Canada&apos;s largest city attracts a surprising diversity of bird species - and peeping at them from along the shores of Lake Ontario: countless birders. Among these birders, you&apos;ll find Jean Iron, Mark Peck and Nancy Barrett - three of Toronto&apos;s well known faces in the birding community. They share their favourite birding stories, explain the science behind why Toronto is a hotspot for birds, and relish in the community and friendships they&apos;ve made through birding. Plus we hear about their new book, and give away a few copies!Donate to Birds Canada for your chance to win a copy of <a href='https://lorimer.ca/adults/product/torontos-birds/'>Toronto&apos;s Birds: 100+ species photographed in the GTA </a>. Go to <a href='https://www.birdscanada.org/give'>birdscanada.org/donate</a> and mention the podcast in the comment field. When you order from <a href='https://birdsandbeans.ca/warblers/'>birdsandbeans.ca/warblers</a>, Birds and Beans donates to this podcast - thank you for supporting us, and our migratory birds! We mentioned lots of volunteer opportunities in this episode:<ul><li><a href='https://www.birdscanada.org/you-can-help/project-feederwatch'>Project FeederWatch</a> (runs all winter, from Nov 1-April 30)</li><li><a href='https://www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/great-backyard-bird-count'>Great Backyard Bird Count</a> (Feb 13-16, 2026)</li><li><a href='https://www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/christmas-bird-count'>Christmas Bird Count</a> (Dec 14-Jan 5) </li><li>Hawk Watch (look for groups near you, they&apos;re all over Canada)</li><li>Toronto Whimbrel Watch</li><li><a href='http://www.torontobirding.ca/'>Toronto Ornithological Club</a> and <a href='http://www.ofo.ca/'>Ontario Field Ornithologists</a>  </li></ul>Mark Peck was the Collections Specialist in Ornithology at the Royal Ontario Museum for 41 years until his retirement in 2024. He is the author of Bird Eggs: A Young Naturalist’s Guide, is Vice-President of the Ontario Field Ornithologists, who awarded him the Distinguished Ornithologist Award in 2024, and is a longtime member of the Toronto Ornithological Club. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.Nancy Barrett worked as a medical transcriptionist for 31 years at a community hospital. She belongs to several bird and nature organizations, including as a member of the board at THE TOC (Toronto Ornithological Club), OFO (Ontario Field Ornithologists), and is the VP at the Friends of Sam Smith Park.Jean Iron was President of the Ontario Field Ornithologists for nine years and editor of its newsletter for fourteen; she received its Distinguished Ornithologist Award in 2016. She is an Honorary Member of the Toronto Ornithological Club, and has authored many articles about birds, illustrated with her own photos, and leads tours for birding clubs and at birding festivals. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.  <a rel="payment" href="https://conserve.birdscanada.org/page/117771/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=WarblersBuzzsprout">Support the show</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;Canada&amp;apos;s largest city attracts a surprising diversity of bird species - and peeping at them from along the shores of Lake Ontario: countless birders. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Among these birders, you&amp;apos;ll find Jean Iron, Mark Peck and Nancy Barrett - three of Toronto&amp;apos;s well known faces in the birding community. They share their favourite birding stories, explain the science behind why Toronto is a hotspot for birds, and relish in the community and friendships they&amp;apos;ve made through birding. Plus we hear about their new book, and give away a few copies!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Donate to Birds Canada for your chance to win a copy of &lt;a href='https://lorimer.ca/adults/product/torontos-birds/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;Toronto&amp;apos;s Birds: 100+ species photographed in the GTA &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt;. &lt;/b&gt;Go to &lt;a href='https://www.birdscanada.org/give'&gt;&lt;b&gt;birdscanada.org/donate&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and mention the podcast in the comment field. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When you order from &lt;a href='https://birdsandbeans.ca/warblers/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;birdsandbeans.ca/warblers&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, Birds and Beans donates to this podcast - thank you for supporting us, and our migratory birds! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We mentioned lots of volunteer opportunities in this episode:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.birdscanada.org/you-can-help/project-feederwatch'&gt;Project FeederWatch&lt;/a&gt; (runs all winter, from Nov 1-April 30)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/great-backyard-bird-count'&gt;Great Backyard Bird Count&lt;/a&gt; (Feb 13-16, 2026)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/christmas-bird-count'&gt;Christmas Bird Count&lt;/a&gt; (Dec 14-Jan 5) &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Hawk Watch (look for groups near you, they&amp;apos;re all over Canada)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Toronto Whimbrel Watch&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='http://www.torontobirding.ca/'&gt;Toronto Ornithological Club&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href='http://www.ofo.ca/'&gt;Ontario Field Ornithologists&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Mark Peck &lt;/b&gt;was the Collections Specialist in Ornithology at the Royal Ontario Museum for 41 years until his retirement in 2024. He is the author of Bird Eggs: A Young Naturalist’s Guide, is Vice-President of the Ontario Field Ornithologists, who awarded him the Distinguished Ornithologist Award in 2024, and is a longtime member of the Toronto Ornithological Club. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Nancy Barrett&lt;/b&gt; worked as a medical transcriptionist for 31 years at a community hospital. She belongs to several bird and nature organizations, including as a member of the board at THE TOC (Toronto Ornithological Club), OFO (Ontario Field Ornithologists), and is the VP at the Friends of Sam Smith Park.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Jean Iron &lt;/b&gt;was President of the Ontario Field Ornithologists for nine years and editor of its newsletter for fourteen; she received its Distinguished Ornithologist Award in 2016. She is an Honorary Member of the Toronto Ornithological Club, and has authored many articles about birds, illustrated with her own photos, and leads tours for birding clubs and at birding festivals. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Andrea Gress&lt;/b&gt; (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://conserve.birdscanada.org/page/117771/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=WarblersBuzzsprout"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Canada's largest city attracts a surprising diversity of bird species - and peeping at them from along the shores of Lake Ontario: countless birders.  Among these birders, you'll find Jean Iron, Mark Peck and Nancy Barrett - three of Toronto's well known faces in the birding community. They share their favourite birding stories, explain the science behind why Toronto is a hotspot for birds, and relish in the community and friendships they've made through birding. Plus we hear about their...

Toronto: a city of Blue Jays and Birders

Discover the unique ways that birds understand the world through their senses! Some birds have bendy beaks, some swivel their eyes, and others sense magnetic fields. Andrew Iwaniuk is an expert on bird brains, and he helps us explore specialized bird senses and how their brains work! Send us your bird questions! We&apos;ll answer them in our end of year episode. <ul><li>Email podcast@birdscanada.org</li><li>Send Birds Canada a message on <a href='https://www.instagram.com/birds.canada/?hl=en'>Instagram</a>, <a href='https://www.facebook.com/birdscanada'>Facebook </a>or <a href='https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:nk5nbqy3hsbbytpjqxg6l3wg'>Bluesky</a></li><li> Or leave us a voicemail at 519-586-3531, extension 128 </li></ul>Big thanks to Birds and Beans for supporting the podcast! When you order from <a href='https://birdsandbeans.ca/warblers/'>birdsandbeans.ca/warblers</a>, Birds and Beans donates to this podcast. Thanks! Get a copy of Andrew&apos;s book, <a href='https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262552738/bird-brains-and-behavior/'>Bird Brains and Behavior: A Synthesis</a>Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk is a Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta. Andrew studies how and why brain anatomy varies within and across species, focusing primarily on birds. His lab houses the world’s largest bird brain collection and he has published over 100 scientific articles, contributed to National Geographic magazine and Earthsounds documentary series, and recently published the book, Bird Brains and Behaviour: A Synthesis with MIT Press.Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.  <a rel="payment" href="https://conserve.birdscanada.org/page/117771/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=WarblersBuzzsprout">Support the show</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;Discover the unique ways that birds understand the world through their senses! Some birds have bendy beaks, some swivel their eyes, and others sense magnetic fields. Andrew Iwaniuk is an expert on bird brains, and he helps us explore specialized bird senses and how their brains work! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Send us your bird questions! We&amp;apos;ll answer them in our end of year episode. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Email podcast@birdscanada.org&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Send Birds Canada a message on&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/birds.canada/?hl=en'&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href='https://www.facebook.com/birdscanada'&gt;Facebook &lt;/a&gt;or &lt;a href='https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:nk5nbqy3hsbbytpjqxg6l3wg'&gt;Bluesky&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt; Or leave us a voicemail at 519-586-3531, extension 128 &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;Big thanks to Birds and Beans for supporting the podcast! When you order from &lt;a href='https://birdsandbeans.ca/warblers/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;birdsandbeans.ca/warblers&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, Birds and Beans donates to this podcast. Thanks! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get a copy of Andrew&amp;apos;s book, &lt;a href='https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262552738/bird-brains-and-behavior/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;Bird Brains and Behavior: A Synthesis&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk &lt;/b&gt;is a Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta. Andrew studies how and why brain anatomy varies within and across species, focusing primarily on birds. His lab houses the world’s largest bird brain collection and he has published over 100 scientific articles, contributed to National Geographic magazine and Earthsounds documentary series, and recently published the book, Bird Brains and Behaviour: A Synthesis with MIT Press.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Andrea Gress&lt;/b&gt; (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://conserve.birdscanada.org/page/117771/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=WarblersBuzzsprout"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Discover the unique ways that birds understand the world through their senses! Some birds have bendy beaks, some swivel their eyes, and others sense magnetic fields. Andrew Iwaniuk is an expert on bird brains, and he helps us explore specialized bird senses and how their brains work!  Send us your bird questions! We'll answer them in our end of year episode.  Email podcast@birdscanada.orgSend Birds Canada a message on Instagram, Facebook or Bluesky Or leave us a voicemail at 51...

Superhero Senses - of birds!

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 about blood sucking birds, corvid funerals, toxic species, and more. Plus you&apos;ll get some inspiration for a bird-themed Halloween costume! Natasha has shared some links with additional facts:<ul><li><a href='https://youtu.be/IcaDZK1Njb0?si=yfJ1ic7KOGNhaSgc'>Crow funerals with Kaeli Swift </a></li><li><a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP7OLY3_UNA'>Vampire Finches from BBC Earth</a></li><li><a href='https://www.audubon.org/news/these-birds-protect-black-rhinos-poachers-also-drink-their-blood'>The relationship between Oxpeckers and Rhinos</a></li></ul>Natasha Barlow grew up near Point Pelee National Park in southern Ontario, and didn&apos;t fully appreciate the area until she had already moved away. Thankfully, she realized the error in her ways, and after completing her masters assessing the efficacy of restoration and conservation strategies on protecting sagebrush songbirds, she now coordinates various field-based research projects, runs citizen science programs, and advocates for change for aerial insectivores in Ontario as a Projects Biologist with Birds Canada. Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. Sound credits:Northern Potoo: Peter Boesman (xeno-canto) Barred Owl: Gerrit Vyn and Benjamin Clock  Great Spotted Kiwi: David Boyle (xeno-canto) Common Loon: Steven R. Pantle Capuchinbird: Felipe Arantes (xeno-canto) Wilsons Snipe: Wil Hershberger<a rel="payment" href="https://conserve.birdscanada.org/page/117771/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=WarblersBuzzsprout">Support the show</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;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 about blood sucking birds, corvid funerals, toxic species, and more. Plus you&amp;apos;ll get some inspiration for a bird-themed Halloween costume! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Natasha has shared some links with additional facts:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://youtu.be/IcaDZK1Njb0?si=yfJ1ic7KOGNhaSgc'&gt;Crow funerals with Kaeli Swift &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP7OLY3_UNA'&gt;Vampire Finches from BBC Earth&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.audubon.org/news/these-birds-protect-black-rhinos-poachers-also-drink-their-blood'&gt;The relationship between Oxpeckers and Rhinos&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Natasha Barlow&lt;/b&gt; grew up near Point Pelee National Park in southern Ontario, and didn&amp;apos;t fully appreciate the area until she had already moved away. Thankfully, she realized the error in her ways, and after completing her masters assessing the efficacy of restoration and conservation strategies on protecting sagebrush songbirds, she now coordinates various field-based research projects, runs citizen science programs, and advocates for change for aerial insectivores in Ontario as a Projects Biologist with Birds Canada. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Andrea Gress&lt;/b&gt; (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Sound credits:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Northern Potoo: Peter Boesman (xeno-canto)&lt;br/&gt;Barred Owl: Gerrit Vyn and Benjamin Clock &lt;br/&gt;Great Spotted Kiwi: David Boyle (xeno-canto)&lt;br/&gt;Common Loon: Steven R. Pantle&lt;br/&gt;Capuchinbird: Felipe Arantes (xeno-canto)&lt;br/&gt;Wilsons Snipe: Wil Hershberger&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://conserve.birdscanada.org/page/117771/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=WarblersBuzzsprout"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

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 about blood sucking birds, corvid funerals, toxic species, and more. Plus you'll get some inspiration for a bird-themed Halloween costume!  Natasha has shared some links with additional facts: Crow funerals with Kaeli Swift Vampire Finches from BBC EarthThe relationship between Oxpeckers and RhinosNatasha Barlow grew up near Point Pelee ...

Trick or Tweet: Ghostly sounds, murders, and bloodsucking birds

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 behaviour of blackbirds with experts Peter Burke and Alvaro Jaramillo. They highlight the diverse species within the Icteridae family, including Red-winged Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, and Orioles. They explore population trends, cultural perceptions, and the challenges of tracking species like the Rusty Blackbird. You won&apos;t want to miss the incredible stories from the pair who literally wrote the book on blackbirds! Help migratory birds simply by drinking Bird-friendly Certified Coffee. When you order from <a href='http://birdsandbeans.ca/warblers'>birdsandbeans.ca/warblers</a>, Birds and Beans donates to this podcast. Thanks!  Peter Burke: Peter is a Senior Ecologist with GEI Consultants Canada, living in Kearney Ontario, near Algonquin Park. He is involved with overseeing forestry and restoration joint ventures to improve landscape health and function across Ontario’s landscape. He serves on the Steering Committee for the conservation of Kirtland&apos;s Warbler and helps to guide recovery of the Canadian breeding population of that species. He also is an illustrator, with his work can be seen in field guides such as National Geographic&apos;s Birds of North America, Birds of Peru, Birds of northern Central America, and Birds of Cuba. He also contributed to a field guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies of Algonquin Park and surroundings.Alvaro Jaramillo: Alvaro has been a birder just a tad less than Peter, starting at 11 years old in Toronto. His local patch was “The Spit,” now Thommy Thompson Park. He studied Ecology and Evolution, first at Guelph University, then University of Toronto where he researched Argentine cowbirds for his MSc. After a short stint in Vancouver, he moved to California where he lived for decades, operating Alvaro’s Adventures an international birding tour company, and pelagic birding operator. He recently moved back to Ontario, to wonderful Prince Edward County. Peter and Alvaro worked together on the Birds of Chile,  and New World Blackbirds: The Icterids. Alvaro also wrote the ABA Field Guide to California. And he is one of the co-hosts of the Life List Birding Podcast.<a rel="payment" href="https://conserve.birdscanada.org/page/117771/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=WarblersBuzzsprout">Support the show</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;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 behaviour of blackbirds with experts Peter Burke and Alvaro Jaramillo. They highlight the diverse species within the Icteridae family, including Red-winged Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, and Orioles. They explore population trends, cultural perceptions, and the challenges of tracking species like the Rusty Blackbird. You won&amp;apos;t want to miss the incredible stories from the pair who literally wrote the book on blackbirds!&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Help migratory birds simply by drinking Bird-friendly Certified Coffee. When you order from &lt;a href='http://birdsandbeans.ca/warblers'&gt;&lt;b&gt;birdsandbeans.ca/warblers&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;,&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;Birds and Beans donates to this podcast. Thanks! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;b&gt;Peter Burke&lt;/b&gt;: Peter is a Senior Ecologist with GEI Consultants Canada, living in Kearney Ontario, near Algonquin Park. He is involved with overseeing forestry and restoration joint ventures to improve landscape health and function across Ontario’s landscape. He serves on the Steering Committee for the conservation of Kirtland&amp;apos;s Warbler and helps to guide recovery of the Canadian breeding population of that species. He also is an illustrator, with his work can be seen in field guides such as National Geographic&amp;apos;s Birds of North America, Birds of Peru, Birds of northern Central America, and Birds of Cuba. He also contributed to a field guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies of Algonquin Park and surroundings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Alvaro Jaramillo&lt;/b&gt;: Alvaro has been a birder just a tad less than Peter, starting at 11 years old in Toronto. His local patch was “The Spit,” now Thommy Thompson Park. He studied Ecology and Evolution, first at Guelph University, then University of Toronto where he researched Argentine cowbirds for his MSc. After a short stint in Vancouver, he moved to California where he lived for decades, operating Alvaro’s Adventures an international birding tour company, and pelagic birding operator. He recently moved back to Ontario, to wonderful Prince Edward County. Peter and Alvaro worked together on the Birds of Chile,  and New World Blackbirds: The Icterids. Alvaro also wrote the ABA Field Guide to California. And he is one of the co-hosts of the Life List Birding Podcast.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://conserve.birdscanada.org/page/117771/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=WarblersBuzzsprout"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

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 behaviour of blackbirds with experts Peter Burke and Alvaro Jaramillo. They highlight the diverse species within the Icteridae family, including Red-winged Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, and Orioles. They explore population trends, cultural perceptions, and the challenges of tracking species like the Rusty Blackbird. You won't want to miss the incredible s...

Exploring Blackbirds with Experts Peter Burke and Alvaro Jaramillo

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 Carriere join us to discuss their up-coming expedition, “Wings of Survival”, where they’ll bike from Alaska to Patagonia, following the route of the Whimbrel. This duo is using athletics to draw attention to nature and conservation. They tell us about their recent ride across Canada’s grasslands, how they’ve been linking Key Biodiversity Areas, and how they see birds as an essential part of the story. Learn more about the ride at <a href='https://www.wingsofsurvival.com/'>wingsofsurvival.com</a> or support through their <a href='https://www.gofundme.com/f/wings-of-survival-expedition'>GoFundMe</a>. Timm Döbert holds a PhD in Global Change Ecology from the University of Western Australia. He studies the human footprint on natural ecosystems, motivated by a drive to safeguard wild spaces and wildlife. Timm is an member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Commission on Education and Communication, and the World Commission on Protected Areas. He holds fellowships in the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the Scientific Exploration Society and the World Explorers Collective. He is an Explorers Club member, an ambassador for the Athlete Media Group and Wilderness International, and a Global Sustainable Sport partner.Leanna Carriere is an endurance athlete, personal trainer and entrepreneur. For nearly a decade, she competed internationally in women’s pole vault and is recognised as Canada’s first female decathlete. She has completed several Ironman events, the Mt. Everest Marathon and the Patagonman Xtreme triathlon. She is the co-founder of Edmonton-based chocolate company 7 Summits Snacks. As a motivational speaker, she advocates for the deep connection between human and planetary health. She loves exploring the outdoors with her 6-year-old daughter Adalynn.Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.   <a rel="payment" href="https://conserve.birdscanada.org/page/117771/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=WarblersBuzzsprout">Support the show</a>

<description>&lt;p&gt;Migration is one of the most remarkable phenomena in the animal kingdom. What if the human body made the same trip?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Athletes Timm Döbert and Leanna Carriere join us to discuss their up-coming expedition, “Wings of Survival”, where they’ll bike from Alaska to Patagonia, following the route of the Whimbrel. This duo is using athletics to draw attention to nature and conservation. They tell us about their recent ride across Canada’s grasslands, how they’ve been linking Key Biodiversity Areas, and how they see birds as an essential part of the story. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Learn more about the ride at &lt;a href='https://www.wingsofsurvival.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;wingsofsurvival.com&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;or support through their&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.gofundme.com/f/wings-of-survival-expedition'&gt;&lt;b&gt;GoFundMe&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;b&gt;.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Timm Döbert &lt;/b&gt;holds a PhD in Global Change Ecology from the University of Western Australia. He studies the human footprint on natural ecosystems, motivated by a drive to safeguard wild spaces and wildlife. Timm is an member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Commission on Education and Communication, and the World Commission on Protected Areas. He holds fellowships in the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the Scientific Exploration Society and the World Explorers Collective. He is an Explorers Club member, an ambassador for the Athlete Media Group and Wilderness International, and a Global Sustainable Sport partner.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Leanna Carriere&lt;/b&gt; is an endurance athlete, personal trainer and entrepreneur. For nearly a decade, she competed internationally in women’s pole vault and is recognised as Canada’s first female decathlete. She has completed several Ironman events, the Mt. Everest Marathon and the Patagonman Xtreme triathlon. She is the co-founder of Edmonton-based chocolate company 7 Summits Snacks. As a motivational speaker, she advocates for the deep connection between human and planetary health. She loves exploring the outdoors with her 6-year-old daughter Adalynn.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Andrea Gress&lt;/b&gt; (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.  &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a rel="payment" href="https://conserve.birdscanada.org/page/117771/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=WarblersBuzzsprout"&gt;Support the show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

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 Carriere join us to discuss their up-coming expedition, “Wings of Survival”, where they’ll bike from Alaska to Patagonia, following the route of the Whimbrel. This duo is using athletics to draw attention to nature and conservation. They tell us about their recent ride across Canada’s grasslands, how they’ve been linking Key Biodiversity Areas, an...

Biking for Birds: athletics to inspire bird conservation

This award winning podcast shares Canadian information, insights and inspiration on the world of birds and bird conservation. The lively discussions are hosted by Andrea Gress whose curiosity leads to discovering fun facts and useful tips while travelling uncommon flight paths to learn from expert guests. Thanks to our incredible listeners, The Warblers podcast was named the winner of the 2022 Nature Inspiration Award - Canadian Museum of Nature in the non-profit (large) category! We would love to hear from you, let us know what you think about the podcast here or which topics you will love -&gt; podcast@birdscanada.org

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