The Science of Birds

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Birds and the Scientific Method

#45 trending · Science

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts! ~~~ In this episode, host Ivan Phillipsen steps back from bird facts themselves to explore the process behind them: the S

Sep 22
41 min

Random Bird Thursday: A Highly Vocal Species With Female Helpers

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These

Sep 3
31 min

Grebes

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts! ~~~ Enter the murky aquatic realm of the family Podicipedidae in Episode 137 of the The Science of Birds podcast. Often m

Aug 30
1 h 00 min

Random Bird Thursday: A Citrus-themed Species with Runny Mascara

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These

Aug 14
18 min

From the Field: Australia

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts! ~~~ In this "from the field" episode of The Science of Birds, Ivan Phillipsen takes you on a journey through some iconic

Aug 8
48 min

Random Bird Thursday: A Duet-singer That Uses Bones for Decoration

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These

Jul 16
12 min

Random Bird Thursday: A Tiny Island Dweller That Likes Vines

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These

Jul 2
10 min

Red-winged Blackbird

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts! ~~~ Episode 135 takes on one of North America's most recognizable birds: the Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoenice

Jun 21
53 min

Random Bird Thursday: An Alien-Eyed Mountaineer That Sounds Like a Jet

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These

Jun 11
15 min

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts! ~~~ This is Episode 134. Ivan takes on one of the most iconic bird families in the avian world: Accipitridae—the hawks, e

Jun 1
59 min

From the Field: Birding Romania

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts! ~~~ In this From the Field episode Ivan takes listeners along on a two-week scouting trip to Romania where he explored th

May 17
39 min

Random Bird Thursday: A Crepuscular Species That Is Not Actually Magical

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These

Apr 30
18 min

Rivers & Streams as Bird Habitat

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts! ~~~ In Episode 132, Ivan Phillipsen explores the "circulatory system of the land"—the world of rivers and streams. These

Apr 22
59 min

Random Bird Thursday: A Trans-Andean Ant-Follower with a Complex Social Life

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These

Apr 9
26 min

The Northern Flicker

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts! ~~~ In Episode 131 of The Science of Birds, host Ivan Phillipsen takes a deep dive into one of North America's most

Apr 5
54 min

Random Bird Thursday: A Colorful, Dumpy Bird That Chills With Chimps

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These

Mar 26
15 min

Vagrancy: Why Some Birds End Up Far From Home

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts! ~~~ In this episode—which is number 130—Ivan Phillipsen explores the fascinating phenomenon of vagrancy... those surprisi

Mar 17
52 min

Random Bird Thursday: A Large Fat-eater from Patagonia

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These

Mar 5
25 min

Cuckoos

👕 Bird Merch — Get yourself some bird shirts! ~~~ In this episode, host Ivan Phillipsen dives into the diverse and sometimes mysterious world of the avian family Cucul

Feb 25
1 h 04 min

Random Bird Thursday: An Antisocial Bottom-Feeder from the Antipodes

In each Random Bird Thursday (RBT) episode, the goal is to highlight a bird species that probably isn't going to get featured in a full-length podcast episode. These

Jan 29
15 min

Chart trend

Position in the Nature chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#8#15JunJulAugSep

all-time peak

days in the top 3 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where The Science of Birds ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 24, 2026).

#9 ▲ 3 Nature US

#67 ▲ 19 Science US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I stumbled across The Science of Birds a few weeks ago and I’m loving it! I’ve been birding for four or five years now and Ivan’s podcast is reinforcing all that I’ve learned and adding to my existing knowledge. I especially like the discussions around the taxonomy of birds because it really helps me put my knowledge in context. Really awesome, Ivan! Keep it up.

Jim majure · Aug 2026

This podcast is great for anyone who wants to learn more about birds. I consider myself extremely knowledgeable about birds having been a birder for over 30 years and with an education focused in ornithology and a job that also has me working with birds. And yet I’m still learning and these podcasts are a great way to deep dive into the fascinating world of all things Avian.

D'Anver · Jun 2026

I appreciate that Ivan Phillipsen covers all things ornithological. He doesn’t get sidetracked and wander out into the weeds. He does a great job whether covering a specific bird or an entire species. If you want to improve your birding skills and your overall knowledge this is the best podcast out there. Numero Uno birding podcast.

Attila722 · Jun 2026

A great way to listen to current bird topics and catch up with the established core concepts. Jokes can be a tad corny sometimes, but that’s the price we pay for keeping the content clean and friendly for listeners of all ages.

EvanDrake10 · Jan 2026

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.