Birds & Nerds Podcast

Why is it a "murder" of crows and a "parliament" of owls? And what do magpies, nightingales, parrots, kiwis, penguins, and mourning doves reveal about the history of language? In this episode of Birds & Nerds, host Ramona Schindelheim talks with etymologist Jess Zafarris, author of "Into the Words: An Etymologist's Field Guide to Plants, Animals, and Nature" and co-host of the "Words Unravelled" p...

What do trustworthy journalism, resilient communities, and the birds outside our windows have in common? They all depend on attention, reliable signals, and relationships built over time. In this episode of Birds & Nerds, host Ramona Schindelheim talks with Sally Lehrman, CEO of The Trust Project, and Craig Newmark, founder of craig newmark philanthropies, about how we can recognize credible infor...

🦅 How is climate change affecting birds and what can bird populations tell us about the future and health of our planet? In this episode of Birds & Nerds , host Ramona Schindelheim speaks with Chad Wilsey, Chief Scientist at the National Audubon Society, about how birds serve as early warning signs for climate change, habitat loss, ecosystem stress, and biodiversity decline. Drawing on Audubon's...

💻 Apple did not begin in a garage, and the real story behind its 50-year rise, fall, and miraculous rebound is even wilder than the myth. In this episode of Birds & Nerds, host Ramona Schindelheim is joined by seven-time Emmy winner and pioneering tech writer David Pogue, author of Apple: The First 50 Years. Pogue reveals how Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, and a nearly forgotten third founder helped...

What do Apple, AI, climate change, film, journalism, language, and cocktails have in common? On Birds & Nerds, the answer is always more surprising than you expect. Each episode starts with a curious conversation about a random topic—technology, culture, science, storytelling, current affairs, or whatever sparks the question—and then follows the trail until it lands, somehow, on birds. Smart, funn...

Think human parenting is exhausting? Wait until you hear what happens in the animal kingdom. In this special summer episode of Birds & Nerds, host Ramona Schindelheim talks with science journalist Elizabeth Preston, author of "The Creatures' Guide to Caring," about the surprisingly tender—and sometimes deeply unsettling—world of animal parenting. Some animal parents cooperate, sacrifice, and suppo...

This episode of the Birds & Nerds podcast was recorded live on stage at SXSW 2026 in Austin, featuring Dr. Elizabeth Gray, CEO of the National Audubon Society, and podcast host and journalist Ramona Schindelheim. This conversation explores how birds serve as vital indicators of planetary health, powerful drivers of conservation, and sources of personal wellbeing, creativity, and community. Nationa...

Bestselling author Amy Tan says ten years ago she was so overwhelmed with despair at the state of the world, she turned to the natural beauty in her own backyard — specifically birds — in search of hope. Her book The Backyard Bird Chronicles is a beautiful collection of sketches and reflections on that personal journey. In this episode of the Birds & Nerds podcast hosted by award-winning journalis...

A specific song can be our own powerful time machine — reminding us of a past experience — good or bad. And it can also help us make sense of the current world around us. In this episode of the Birds & Nerds podcast, host Ramona Schindelheim is joined by the always delightful Eric Alper — a music publicist and industry expert — who has spent his career exploring what it takes to create that magic...

Have you ever fallen in love with a city hours after you first stepped off the plane? Did it make you want to pack your bags and move there, even if it was in another country? That happened to Mike Huckman, former journalist and now principal of life sciences consulting company Huckman Group. In this episode of the Birds & Nerds podcast, Mike and journalist and host Ramona Schindelheim discuss wha...

Did you know that birds are living dinosaurs? 66 million years ago, a huge asteroid struck Earth, triggering earthquakes, tsunamis, and global wildfires, plunging the planet into darkness, and wiping out most species, including non-bird dinosaurs. In this episode of Birds & Nerds, we're asking why did birds survive the KPG impact and what else can we learn from this catastrophic event. Paleontolog...

If you love birds, you're going to love this episode of the Birds & Nerds podcast. National Audubon Society CEO Elizabeth Gray joins host Ramona Schindelheim in a discussion about what's behind the boom in popularity of birdwatching in the United States — 96 million people self-identify as bird lovers! They also look at the alarming decline of bird populations in North America and what Audubon is...

America is in the midst of a loneliness crisis. People of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds are feeling isolated, invisible, and insignificant. Social disconnection and digital isolation are rampant. In addition to taking a toll on us mentally and emotionally, it is hurting us physically and economically. Studies show stress can decrease our longevity and can manifest in physical symptoms, wh...

A pencil is just a pencil… unless it's a Blackwing. Welcome to the Birds & Nerds podcast. In each episode, we explore a random topic — today, we're all in on the best pencil EVER made — and, as always, we find the connection to birds. The legendary Blackwing 602 pencil was first manufactured in the 1930s and was favored by the likes of John Steinbeck, Chuck Jones, Steven Sondheim, Quincy Jones and...

Did you know that 55% of Americans don't have enough savings to simultaneously weather a loss of income and a rise in expenses? In this episode of Birds & Nerds, we're talking about ways to financially strengthen vulnerable Americans, providing them with the financial security they need to reach their full potential. And, as always, we find examples in nature where protecting and lifting up the mo...

"Genealogy is the pursuit of truth, and if you choose to begin researching your family's history, you had better be prepared to accept whatever truths you uncover." That's the advice from Bill Griffeth, retired CNBC anchor and author of two books on his own family history. Welcome to the Birds & Nerds podcast, hosted by me, Ramona Schindelheim! In each episode, I'm exploring a random topic I want...

Who is in charge of making sure AI is being used for us and not against us? And can we use artificial intelligence to understand what birds are saying to each other, and then learn how to talk with birds directly? That would be pretty cool, dontcha think!?  Welcome to the Birds & Nerds podcast, hosted by Ramona Schindelheim! In each episode, I'm exploring a random topic I want to know more about w...