The Warblers by Birds Canada
Episodes
Kinglets: flashy crests and stretchy nests
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Overlooked and underappreciated - kinglets are one of Canada’s toughest little birds! Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets are both fascinating ...
Birds and Cats
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
With close to 9 million domestic cats in Canada, and a third of them regularly roaming outdoors, we know that birds are heavily impacted by cats. In f...
Marsh Bird Madness
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Some of Canada's weirdest and most wonderful birds can be found in marshes! But which ones have the marshiest adaptations?...is it the Thunder Pu...
Shorebird Conservation in James Bay, "Just you and the birds"
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
James Bay is an essential stopover site for thousands of migrating shorebirds - Hudsonian and Marbled Godwits, Whimbrels, Red Knots, and more. But thi...
Do birds have feelings? Experts answer your questions
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's back! We've called upon guests from across Canada to help answer your birdiest questions! Do the Northern Lights impact migratory bird...
Toronto: a city of Blue Jays and Birders
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Canada's largest city attracts a surprising diversity of bird species - and peeping at them from along the shores of Lake Ontario: countless bird...
Superhero Senses - of birds!
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Discover the unique ways that birds understand the world through their senses! Some birds have bendy beaks, some swivel their eyes, and others sense m...
Trick or Tweet: Ghostly sounds, murders, and bloodsucking birds
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the spirit of spooky season, we bring you an eerie episode filled with spine-tingling bird facts. We debate the most haunting bird sounds, learn ab...
Exploring Blackbirds with Experts Peter Burke and Alvaro Jaramillo
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Think you know blackbirds? This episode will change the way you see them. Andrea Gress and co-host Jody Allair discuss the underrated beauty and behav...
Biking for Birds: athletics to inspire bird conservation
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Migration is one of the most remarkable phenomena in the animal kingdom. What if the human body made the same trip?Athletes Timm Döbert and Leanna Ca...
Up in the clouds with Black Swifts
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Black Swifts are also playfully known as Cloud Swifts, a suitable nickname for one of Canada's most impressive and mysterious birds. Join us abov...
The Wake-up Call: Chestnut-collared Longspur
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Chestnut-collared Longspur is an icon of the Prairies – an aerial acrobatist, singing and dancing in the sky. Jody Allair shares his love for th...
Bird Photography: tips and tricks from Liron Gertsman
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Taking good photos of birds isn't just about the gear - knowing bird behaviours and habitats is equally as important. Professional wildlife phot...
The Wake-up Call: Long-billed Curlew
07 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join us on a road trip to Skookumchuck Prairie to seek out the Long-billed Curlew. Our editor Kris Cu takes the reigns, leading us through the grassy ...
Revisiting Chewie the Piping Plover, and Queerness in Nature
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While working with Piping Plovers in June of 2022, Andrea Gress and the rest of the plover team, observed a same-sex pairing between two well known pl...
Is the White-throated Sparrow Canada's most interesting bird?
02 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Discover the fascinating world of the White-throated Sparrow: birds with two colour morphs, a unique mating system, and songs that spread like the lat...
Exploring Bird Sounds with Dan Mennill
05 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we get answers to some of our biggest questions about bird songs, calls, and non-vocal sounds. Learn how thrushes make that haunting f...
The birds are back: spring behaviours explained
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The birds are back! From raptors doing trust falls, to grebes running across water - birds are displaying their finest selves all across Canada!In thi...
Point Counts and Missing Pots: The Adventures of Bird Atlassing
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Breeding Bird Atlas is the ultimate province-wide bird survey. In this episode, Atlas coordinators from Newfoundland, Ontario, and Saskatchewan sh...
So cute, so deadly: Northern Saw-whet Owl
03 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
By size, shape and style, you might mistake this owl for a cuddly toy, but it's actually a deadly predator. In today's episode we chat about...
Did a chickadee steal my hotdog? Experts answer your questions
16 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As a special treat we've rounded up some of your most curious bird related questions and answered them in this episode (or tried to!). Why do som...
The Wake-up Call: Eastern Whip-poor-will
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Some call them goatsuckers, others may think of them as dragons in the night sky...but we know them lovingly as the Eastern Whip-poor-will. We're...
Winter is better with Project FeederWatch
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As we get deeper into the fall months, we're joined by Olivia Carvalho to chat about an underappreciated pastime... winter birding! With Olivia c...
Canada's bird populations: the good, the bad, the uplifting
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How are Canada's birds doing? Recently released, The State of Canada's Birds brings us valuable insights into the health of our favourite sp...
Quebec's river of warblers
23 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An incredible migratory phenomenon occurs along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. Thankfully, the Tadoussac Bird Observatory is located in just the ri...
Vultures: Sentinels of the Skies
26 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With their heads buried in a carcass, vultures may seem like gross, unwanted creatures. But we have to disagree! Vultures have fascinating adaptations...
Grasslands, Birds, and Beef
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Grassland ecosystems and birds are increasingly under threat as agricultural operations expand to meet growing food demands. Yet, agriculture itself c...
The Wake-up Call: Olive-sided Flycatcher
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"Quick, three beers!" Jody Allair joins us to propose that the Olive-sided Flycatcher is one of Canada's best boreal birds. Will you ag...
Getting to know Swifts and Swallows
10 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This bonus episode is all about getting to know swifts and swallows, those speedy aerial acrobats that make summer skies so lively. Rielle Hoeg joins ...
Warblin' about Warblers
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Around 37 warbler species nest in Canada each summer. But how much do you really know about them? Long overdue, this episode is all about warblers! We...
A Writer's Guide to Conserving Grasslands
29 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Trevor Herriot grew up exploring the aspen parkland and grasslands of southern Saskatchewan, deeply connected to the natural world around him. His pas...
NatureCounts: Helping Birds with Your Data
25 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Do you track bird sightings on eBird? Or have you participated in a citizen science project that helps to monitor bird populations, like Project Feede...
The Wake-up Call: Roseate Tern
26 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Roseate Tern is a dapper looking seabird that spends much of its breeding season far away from humans....yet most of the threats it faces are huma...
The Superb Snowy Owl
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate Superb Owl weekend (or the big football game for some folks), we decided to throw you an episode about one of our star players, the Snowy...
The healing power of nature and birds
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
January is a tough time of year, but birds can help! We guarantee *good feels* by the end of this episode. We're joined by Dr. Melissa Lem who ...
How do birds survive the extremes of winter?!
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Brrrr! A polar vortex is chilling western Canada while the east is being battered by snowy winter storms! Yet, we can still see birds out the window.....
A Year for the Birds: 2023 highlights from across Canada
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From British Columbia to Newfoundland, and everywhere in between...join Yousif Attia, Jared Clarke, and Andrea Gress, as they discuss some of the bigg...
The Wake-up Call: Black Swift
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join Black Swift researchers on a journey through the forest to find one of the most elusive species in Canada....will they succeed? As Black Swift po...
The Wake-up Call: Burrowing Owl
23 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Burrowing Owls...those weird little owls that nest underground, and scowl disapprovingly at us with their bright yellow eyes. This episode is for them...
Indigenous-led Conservation Protects Bird Habitats
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We can learn a lot about conservation by looking to Indigenous leadership. In this episode, we head to Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick to learn abo...
Sharing Anishinaabe Bird Names through Tourism
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You might remember Joe Pitawanakwat from a previous episode, Bneshiinyik, where he shared knowledge about how birds are named in the Anishinaabe langu...
Every egg counts; an extraordinary conservation story
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With only 150 individuals in the Great Lakes region, every single egg matters. In 2023, the Piping Plover conservation effort went to great lengths, a...
The Power of Representation in Birding
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode features two groups that are working to improve representation in the outdoors. They're creating welcoming spaces for Indigenous, Bl...
The Wake-up Call: Whooping Crane
28 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Whooping Crane population plummeted to a mere 15 birds in the 1900s, but thanks to intensive conservation efforts we now have over 500 individuals...
Battle of the Beaks: the winner is....
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This epic battle featured 6 beaks from around the world; Loggerhead Shrike, Wrybill, African Openbill, Atlantic Puffin, Laysan Albatross and White-t...
The Wake-up Call: Red Knot
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode Andrea and Amie MacDonald nerd out about shorebirds! Amie shares the joys of researching Red Knots in James Bay in northern Ontario, a...
Battle of the Beaks: Part 2
03 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is the second episode in the ultimate Battle of the Beaks!! We're featuring six of the worlds most unique and specially adapted bird beaks o...
Battle of the Beaks: Part 1
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Six beaks enter the ring, only one will be crowned the ultimate BEST BEAK! In this special two part episode, we explore some of the weirdest, and most...
Spring birding, "go find some ducks!"
11 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for a morning of spring birding in Calgary! We get some birding pointers from from the team as they seek out Common Goldeneyes, Lesser Scaups,...
The Wake-up Call: Chimney Swift
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you noticed little cigars in the sky? Perhaps they torpedo into a chimney in your neighbourhood? ....no, those aren't strange escaped creatu...
Bird Gaming for Conservation
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Andrea speaks with Adam Dhalla - a 17-year-old birder, designer of the game Find the Birds, and recipient of the ABA's Young Bir...
The Art of Birding with Paul Riss
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
“One day a black-capped chickadee landed on my hand and a birding monster was born.” Paul has been an active birder for decades and he has dedi...
What's so great about the Great Backyard Bird Count?
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Season 3 of the Warblers Podcast launches today with an episode about the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). Andrea connects with experts from the Corn...
Did the birds win at COP15?
21 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick Nadeau returns for a follow-up chat about his time at COP15; the Convention on Biological Diversity. He highlights some of the key outcomes an...
'Tis the season for the Christmas Bird Count
12 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This isn't your typical holiday tradition, but it might become your favourite! The Christmas Bird Count runs from December 14th to January 5th ea...
What COP15 means for birds
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You are soon to hear a lot of buzz about COP15, as the Convention on Biological Diversity kicks off in Montreal. These big conventions can get a littl...
Birding with Neil Pasricha
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do when you get a chance to go birding with one of your favorite authors?? Go birding...but also, record a podcast! Jody Allair catches up...
Inspired by YOU!
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We are beyond thrilled to have received a Nature Inspiration Award from the Canadian Museum of Nature. Andrea and Andres take a moment to react to the...
The Wake-up Call: Marbled Murrelet
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Marbled Murrelet keeps researchers on their toes. Their nests are tucked away in the mossy upper branches of old growth forests...the last place w...
Key Biodiversity Areas - Canada's Critical Places for Nature
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Key Biodiversity Areas or KBAs are sites that are important for the survival of a species or ecosystem. Canada is a global leader in identifying KBAs ...
The Wake-up Call: Bicknell's Thrush
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bicknell's Thrush field work sounds like a dream job for those who love extreme, dense forest conditions. Bears, moose, getting thwacked in the f...
Minisode: An update on Chewie the Piping Plover
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Chewie is a Piping Plover that brings much drama with her everywhere she goes, and we love her for it! Find out what she got up to since she was featu...
The Wake-up Call: Leach's Storm-Petrel
18 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The sound of Leach's Storm-Petrels returning to their burrows under the cover of darkness is what you might expect to hear in a fairy tale. Like ...
The Wake-up Call: Piping Plover
20 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Falling in love with chonky floofs, and how to help them! From navigating crowds of people to avoiding cow footprints on beaches, Piping Plovers have ...
Minisode: Piping Plovers - A Love Story
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this minisode Andrea shares a glimpse into the world of Piping Plovers and the struggles they face through a fascinating tale about 'Chewie&ap...
The Wake-up Call: conserving Canada's most threatened bird species
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Wake-up Call is a special series where we'll be learning about Canada's most threatened, and at-risk bird species. Experts working with ...
Minisode: More awesome band recovery stories from Stu Mackenzie and the importance of bird safety
18 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When we visited Long Point Bird Observatory for the previous episode we could not get enough of Stu Mackenzie's bird banding stories, and incredi...
A bird banding day at Long Point Bird Observatory
29 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bird observatories are an essential starting place for young biologists, but also for members of the public; to watch, to learn, and to fall in love w...
Minisode: Getting Ready for Spring Migration
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Spring is here! And so are the birds! Andrea quizzes Jody Allair on his best spring birding tips. They chat about favorite spring bird songs, how to...
The Bird Friendly City
21 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Spring approaches and the birds are rapidly migrating back to their summer homes. They are taking up residence across Canada, preparing to nest in our...
Minisode: did Jurassic Park get it wrong?
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Did you have an obsession with dinosaurs as a kid? Yep, us too!In this minisode, we’re chatting more with Dr. Francois Therrien from the Royal Tyrre...
Dino Watching: Are Birds Dinosaurs?
23 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Our producer, Jody Allair, never stopped loving dinosaurs. He is always telling us about how birds are actually just dinosaurs. Is he right?In this ep...
The Year in Birds Minisode: Positive News Stories of 2021
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A lot happened for birds in 2021, for example, Andrés found the Razorbills... Now, seriously, In this minisode, we cover some of the good news stor...
The Year in Birds: Canadian bird and birding highlights from 2021
25 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We sat down with our friends, Yousif and Mike, expecting to chat about the past year in birding—but we couldn’t settle on one topic! In this epi...
Drinking what we love: the case for a bird-friendly coffee revolution
10 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Wondering what you can do to help birds? Drink (the right) coffee! Specifically, bird-friendly certified coffee. Bird-Friendly coffee is great for bir...
Drinking what we love: the link between birds and coffee
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to coffee and birds there’s a surprising amount we can learn. Many of our beloved migrant birds spend their winters in southern climes...
Feeding Birds the Right Way
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Should we feed birds? When and why? These are some of the questions we explore with Kerrie Wilcox, Birds Canada’s bird feeding expert. With decades ...
Minisode: The Epic Annual Migration of the Sabine's Gull
08 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Sarah Gutowsky shares her recent findings on the migratory route of Sabine’s Gulls. This incredible species migrates 15,000 km from the high Arc...
The seabirds you did not know you love
25 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There are 58 bird species living in Canadian oceans, 95% of them are in trouble worldwide, furthermore, we don't really understand how 62% of Can...
Minisode: Migizi
14 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Knowledge keeper Alan Colley from the Wolf Clan brings us one of the stories of Migizi. This is the Anishinabemowin name for the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetu...
Bneshiinyik
29 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bneshiinyik is how Anishinaabe people know birds. On this episode that marks National Truth and Reconciliation Day, we talk with Joseph Pitawanakwat a...
Minisode: Using Merlin Sound ID for Pros
09 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you are testing the Merlin Sound ID app or have mastered the app, got a new recorded, shotgun mic for your phone and have annoyed all your fam...
Who’s singing? AI powered bird sound identification at your fingertips, free.
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's a dream come true – there's finally an app for identifying bird sounds. In the next episode of The Warblers podcast, we’ll explore ...
Minisode: Tips for Attracting Birds to YOUR Garden - wherever you are in Canada
18 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We talked to Natasha Barlow a couple of weeks ago about Bird Gardens. she provided bonus information to help you attract specific species, birds you m...
ANYONE can garden for birds. We tell you how.
04 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It often feels like we've been engaged in a battle with our lawns; we cut, mow, trim, drown and poison them to achieve that lush poster green loo...
The case for including humans in the frame
07 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We speak with Julian Victor, a wildlife Filmmaker from Toronto who has worked on projects for National Geographic, as well as with legendary wildlife ...
Monitoring an icon - the story of the Common Loon in Canada
07 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The iconic Canadian snowbird. Find out surprising facts about our beautiful Common Loons (Gavia immer) and how they are faring in Canada. We speak wit...
Lessons from Ferruginous Hawk research on the prairies
07 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
"Challenging" - learn more about this understatement in the world of Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) research with Janet Ng. In our inaugur...