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Okay, But... Birds

Okay, But... Birds

By: Dr. Scott Taylor
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Summary
 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.Okay Media Biological Sciences Science
Episodes
  • Okay, but is birdsong really a boys club?

    Okay, but is birdsong really a boys club?
    Nov 12 2026
    E48. Picture a bird singing. Odds are you pictured a male, because that is what the field guides taught us. Dr. Karan Odom of the University of the Pacific studies female birdsong, and she explains why assuming that the bird singing is male says more about scientists than about the birds. Support the science: there are still species where nobody has checked whether the female sings. The Female Birdsong Project turns 10 in 2027 and is raising money to fill those gaps. Donate at femalebirdsong.org. In this episode, you'll hear about: Who was singing when the very first songbirds evolved The backyard birds where she sings too, and how to tell when it is her Tropical wren pairs that sing in such a coordinated way that they sound like one bird All audio, video, and images in this episode are either original to Okay, But... Birds (© Okay Media, LLC) or used under license/permission from the respective rights holders. Media from the Macaulay Library is used courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as follows: Northern Cardinal audio contributed by Wil Hershberger, ML100764 Bullock's Oriole audio contributed by William R. Fish, ML22790 Northern Mockingbird audio contributed by Bob McGuire, ML197002 Black-capped Chickadee audio contributed by Bob McGuire, ML197114 Tufted Titmouse audio contributed by Randolph Little, ML191246 White-breasted Nuthatch audio contributed by Wil Hershberger, ML306062 Gray Catbird audio contributed by Wil Hershberger, ML94317 Northern House Wren audio contributed by Randolph Little, ML144011 Bay Wren audio contributed by David L. Ross, Jr., ML57484
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    30 mins
  • Okay, but how bad are cats for birds?

    Okay, but how bad are cats for birds?
    Nov 5 2026
    E47. Cats kill billions of birds every year, but where does that number come from, and does the cat on your couch count? Dr. Pete Marra, dean of the Earth Commons at Georgetown University and co-author of Cat Wars, unpacks the science behind one of the most heated fights in bird conservation. Want to go deeper? Pick up Pete’s book, Cat Wars: The Devastating Consequences of a Cuddly Killer, co-written with Chris Santella. In this episode, you'll hear about: How one lighthouse keeper's cat and her offspring caused the extinction of a bird almost as soon as it was discovered Whether that little bell on a cat's collar actually does anything Why New Zealand and Australia are making some of the toughest calls in conservation All audio, video, and images in this episode are either original to Okay, But... Birds (© Okay Media, LLC) or used under license/permission from the respective rights holders. Media from the Macaulay Library is used courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as follows: Galapagos Petrel audio contributed by Robert J. Tomkins, ML20313 Floreana Mockingbird audio contributed by Robert I. Bowman, ML85455
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    31 mins
  • Okay, but why are we obsessed with crows and ravens?

    Okay, but why are we obsessed with crows and ravens?
    Oct 29 2026
    E46. Crows and ravens fill our oldest stories, and plenty of us want one as a friend. Dr. Claudia Wascher, professor of behavioral biology at Anglia Ruskin University, explains what makes corvids seem so clever, when clever turns out to be something simpler, and why befriending them is a bad idea. In this episode, you'll hear about: The crow named Hugo, and what his flock started saying once he was gone Why a walnut dropped at a red light may be less clever than it looks What a goose's heartbeat reveals about how birds feel All audio, video, and images in this episode are either original to Okay, But... Birds (© Okay Media, LLC) or used under license/permission from the respective rights holders. Media from the Macaulay Library is used courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as follows: American Crow audio contributed by Bob McGuire, ML229089 Common Raven audio contributed by Gerrit Vyn, ML132161 Steller's Jay audio contributed by Wil Hershberger, ML539738 Hawaiian Crow video contributed by Timothy Barksdale, ML425081 Rook audio contributed by James (Jim) Holmes, ML635593051 Eurasian Jay audio contributed by James (Jim) Holmes, ML32278971 Carrion Crow audio contributed by Bob McGuire, ML231022 Australian Magpie audio contributed by Emma Greig, ML218159 House Crow video contributed by Raphaël Nussbaumer, ML241917321 Red-tailed Hawk audio contributed by David McCartt, ML229578 Graylag Goose audio contributed by Bob McGuire, ML233387
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    36 mins
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