Life List: A Birding Podcast

As is the case with many beautiful things in this world, some of the biggest successes in conservation result from the toughest challenges that birds and wildlife face. Pulitzer-prize finalist Scott Weidensaul is with us today to share stories he's gathered from near and far to share a message of hope for conservation.  Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patre...

Mollee, Alvaro, and George are catching up in a classic hangout episode. Join us in conversations about why we call this podcast Life List, the birds and other wildlife in our home patches, and a preview of what might come from El Niño in future months now that it's officially been declared.  Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk t...

This week, we’re turning the tables. Instead of interviewing a guest, Alex Harper takes over hosting duties and puts the Life List Podcast hosts in the hot seats to chat about how they became professional birding guides, what they do and don't like about their profession, and what their jobs are like.  P.S. Thanks to our friends of the pod in this episode's cover photo - Jeff, Angela, an...

Birds - crabs - fish - mammals...oh my! Spring birding gets us out there and finding all sorts of things. Alvaro, Mollee, and George are catching up on stories from their time in the field and their backyards throughout May.  Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com .  Thanks to Kowa...

If you've read anything by Ed Yong, you know that he tackles the challenge of explaining some of the most difficult-to-grasp concepts in the animal world in ways that humans can (nearly) imagine. In this episode, we're chatting with Ed — Pulitzer Prize–winning science writer and bestselling author — about migration, animal senses, and seeing the world differently through nature.  Get mor...

Jason Hall is back on the podcast to talk about mid-April spring migration, backyard adventures, and time on the other side of the world in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, India.  Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com .  Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know m...

Another classic Life List episode: a recipe of biological and ecological facts, rabbit holes, and a healthy dose of talk about life! Bryony Angell wrote The Migratory Suitor for a recent issue of BWD magazine, and she joined us along with Wenfei Tong, an evolutionary biologist, to discuss how pair bonding in birds could relate to that in humans. This is a fun one! Helpful links:  Read The Migrator...

Mollee sat down with Alvaro to recount her visit to the UAE that was cut short when the US/Iran war broke out. From here, she talks about the journey to get out of the Middle East that ended up involving travel to three countries, closed airspace and canceled flights, a missed birding tour, and experiences missiles being intercepted overhead...plus exploration of dramatic wadis, the pyramids, and...

Bonner Black is back! If you need a little quality hang with your birding friends, we've got you covered.  A few links:  Check out all of Bonner's music and more on her website Plus, don't miss Beasts of Birdin on YouTube  And thanks to Lars Lachmann via Xeno-Canto for the Great Bustard recording !  Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonu...

George and Alvaro are chatting about recent birds in their backyards, ABA rarities, sparrow speciation, recent South American travels, and more! At the end of this episode, Alvaro cites a new paper about genetic expression with wheatears as the example species. Start here to dive into this research: https://www.the-scientist.com/variation-at-a-single-gene-controls-songbird-plumage-73606 Get more L...

Allison has worked coast to (Great Lakes) coast for years, and today, we're chatting about tales from the field and lessons learned from endless days of visible migration experiences.  Come for the high counts...stay for the simple joys of watching the world go by! Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic id...

New this episode: Check out our chapters in Apple Podcasts to preview our conversation! The gang's all here to chat about winter birding, from backyard feeders to chilly pelagics, plus the consumption of atypical food sources (to us Americans, at least), great places for your first Neotropical birding trip, and a sweet tooth distraction.  Come for the look back on recently extinct birds...sta...

We are delighted to be joined by Rosemary Mosco, acclaimed science writer and naturalist, to chat about obscure bird facts, a love of pigeons, and yes, whale poop.  Check out all of Rosemary's comics, books, workshops, talks, and everything she's up to on her website .  Come for the science-driven whimsy...stay for the joy we can all gleam from nature.  Get more Life list by subscribing...

It's our first-ever year end special! We recount our favorite birds, moments, wildlife, and even sounds of the year. And we get a little sidetracked with other tidbits, as we do. Because this is Life List!  From George, Alvaro, and Mollee: Thanks for being here and listening along with us. We're so happy to continue producing this podcast and sharing our love of birds with all of you. Ha...

This episode, we're joined by Stephen Moss, who shares his delightful insights into why birds around the world and in our backyards are equally important to us.  Check out Stephen's website here and all of his books here .  Come for the spark birds (and to hear it's okay if you don't remember every bird on your life list!)…stay for the reminder of why birds matter everywhere. G...

This episode, we’re joined by Joshua Covill: birding guide, hawkwatcher, and all-around mountain wanderer. Josh is sharing stories from Montana's Jewel Basin and beyond, plus a conversation about parallel ecosystems around the world. Come for the dreams of Mongolia's vastness…stay for the feeling of watching migration from the top of the world! Get more Life list by subscribing to our ne...

We're birders, talking about birding! George, Alvaro, and Mollee pulled up their personalized taxonomy updates from eBird (get an overview , all the data , and your personalized report ) to chat about their life list updates and what else has changed around the globe.  Come for the nuts and bolts, stay for the taxonomic camaraderie! Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and join...

This episode, we’re joined by Brian Sullivan—birder, photographer, and co-leader of one of the most transformative projects in the birding world: eBird. From the earliest red-tailed hawk obsessions to building a global platform used by millions, Brian shares stories that bridge fieldwork, data, and wonder. Highlights include: How eBird grew from a niche experiment to a cornerstone of global ornith...

Alvaro has some juicy stories from the field: did he finally succeed in finding a Saunder's tern, or did a run-in with the law in Qatar foil his attempts yet again?  Topics with George and Alvaro include:  Birding on a layover in Qatar The most accessible birding locations in the Middle East A South African springtime tour recap The adrenaline of safari birding  Rocky Mountain oysters and oth...

We’re joined by Bonner Black: Nashville-based singer-songwriter, birder, and all-around force of nature.  Highlights of our chat include: Growing up birding in Tennessee and carrying that love on the road as a touring musician The parallels between birding, music, and life on the road How songwriting and birding both demand patience, attention, and a little obsession The ways nature sneaks into Bo...

One of our favorite things to hear from guests is that it's like you're birding with us during our conversations. This time, you actually can!  We're each recording from our backyards, during some mid-afternoon, mid-September birdwatching. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to join us on a birdwalk, now's your chance! Get more Life list by subscribing to our new...

We’re talking with Quentin and Owen, the filmmakers and brothers behind Listers: the indie documentary that’s both absurd and profound, and probably the funniest thing ever made about birding. Highlights of our chat include: How a family field guide, a bong, and a road trip turned into a continent-spanning big year The van life: Cracker Barrel parking lots, Michelin-star minivan meals Filming bird...

The biggest surprise of all might be that George is learning to love summertime at home. We are chatting about birds and critters in our patches and recent travels, plus about books, media, and pizza.  By the way, you can learn more about Frontiers in Ornithology at https://frontiersinornithology.com/ . Come for the sightings that surprised us lately...stay for a slice of August birding joy! Get m...

Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com .  Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature ; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures , and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency , to see more abou...

This episode is a blast—and full of stuff you'll want to remember! George and Alvaro interview the legendary birder of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and beyond: Jen Brumfield. They dive into all it takes to be a rarity-finding machine, and then put their advice through a detailed walkthrough of jaeger identification. We always say it...this hour passed by too quickly.  Come for the gales and gulls…...