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The American Birding Podcast

American Birding Association
Birding
Bird Conservation
Conservation
Ebird
Climate Change
Birding Community
Birds
American Birding Association
Bird Behavior
Rare Birds
Bird Taxonomy
Birding Magazine
Gulls
Golden-Winged Warbler
South America
Eponymous Bird Names
Warbling Vireo
Horned Lark
Bird Intelligence
Colombia

The American Birding Podcast brings together staff and friends of the American Birding Association as we talk about birds, birding, travel and conservation in North America and beyond. Join host Nate Swick every Thursday for news and happenings, recent rarities, guests from around the birding world, and features of interest to every birder.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes419Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NatureHobbiesLeisureScience

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Artwork for The American Birding Podcast

Latest Episodes

It's spooky season and we have a terrifyingly good lineup for the This Month in Birding panel for October 2026. This month sees TMIB rookie Emmy Broeg along with veteran bird talkers Nick Lund and Tim Healy for discussions about birds in media, celeb... more

Birders across the ABA Area are taking part in their state or province's Breeding Bird Atlas project, with 44 States and 8 provinces taking on the project to build a bigger and more precise look at where birds are. California is the latest, and the b... more

Birders know that the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Duck Stamp program is one of the most effective conservation initiatives in the US, but what of the Duck Stamps themselves? How are they chosen? What do judges look for? Why does one family always... more

The recent split of our Mew Gulls into Short-billed Gull and Common Gull, in the Americas and Eurasia, respectively, has offered yet another complicated identification concern for dedicated gull-watchers to ponder. And ponder they have, in North Amer... more

Key Facts

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Contact Information
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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Morgan Tingley
Bird scientist and professor who studies bird range shifts and climate change
University of California, Los Angeles
Episode: 10-42: Mapping California's Birds with Morgan Tingley and Sam Safran
Sam Safron
Bird scientist and California Bird Atlas team member
University of California, Los Angeles
Episode: 10-42: Mapping California's Birds with Morgan Tingley and Sam Safran
Catherine Hamilton
Southern California-based birder and artist; 2026 Duck Stamp Art Judge
Duck Stamp judging panel
Episode: 10-41: How to Pick a Duck Stamp with Catherine Hamilton
Amar Ayyash
Author of The Gull Guide, ornithologist
The Gull Guide / North American Birds
Episode: 10-40: Not So Common Gulls with Amar Ayyash
John McCormack
Director of the Moore Lab of Zoology at Occidental College
Occidental College, Moore Lab of Zoology
Episode: 10-39: Secrets of SoCal Parrots with John McCormack
Andres Jimenez
Executive director of Ontario Nature, conservationist
Ontario Nature
Episode: 10-38: This Month in Birding - September 2026
Mikko Jimenez
Conservation ecologist at the Field Museum, Chicago
The Field Museum
Episode: 10-38: This Month in Birding - September 2026
Sarah Swanson
Bird Alliance of Oregon author and birder
Bird Alliance of Oregon
Episode: 10-38: This Month in Birding - September 2026
Tyler Wenzel
Costa Rica birder on the eBird team; author of ABA article on El Niño
American Birding Association / Costa Rica eBird team
Episode: 10-37: El Niño in Central America and Beyond with Tyler Wenzel

Host

Nate Swick
Host of The American Birding Podcast; leads discussions on birds, birding culture, and conservation.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Pretty good but kind of boring

    I found this quite interesting, with a lot of information. I learned a lot by just listening to one episode, but I would have liked a little more on the entertaining aspect. Otherwise, this is a great podcast for birders and non-birders alike.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    True_Reviews_by_Sunny
    United States5 days ago
  • Random Birds June 2026

    As a teenaged birder in New England the early 70’s, I vividly remember absurdly tame Pine Grosbeaks feeding on Multiflora Rose fruits during a winter irruption . Those were not House Finches which were familiar to us when visiting our feeders. No conspiracy, Mr. Swick!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gopher is
    United States4 months ago
  • Completely deteriorated

    June 2026 Update

    Still completely silly and woke. In the June update they focused significant time on all of the identity politics the panelists embrace, Philadelphia Queer Birders, Portland Feminist Birders. Give us a break.

    So exhausting.

    Original Review

    I don’t know what has happened to the host of the show. It used to be valuable, however, after the death of George Floyd it’s just turned into a political rant. It seems as though every episode has to do with some aggrieved identity g... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Alden Guy
    United States4 months ago
  • Hunting birds should not be talked about on a birding podcast

    I found this podcast because I’m a new birder and I absolutely love some of the information I’ve learned from both this podcast and fellow birders I’ve been introduced to but I’m listening to a podcast right now about a guest that’s bragging about growing up in a hunting family and very comfortable hunting and shooting birds and how there’s also raptors that are being shot down because they’re essentially “in the wrong place”. What a terrible thing to say when we should be protecting nature. I t... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    MelissaMM30
    United States5 months ago
  • No to Politics

    During the interview with 10 birds - obvious political rhetoric started to intrude upon an otherwise decent podcast. Politics has absolutely ZERO place in bird watching. To escape the world and relax myself and others pursue birding. Just us and nature. No left no right no… just us and the birds. Keep the political divisive rhetoric to other podcasts as there are plenty of them. Keep this about birds.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    RNolter
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High appreciation for community-building and accessibility for newer birders
Engaging guests with diverse birding perspectives and science
Some listeners feel episodes become politically charged; overall praise for diversity of topics and hosts
Strong mix of fieldwork and policy discussion that informs practical birding

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#16
United States/Science/Nature
Apple Podcasts
#124
United States/Science
Apple Podcasts
#58
Canada/Science/Nature
Apple Podcasts
#156
United Kingdom/Science/Nature
Apple Podcasts
#46
Germany/Science/Nature
Apple Podcasts
#87
Australia/Science/Nature

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

10-42: Mapping California's Birds with Morgan Tingley and Sam Safran
Q: Can you distinguish genuine shifts in ranges of some of these birds from changes in where birders are looking?
Morgan Tingley says researchers account for observer bias using block-level analysis and statistical models that incorporate checklist details such as observer numbers, duration, distance and time of day.
10-42: Mapping California's Birds with Morgan Tingley and Sam Safran
Q: What does the Bird Atlas tell us that the existing data, maybe brought in by eBird, maybe in these previous bird atlases projects, these county-level atlas projects, what do they not have that you need for this bigger Bird Atlas project?
Sam Safron explains that atlases record evidence of breeding behavior, such as nesting or carrying food, which most eBird checklists do not capture. Before the project, many California blocks had no breeding-season checklists or breeding codes.
10-41: How to Pick a Duck Stamp with Catherine Hamilton
Q: What is the judging process like for the duck stamp contest?
Judges meet on a panel, view all entries anonymously, and vote in rounds; the process is live and highly controlled, with penalties for conflicts of interest and no interaction between judges during voting.
10-41: How to Pick a Duck Stamp with Catherine Hamilton
Q: How did you get selected to participate as a duck stamp judge?
Hamilton explains she was invited after a referral from a friend and notes that representation from wildlife management and hunter circles helped her get the role, despite not being a regular in those communities.
10-40: Not So Common Gulls with Amar Ayyash
Q: What is the current understanding of why these gulls are showing up more in North America?
Amar explains that it is likely a combination of climate-driven changes in the Arctic and increased observer coverage; more eyes and better technology enable identification of rare gulls that previously went undocumented, creating a perception of increased frequency.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Location
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Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About The American Birding Podcast

What is The American Birding Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A knowledge-forward, wide-ranging show that centers birds, birding culture, science, and conservation with a strong North American focus. Episodes commonly feature expert guests—from avian ecologists and conservationists to taxonomy and citizen-science practitioners—as they unpack topics like migration, urban ecology, AI in birding data, habitat restoration, and community engagement. A distinguishing trait is the balance between rigorous scientific discussion and community-building stories, practical fieldTips, and occasional light-hearted banter. The format often blends panel-style debates, in-depth interviews, and on-the-ground case studies, making it valuable for researchers, educators, birders, and conservation advocates looking for act... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The American Birding Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The American Birding Podcast:

1. Life List: A Birding Podcast
2. The Science of Birds
3. BirdNote Daily
4. Okay, But... Birds
5. Nature Guys

How many episodes of The American Birding Podcast are there?

The American Birding Podcast launched 10 years ago and published 419 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The American Birding Podcast?

Recent guests on The American Birding Podcast include:

1. Morgan Tingley
2. Sam Safron
3. Catherine Hamilton
4. Amar Ayyash
5. John McCormack
6. Andres Jimenez
7. Mikko Jimenez
8. Sarah Swanson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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