Dr. Scott Taylor

Okay, But... Birds

Science EN ↓ 31 episodes

Hosted by evolutionary biologist Dr. Scott Taylor, Okay, But... Birds explores the drama, brilliance, and science behind bird life. Each snackable 30-minute episode blends smart storytelling, expert interviews, and a touch of humor to reveal how birds shape our world . No jargon. No binoculars required. Just real science, quirky insights, and bird-brained drama you’ll want to share at brunch. Because birds aren’t background. Birds are cool.

Author

Dr. Scott Taylor

Episodes

Okay, but why fly from the Arctic to Antarctica and back every year? 08.01.2026 27:15

E5. Every spring and fall, billions of birds pull off the most ambitious commutes on Earth. In this episode, host Dr. Scott Taylor is joined by Dr. Nate Senner, Mass Audubon Bertrand Chair for Ornithology in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the UMass Amherst, to break down why birds migrate, how they navigate, and what happens when the world (or the bird) gets thrown off course. In...

Okay, but bird flu is really bad, right? 01.01.2026 28:39

E4. Bird flu used to sound like a “poultry industry problem.” Now it’s showing up everywhere and rewriting the rules for wild birds, ecosystems, and what “outbreak” even means. In this episode, host Dr. Scott Taylor is joined by Dr. Nichola Hill, disease ecologist and Assistant Professor at UMass Boston, to unpack what’s different about the current H5N1 wave. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Ho...

Okay, but why did my life list just shrink? 18.12.2025 26:52

E3. One day you’re proudly sitting at 312 species… and the next day your list is missing a bird (or two). What happened? In this episode, host Dr. Scott Taylor is joined by Dr. Dave Toews , Assistant Professor at Penn State , to pull back the curtain on bird taxonomy: what a “species” even is , who decides when birds get split or lumped, and why those decisions ripple out into birding, field guide...

Okay, but how do you lose 3 billion birds? 11.12.2025 35:06

E2. Bird populations are vanishing—quietly, and fast. In this episode, host Dr. Scott Taylor and Dr. John Fitzpatrick, Director Emeritus of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, unpack the landmark “3 Billion Birds” study: what it actually showed, how scientists figured it out, and what it means for the birds we thought were common and safe. In this episode, you’ll hear about: What the 2019 “3 Billion B...

Okay, but is bird monogamy just PR? 04.12.2025 24:20

E1. Birds “mate for life”… or do they? In this episode, host Dr. Scott Taylor and Dr. Carrie Branch, Assistant Professor at Western University, pull back the curtain on avian relationships and sort out what’s romance, what’s strategy, and what’s just really good PR. In this episode, you’ll hear about: The difference between social and genetic monogamy in birds Why “monogamous” birds engage in extr...

Trailer — Okay, But... Birds 15.11.2025 0:52

Okay, But... Birds is a weekly science-meets-storytelling podcast hosted by evolutionary biologist Dr. Scott Taylor. Each episode dives into one weird-but-true bird question through smart, funny storytelling and lively interviews with ornithologists, ecologists, artists, and unexpected experts. Follow Okay, But... Birds wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop weekly, and yes, we will tal...