. The Clown: Pied-Billed Grebe vs. Ruddy Duck

    Pied-Billed Grebe vs. Ruddy Duck. A duck with a bright blue bill spends breeding season fully absorbed in his own bubble show. A smaller bird with a horror-movie nickname has other plans. We break down both fighters, then get into who's playing god. Music by fknsyd Epic Duel Begins at 16:30 Sources All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) — Ruddy Duck: Overview, ID, Life History All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) — Pied-billed Grebe: Overview, ID, Life History Missouri Department of Conservation, Ruddy Duck field guide: https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/ruddy-duck Maryland DNR, Pied-billed Grebe: https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/pages/plants_wildlife/pie-billed_grebe.aspx New Jersey DEP, Pied-billed Grebe status (State Endangered): https://nj.gov/dep/fgw/ensp/pdf/end-thrtened/pbgrebe.pdf Audubon Field Guide, Pied-billed Grebe: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/pied-billed-grebe Tweeters mailing list, Pied-billed Grebe territorial "Circle Display" / "Bluff Diving" behavior notes (citing Birds of the World): https://mailman11.u.washington.edu/pipermail/tweeters/2023-May/002759.html Britannica, The Odyssey (2026 film, dir. Christopher Nolan), release date and cast: https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Odyssey-film-by-Nolan https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ducks-penis-length-depends-other-guys Bright-Eyed Birder Reel

  4. Jul 29

    Fast as F*ck: The Peregrine Falcon

    Not just fast but THE fastest animal on earth... other than some this one mite... Join Hannah + Cleo this week as they talk through Jeffrey Lendrum's most trafficked bird, an legend among icons, the peregrine falcon. Music by fknsyd Peregrine Falcon chat starts at 19:00 Sources https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/perfal/cur/introduction https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Peregrine_Falcon/overview https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/peregrine-faqs/peregrines-mating-how-its-done/ https://www.chesapeakebay.net/news/blog/diving-into-love-at-200-miles-per-hour https://peregrinefund.org/history-peregrine-falcon https://www.audubon.org/magazine/why-are-peregrine-falcon-numbers-falling-united-states-again National Geographic — “Falcons up close”: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/paid-content-falcons-up-close Avian Hybrids (WordPress) — Falconiformes: https://avianhybrids.wordpress.com/falconiformes/ The Nature Conservancy: https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/indiana/stories-in-indiana/peregrine-falcons/ JSTOR Daily — “The Case of the Thinning Eggshells”: https://daily.jstor.org/the-case-of-the-thinning-eggshells/ NY State Museum eggshell lab handout: https://nysm.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/bird_hall_education_guide_eggshell_lab_student_a.pdf War History Online: https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/mi5-falcons.html World War Supply blog: https://www.worldwarsupply.com/2024/01/falcons-in-the-skies-training-raptors-to-intercept-carrier-pigeons-during-wwii/ HistoryNet — “Birds of War”: https://historynet.com/birds-of-war/ Pigeons of War blog: https://pigeons-of-war.com/2022/09/13/how-to-sabotage-military-pigeons-a-primer/ The Devil of History blog: https://devilofhistory.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/the-first-fighting-falcons/

  5. Jul 22

    Bad Eggs, First Crack: Jeffrey Lendrum

    Episode 16: Bad Eggs, First Crack: Jeffrey Lendrum A former Rhodesian ornithology nerd gets caught in an airport shower with fourteen peregrine falcon eggs strapped to his chest. This week we cover one of the biggest cases in the history of oology. Hannah & Cleo discuss Joshua Hammer's The Falcon Thief, from helicopter raids on remote cliffs to eggs incubated in socks. Music by fknsyd 16:26 Bad Eggs discussion starts Sources Outside Online - “On the Trail of the World’s Most Daring Egg Smuggler” (Joshua Hammer): https://www.outsideonline.com/2378786/egg-thief-jeffrey-lendrum-falconCBC Radio: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-january-23-2019-1.4988386National Wildlife Crime Unit (UK): https://nwcu.police.uk/news/nwcu-police-press-releases/four-and-a-half-years-imprisonment-for-international-falcon-smugglerThe National (UAE): https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/europe/notorious-wildlife-thief-loses-bid-for-freedom-1.1037071Matrix Chambers : https://www.matrixlaw.co.uk/news/jeffrey-lendrum-will-not-be-extradited-to-brazil/War on Wildlife blog: https://waronwildlife.co.uk/2020/06/22/egg-thief-jeffrey-lendrum-denied-early-release/Live Science: https://www.livescience.com/falcon-egg-thief.htmlMongabay video feature (2026): https://news.mongabay.com/video/2026/02/the-man-who-risked-everything-to-steal-bird-eggs/.Wikipedia - Oology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OologyOrnithology.com - Oology overview (Colin Watson, Gregory Wheal): https://ornithology.com/oology-the-study-of-bird-eggs/.American Ornithological Society - “An Egg Is Always an Adventure”: https://americanornithology.org/an-egg-is-always-an-adventureoscar-wilde/.Revlox - Daniel Lingham case: https://www.revlox.com/crime/the-case-of-daniel-lingham-britains-repeat-bird-egg-collector-who-amassed-nearly-3000-illegal-specimens/.Bird Watcher’s General Store - “The Evil Hobby of Egg Collecting”: https://www.birdwatchersgeneralstore.com/the-evil-hobby-of-egg-collecting-banned-since-1918/.Book: The Falcon Thief by Joshua Hammerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QYMRLBYRuchttps://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Prolific_wildlife_criminal_jailed_for_rare_bird_eggs_smuggling_attempt.aspx?s_id=288823488https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-11002924

  6. Jul 15

    Bird-ish Book Club: Birding With Benefits

    Birds + BoBs - we have officially entered the book-o-sphere. Join Hannah + Cleo this week as they talk through the first installment of Bird-ish Book Club: Birding With Benefits and BONUS: The travesty that is the Hallmark movie adaptation. We talk signature scents, biceps, adult hide and seek...? and also, BIRDS! Music by Fknsyd Sources: Book - Birding With Benefits by Sarah T. DubbMovie - Adventures in Love and BirdingRandom google searches about Hallmark™

  7. Jul 8

    BoB IRL: What Bird Vocalizations Can Teach Us

    Hannah and Cleo attended a talk by Dr. Lauryn Benedict of the University of Northern Colorado, and they have thoughts. This episode covers what bird vocalizations actually communicate whether it's territorial aggression or pair bonding. They cover Benedict's research on California Towhees, Rock Wrens, Canyon Wrens, and even your pet parrots. Along the way, they get into the long-overlooked reality that female birds sing too, and what it means that ornithology took this long to notice. Plus: do parrots know your name, or are they just saying it? Music by fknsyd 39:45 Bird Vocalizations discussion startsSources:https://www.unco.edu/employee-directory/lauryn-benedict/ https://www.youtube.com/@BirdbrainQA https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/rocwre/cur/sounds http://femalebirdsong.org/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct80hh https://www.audubon.org/news/when-women-run-bird-world

  8. Jul 1

    Sugar Fueled Chaos: The Ruby Throated Hummingbird

    Hannah and Cleo are finally tackling one of the hummers: the gorgeous, chaotic, and unbelievably tiny Ruby-throated Hummingbird! Join us as we explore the incredible adaptations that make these birds so freakin' cool. From their unique flying ability, insane heart rates and surprisingly fierce territorial behavior, this episode is pure sugar fueled chaos... just as god intended. Music by fknsyd 19:22 Ruby Throated Hummingbird discussion starts Sources:  Cornell Lab of Ornithology – Ruby-throated Hummingbird OverviewMerlin Bird ID App by Cornell LabAudubon Field Guide – Ruby-throated HummingbirdIUCN Red List – Archilochus colubrisSmithsonian Migratory Bird Center – Hummingbird MigrationNational Geographic – Hummingbird FactsJourney North – Ruby-throated Hummingbird Migration MapsBirdLife International Species Factsheethttps://feederwatch.org/common-feeder-birds/?__hstc=75100365.d7c068bd4204601c667015ebdb735de9.1773028647986.1780194158440.1780198291424.16&__hssc=75100365.1.1780198291424&__hsfp=8e75d25a957f23bb029d88d2f3d247c4https://www.hummingbirdcentral.com/ruby-throated-hummingbird.htmhttps://www.fws.gov/story/hummingbirds-north-americahttps://www.audubon.org/magazine/why-do-hummingbirds-fight-so-much

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5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

A narrative podcast from two bird lovers (and friends) exploring all things bird.

Information

  • Creator
    Hannah Gamble + Cleo Wells
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Hannah Gamble + Cleo Wells