Nature Centered from Wild Birds Unlimited

John and Brian discuss how to attract Purple Martins to your yard, how to be a good landlord for them, and how to help martins even if you don’t provide housing for them. They also dispel some myths about these amazing aerialists.

John and Brian welcome back special guest David Mizejewski, Naturalist for the National Wildlife Federation, to discuss the importance of water to birds and wildlife plus the simplicity of what that looks like whatever the size of your “yard.”   

With decades of experience John & Brian discuss bird feeding from its humble beginnings almost a century ago, the amazing value that has been added to the hobby for both people and birds, as well as what the future holds. Could bird feeding vending machines be just around the corner? Plus, a surprise visit from a Red-headed Woodpecker that steals the show. 

Some people choose to not feed in the summer, but what are they missing? A whole lot it turns out. John and Brian make a case for helping your birds by providing key supplemental nutrition, as well as attracting more birds and seeing behaviors you’d otherwise miss. 

John and Brian bring fun and amazing examples of why crows and ravens are arguably the world's smartest birds. They discuss studies from some folks who have studied them for decades and introduce one whose fulltime job is taking care of one family group of ravens. 

Do you know bird calls? John and Brian bet you know more than you realize. In this episode they bring the energy and expert tips to inspire anyone to take bird watching and listening to the next level.  

In the episode, John and Brian share about bird dads and their vocal secrets to success. They discuss why bird dads sing, what they are saying and how they learned their song. Plus, how did noise pollution and the quiet of the pandemic affect singing birds?  

In this episode, John & Brian recorded live from the Wild Birds Unlimited annual conference where our store owners gathered for their annual migration to refresh, learn and find new treasures. You’ll hear some fun as well as heart-warming store owner stories. Who knows? Maybe one of them is from your neck of woods (or backyard).  

John and Brian discuss the best bird mom ever. Hummingbird moms are arguably one of the toughest ladies out there. With all the odds stacked against them, we should celebrate how hummingbird moms are the champions this Mother’s Day. 

Ever wonder what others aren’t telling you about backyard birding? Join John and Brian as they impart their spring secrets to increase your bird variety and activity this year. And, who? who? is that we’re talking about at the end of the episode? 

Habitat, habitat, habitat! That’s right, there’s more to learn about our own little natural parks we call our backyards. John and Brian share exciting new research on just how much of an impact an individual can make for local wildlife. Hint, it’s a lot! Stay tuned to the end to find out if we could see the dodo again in our lifetimes. 

Join John and Brian as they celebrate the 50th episode of Nature Centered while broadcasting from John’s backyard. Brian grades John’s bird feeding setups while giving you a closer look at how these pros like to feed. We’re reading reviews, talking with our producer Evan, and finding out “what is moon migration?” 

This year for nesting season, John and Brian are going to teach you what your backyard birds are looking for when they’re “house shopping” for the right yard to raise a family, and how you can help your birds raise more birds with better chances to fledge. 

Have new birds? Have no birds? John and Brian will fill you in on the state of our union … at least as it pertains to backyard birding. Listen in to find out who is seeing what and where across North America, and find out how squirrels actually help our backyard birds. 

Participate in GBBC February 18–21, 2022 | https://www.birdcount.org/    Watching birds is fun and recording what you see is extremely valuable to science, conservation and even you. Join John, Brian, and Becca Rodomsky-Bish from the Cornell lab of Ornithology as they talk about the upcoming citizen science project, the Great Backyard Bird Count, and follow up with food pairings for certain birds....

Participate in GBBC February 18–21, 2022 | https://www.birdcount.org/    Wild Birds Unlimited is the Founding Sponsor of the Great Backyard Bird Count. This citizen-science project is for all ages and helps #SaveTheSongBirds. Free GBBC Webinar on Wednesday, February 16, 2pm ET. Sign up to learn all about bird ID, unlocking the mystery of bird songs, and practice counting birds no matter how large...

Kick off the new year with a food that can bring more joy (over 150 species) and improve everyone’s backyard birding. In this episode, John and Brian geek out with one of their favorite bird foods, Bark Butter. They share personal feeding tips, what inchworms and Bark Butter have in common, and how you, too, will add more fun to your bird feeding hobby.  

Join Evan in this episode for a recap of the Wild Birds Unlimited 2021 Nature Centered podcasts. Thanks for listening and have a Happy New Year! 

We have the right to be choosy on birds we like and don’t like. When you feed the birds, you take what comes along with it. In this episode, John and Brian have information for you on how to deal with nuisance birds. They will help you bring the joy back to your bird feeding. Whether you really love all the birds or there are some you don’t really care for; they have solutions to help you out!  

This is an exciting time of year! This season is not just about giving tangible gifts but spiritual gifts, too. In this episode, John and Brian are giving you some ideas and suggestions on how to share the joy of birds. As we head into the holiday season, there’s no better time to make memories with friends and family.

In this episode, John and Brian are talking about the birds of prey that you may see in your backyard. Who might show up and how can you tell what they are? They are joined by a birds of prey expert, Will Schaust (yes, he is John’s son) who shares some fun information.  You’ll learn how you can deal with any unwanted raptors and how to keep the birds in your yard safe.     

Are you doing your best for the birds? Are there some things you can step up or start doing in your own yard? In this episode, John and Brian discuss these questions. They explain a few actions you can take right now that will get results quickly. You’ll learn just how simple it is to help #savethesongbirds.  

We tend to look right past sparrows. These little ubiquitous birds that seem to be invisible are actually quite beautiful and have some amazing feats.  In this episode, John and Brian discuss why they love sparrows and how you can attract them to your yard.  By the end of this episode, you’ll think sparrows are just as spectacular as they do!  

Now that fall is here, it’s time to start thinking about what’s best for the birds and what you can do to see more of them in your backyard. In this episode, John and Brian explain what it means to be seasonally savvy. They also discuss what to look for in your yard during this time of year and what bird behaviors you can expect to see.  

How can conservation bring you more joy and solace? We have two very special guests, Scott and David Menough to help explain just that. Scott and David host the Denver based radio show, BirdTalk. They are joining forces with John and Brian in this episode to talk about Western birds, how to be seasonally savvy, and share stories from their radio show.