Dirty Bird Podcast

31

In each episode, your host Dr. John tells you everything you need to know about a bird species with a laid back attitude. Learn about bird evolution, taxonomy, and behavior, with a few myths and legends mixed in. John keeps the banter light, the energy bright, and the humor raunchy. Warning: Fowl language Follow on Instagram @Dirtybirdpodcast, send listener mail or voice memos at dirtybirdpodcast@gmail.com to have them heard on the show! Theme song by Dick Piston, aka Ricky Pistone. Outro music by the Sidewalk Slammers

Recent Episodes
  • Episode 75: Let you Hair(y) Down(y): All about the Hairy and Downy Woodpecker
    Apr 25, 2025 – 47:59
  • Episode 74: Big Socks? Big Hawks! (Red-Tailed Hawk)
    Mar 27, 2025 – 01:00:20
  • Episode 73: Whoop! There it is! (Whooping Crane)
    Feb 19, 2025 – 52:54
  • Episode 72: Flockin' Robin (American Robin)
    Dec 29, 2024 – 01:02:36
  • Episode 71: Talk Turkey To Me: Dirty Bird Thanksgiving Special!
    Nov 16, 2024 – 01:13:54
  • Episode 70: That's so Raven (Common Raven)
    Oct 14, 2024 – 01:01:30
  • Episode 69: Bat Bird: The nocturnal, cave-dwelling Oilbird
    Sep 27, 2024 – 01:03:54
  • Episode 68: Skit-Scatbird (Gray Catbird)
    Aug 7, 2024 – 01:01:52
  • Episode 67: But I'm a Creeper, I'm a weirdo (Brown Creeper)
    Apr 26, 2024 – 46:01
  • Episode 66: Waxwing On, Waxwing Off (Cedar Waxwing)
    Mar 21, 2024 – 59:15
  • Episode 65: Fight for your Kite to Party! (White-Tailed Kite)
    Feb 14, 2024 – 41:04
  • Episode 64: It's a Hard (wood) Cock Life: (American Woodcock)
    Jan 16, 2024 – 58:06
  • Episode 63: Forever A-Loon (Common Loon)
    Nov 17, 2023 – 01:06:41
  • Episode 62: Dirty Bird Shorties: The Common Loon
    Nov 17, 2023 – 02:33
  • Episode 61: Dirty Bird Shorties- Magnificent Frigatebird
    Sep 29, 2023 – 03:09
  • Episode 60: Frig Off! (Magnificent Frigatebird)
    Sep 29, 2023 – 52:09
  • Episode 59: An Elephant Bird Never Forgets: The 4 Extinct Elephant Birds of Madagascar
    Aug 23, 2023 – 01:19:09
  • Episode 58: Spread Eagle: All about America's bird the Bald Eagle
    Jul 1, 2023 – 01:31:34
  • Episode 57: Swift Into High Gear (White-Throated Swift)
    Jun 1, 2023 – 53:03
  • Episode 56: Boom Chika Boom! All About the Humble Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)
    May 13, 2023 – 01:28:56
  • Episode 55: Don't Kria Over Spilled Milk: The Birds of Iceland Round 2 with special guest Cass
    Apr 11, 2023 – 01:05:06
  • Episode 54: Bachman's Warbler Overdrive (BWO)
    Mar 21, 2023 – 01:23:58
  • Episode 53: At Godwit's End (Bar-Tailed Godwit)
    Feb 26, 2023 – 01:04:11
  • Episode 52: Talk Is Cheep: Shooting the Bird Sh*t with Animal Keeper Gavin of the Maymont Foundation
    Jan 31, 2023 – 01:11:40
  • Episode 51: Pigeon Power (Rock Dove Part 2)
    Dec 30, 2022 – 01:12:54
  • Episode 50: Pigeon A-Holed (Rock Dove) Part 1
    Dec 19, 2022 – 01:07:56
  • Episode 49: Okie Dokie Towhee (Eastern and Spotted Towhee)
    Nov 12, 2022 – 01:00:25
  • Episode 48: Bird Keepin' It Real: Interview with Animal Keeper Gavin McGrath of Maymont Foundation in Richmond, Virginia
    Oct 2, 2022 – 56:36
  • Episode 47: Ready and Whip-Poor-Willing (Eastern Whip-Poor-Will)
    Aug 19, 2022 – 52:08
  • Episode 46: Lord of The Wings: The Birds of Tolkien's Middle Earth and Undying Lands
    Jun 30, 2022 – 01:35:49
  • Episode 45: Talon-ted Flyers (Peregrine Falcon)
    May 26, 2022 – 01:09:47
  • Episode 44: Pane in the Glass: The Deadly Effect of Windows on Birds: An Interview with Dr. Daniel Klem Jr., author of Solid Air- Invisible Killer- Saving Billions of Birds from Windows
    Apr 26, 2022 – 01:10:18
  • Episode 43: Tell It Shrike It Is (Loggerhead Shrike)
    Mar 23, 2022 – 01:11:10
  • Episode 42: Top of the Mourning to Ya! (Mourning Dove)
    Feb 23, 2022 – 01:13:57
  • Episode 41: Nerds of a Feather: Interview with Wildlife Researcher Dack
    Jan 16, 2022 – 01:14:33
  • Episode 40: Don't Poo Poo the Hoopoe! (Eurasian Hoopoe, African Hoopoe, Madagascar Hoopoe)
    Dec 21, 2021 – 01:12:50
  • Episode 39: Pelican I kick it? Yes you can! (Brown Pelican)
    Nov 30, 2021 – 01:17:48
  • Episode 38: If the Shoe(bill) Fits: (Shoebill Stork)
    Nov 10, 2021 – 01:10:44
  • Episode 37: Puffin Puffin Pass (Atlantic Puffin)
    Oct 3, 2021 – 01:01:03
  • Episode 36: Bittern Pill to Swallow (American Bittern, Least Bittern)
    Sep 3, 2021 – 54:52
  • Episode 35: Flying Fish: Collab with Katie Osborn of the Fisherwoman Podcast
    Aug 18, 2021 – 01:03:43
  • Episode 34: Flying Purple People Eater: Extinct Giant Raptors of New Zealand (Haast's Eagle, Eyles's Harrier)
    Aug 2, 2021 – 37:32
  • Episode 33: No Mo Moa: The 9 Extinct Moa Species of New Zealand
    Jul 19, 2021 – 55:37
  • Episode 32: Royal Peckers: The (Probably) Extinct Imperial Woodpecker
    Jun 24, 2021 – 01:08:54
  • Episode 31: What’s In Your Birdseed? PLUS Dirty Bird Names Quiz
    Jun 13, 2021 – 01:09:45
  • Episode 30: Birds, Bees, and Chimpanzees: Interview with Bill Wallauer, Cinematographer and Scientific Advisor for the Jane Goodall Institute
    May 26, 2021 – 01:14:58
  • Episode 29: Heron Addicts (Great Blue Heron)
    May 4, 2021 – 01:10:09
  • Episode 28: A Ballad About Song Sparrows
    Apr 11, 2021 – 57:15
  • Episode 27: Battle of the Bird Bands: Interview with Prof Jeremy Hyman on Song Sparrows
    Mar 31, 2021 – 44:54
  • Episode 26: Carrion My Vulture Sons (Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture)
    Mar 5, 2021 – 01:11:58
Recent Reviews
  • Kestrel lover
    American Kestrel
    My favorite bird that is a small and mighty. I am in love with this podcast informative and fun!
  • RegulationRach
    A flocking favorite!
    A couple years ago I was sitting on my patio specifically looking for a podcast about the Carolina wren, and came across “No Country for Old Wren.” I was immediately hooked. I swear every few minutes I paused to go tell my husband an interesting fact I’d just learned about our favorite backyard resident. Then, I caught up with every available episode and have been following along ever since. I’m so appreciative of this podcast, and should have left a review much sooner! Every episode is jam packed with information and dusted with a healthy dose of humor. I love that the topics range from birds in my backyard to extinct species, to LOTR birds. I’m also pretty keen on the episode names! If I have one request, it would be for another episode about warblers! Can’t wait to hear what’s to come.
  • annoyed.with.tik.tok.
    I 💗 gray catbirds (AKA skit-scatbirds!)
    and I love this podcast! the first episode I listened to was the one about gray catbirds, and I was immediately intrigued. it was so cool to learn more about these neat birds. I love how you compare them to jazz musicians! I’ve started listening to the other episodes as well. each one is chock-full of super interesting bird facts (and some puns as well). you’re great at telling these stories and combining all the bird info into a beginner-friendly episode! I have one request: an episode about american robins, if you feel like it! keep up the good work!!
  • A. IX C.
    Kleptoparasitism
    An absolutely wonderful birding podcast that is entertaining, thoughtful, and inspiring. As a relatively new birder, the information is invaluable and the format is perfection. One, of many, things a I have learned is that even if a ‘show’ bird is not in your backyard, you can practice your amateur ornithology by monitoring the behavior of more common species. Lastly, I use the term ‘kleptoparasitism’ way too much.
  • Em6768
    Learning and Laughing
    I listen to this podcast at work and quite often have to hold in the laughter to avoid weird looks from others. When I’m not suppressing a laugh I’m learning and it’s the best! Anytime I see a new episode is available I know it’s about to be a great day. Thank you, John!
  • pyramid life
    Wren you want to make a gourde-ous birdhouse...
    Found the dirty birdie 'No Home for Old Wren' podcast to learn all about the bird I was looking to home. Then I spent the day drilling out seasoned gourdes for next spring's wrens and learning about my old favorite bird. Then I kept listening while refilling the birdfeeders, cleaning the gutters and planning for the all important winter watering hole. And THEN found a paper wasp hive on freecycle... I sure hope you're right that the wasps won't still be in house in January! (Contrary to what may be popular opinion, I want more pods about backyard birds and the common guys I may see around. Or maybe one of bird lore, like 'Cardinals mean your dead loved ones are back in town'.)
  • RMbirder
    Best Dirty Bird ever
    Great information on a variety of birds. Perfect mix of entertainment and bird facts. As a newbie birder I am learning lots! Thanks for all the research, how do you find the time?
  • Laura the bird nerd
    Amazing quality!
    This is a fantastic podcast to gain a grasp on a variety of species. Thank you for the great content.
  • JacobRWV
    JRO
    Best podcast to get drunk and learn about birds!
  • booty4ever
    Fun and informative - my new favorite podcast!
    I recently started commuting to work after over a year and a half of working from home. Dirty Bird makes the adjustment to commuting again a LOT more bearable! I’ve learned so much and have laughed along the way. I’d recommend the podcast to both casual nature lovers and hardcore birders alike - a funny, lighthearted approach to learning more about our feathered friends. 🙂
  • kwjsakrnejaj
    Birds are great and so is John
    Love this podcast! I love birds and I’ve enjoyed learning about them. John is a great host. Clearly does his research and is passionate and enthusiastic about his subject. Great sound quality as well!
  • Heman978
    Puffins, song sparrows, and turkey vultures oh my
    A great podcast that keeps me engaged as I navigate through the bird world. John adds a little zip/zing to his wonderful bird podcast making his show sooo easy to digest. There’s even an episode that touch upon MURDER! But birds are involved?? Plumage wars 😮Thanks for enlightening me John. Keep it going, I listen to every episode!!
  • Chelsey WV
    Bird knowledge for the “Not so Birdie”
    “Bird-Nerd.” That is now something I would have to call myself after listening to several of these podcasts! Also, from Elkins, WV, I would have been one of the “women of Walmart” in search of the right feed for my feeder! Honestly, I never thought I would be the kind of person looking forward to talking about birds… but here we are. 🤷‍♀️ Thanks to my partner, Jen, who turned me on to all of this “birding”. I now use The Dirty Bird to share and grow my knowledge-base. I just keep coming back for more! Again, who knew? Thanks John and all your fantastic guests that make the podcast what it is. It’s awesome to build up our own little backyard bungalow with a little guidance from The Dirty Bird.
  • Lace.Wing
    Please keep it coming!
    Loaded with great information and I love the Native American mythology. Great touch! The format is relatable and wide ranging and often recorded outside with birds and other wildlife chiming in. Learn a lot and always have fun listening to this great podcast.
  • lorij3xyzs
    Lori.ann_
    Enjoy listening to the facts and fables surrounding bird life! John's style is classic meets Howard Stern with a genuineness that captures the listener to wonder what they have been missing all around them!
  • Doc Oldie
    fun stuff
    listening to this podcast makes me feel young again!
  • john janousek
    Low budget but fun
    Obviously just a guy who bought a mic and decided to talk about birds with his friends. I like the episodes recorded outside
  • the.samijo
    Witty, entertaining and educational
    Love this birdcast! So informative and fun!
  • Soggy Trousers
    Loved it all around
    Very entertaining presentation of birding facts compared to other mediums. Tons of great information and easy to listen to, very refreshing approach to ornithology. Highly recommend for any nature enthusiasts. Keep ‘em coming!
  • birdguy13
    Bird Boner
    This guys voice and the cute way he mispronounces words along with his vast knowledge of all things birds and nature, has given me a boner that I’ve not been able to quell since the first episode. A nature boner if you will. People with all levels of knowledge will come away learning something, and if you’re lucky enough like me, a nature erection that just won’t quit. Give it a listen!
  • Junco Junky
    Great Birdcast
    Funny & informative chat with people passionate about nature!
  • whoopsie b
    Easygoing, informative, funny
    You can tell these guys know and care a lot about birds and nature. Nice to hear a laid back conversation about an interesting topic. Also, while jokes aren’t a focus of the podcast, the banter definitely made me laugh a few times. Looking forward to more!
  • hats and ponchos
    Clean these birds!
    Where is Dawn dish detergent am I right!?! Dirty birds! Haha these guys are funny and entertaining.
  • The Night Heron
    Educational and funny
    If you want to get a little ‘birdy’ and talk about these fascinating creatures like you would with a group of friends, this podcast is for you! Great topics so far, can’t wait to hear what’s next.
  • The White Kanye West
    Top 5 birding podcast on ITunes!
    Engaging, educational and a bit eccentric! I loved the first couple episodes, and can’t wait for more!
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