Okay, But... Birds

Dr. Scott Taylor

Climate Change

Birds

Winter Survival Strategies

Chickadees

Bird Behavior

Cold Weather Adaptation

Countercurrent Heat Exchange

Bird Coloration

Physiology

Ecosystems

Avian Influenza

H5N1

Bird Watching

Ornithologists

Bird Migration

Ecologists

Dinosaur Nuggets

Evolutionary Biology

Cornell Lab Of Ornithology

Disease Ecology

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. Beca... more

114 ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	26	Founded	7 months ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	ScienceEducationNature

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Guests Host Reviews Charts Talking Points

Latest Episodes

Okay, but... boobies!

E25. The blue-footed booby has become an internet personality: cartoon feet, a goofy strut, a name that practically begs to be a punchline. But Scott sat down with Dr. Carlos Zavalaga, Universidad Científica del Sur, and one of the people who first t... more

4 Jun 2026 • 34 min

Okay, but what about birds that can't fly?

E24. Flight is the thing we associate most with birds, so what does it mean when a lineage gives it up? Dr. Scott Edwards, Harvard, joins Scott to unpack how flightlessness evolves, why it keeps happening across the bird family tree, and what the gen... more

28 May 2026 • 32 min • Most popular

Okay, but can a bird really cooperate with humans?

E23. Across sub-Saharan Africa, wild birds and people work together to find honey. No taming, no breeding, no domestication… just a partnership thousands of years in the making. Behavioral ecologist Dr. Jessica van der Wal, FitzPatrick Institute of A... more

21 May 2026 • 33 min

Okay, but can birds predict the weather?

E22. Folklore says birds know a storm is coming before we do. Scott talks with Dr. Gunnar Kramer, Iowa State University, about what's actually happening when a tiny warbler decides it's time to fly, or time to bail.

In this episode:

• Why the quest... more

14 May 2026 • 34 min

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Recent Guests

Jessica van der Wal

Behavioral Ecologist and researcher at the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology in South Africa

FitzPatrick Institute / University of Cape Town (context inferred from title)

Episode: Okay, but can a bird really cooperate with humans?

Dr. Danielle Whittaker

Scientist studying chemical communication in birds

Oregon State University

Episode: Okay, but can birds smell?

Sushma Reddy

Breckenridge Chair of Ornithology at the Bell Museum; Associate Professor in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota

Bell Museum, University of Minnesota

Episode: Okay, but what can we learn from a drawer of birds?

Olivia Sanderfoot

Director of Project FeederWatch at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Episode: Okay, but are bird feeders helping or hurting?

Alex Kacelnik

Emeritus professor studying avian cognition and tool use

University of Oxford

Episode: Okay, but what's in a bird's toolbox?

Lucy Aplin

Associate professor at the Australian National University and the University of Zurich; studies animal cognition and culture

Australian National University; University of Zurich

Episode: Okay, but do birds have culture?

Chris Balakrishnan

Evolutionary biologist and associate adjunct professor at East Carolina University

East Carolina University

Episode: Okay, but why put eggs in another bird’s basket?

Doug Tallamy

Professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware

University of Delaware

Episode: Okay, but what makes a yard a bird paradise?

Daniel Field

Professor of Vertebrate Paleontology and Curator of Ornithology at Cambridge University

University of Cambridge

Episode: Okay, but what makes a bird… a bird? Hint: Dinosaurs!

Host

Scott Taylor

Host of Okay, But... Birds

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 114 ratings

Great show
Really well done. Highly recommended.
Apple Podcasts
5
Bayathread
United Statesa month ago
Excellent host, love the conversation with the guests
Scott Taylor hosts a perfect podcast. I’ve been listening to this bird podcast recently, and it’s become one of the best parts of my day. Each episode is only about 30 minutes, which makes it perfect for my morning and afternoon commute—it fits so naturally into that time without feeling like a commitment.
What’s surprised me most is how much I’ve learned in such a short span. The host make birding feel approachable and engaging, whether you’re a beginner or someone who already enjoys being out... more
Apple Podcasts
5
Coffeelover2012
United Statesa month ago
I love this podcast!!!
I’ll be listening to each podcast .. I just started today. Tonight, I can’t wait to listen with my favorite Aunt. Thank you for this intelligent, fun and uplifting podcast. So glad my passenger told me about it as I drove him to the airport the other day. So much respect and admiration for birds.
Apple Podcasts
5
HollisAnneMika
United States2 months ago
Always looking forward to next show
Excellent guests and and passionate host. Love the BS. Learning so much. Thank you.
Apple Podcasts
5
Di NOVA
United States3 months ago
Such a treat!
Educational and entertaining! I look forward to this podcast every week. Such a variety of interesting topics.
Apple Podcasts
5
Valley tree hugger
Canada4 months ago

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Listeners Say

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

Content is informative and family-friendly, with accessible science storytelling.

Listeners appreciate practical takeaways and real-world examples.

Guests are consistently high quality and bring expertise.

Tone is approachable and confident, suitable for broad audiences.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts	#9	United States/Science/Nature
Apple Podcasts	#44	United States/Science
Apple Podcasts	#14	Canada/Science/Nature
Apple Podcasts	#44	United Kingdom/Science/Nature
Apple Podcasts	#103	Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts	#228	United Kingdom/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Okay, but can a bird really cooperate with humans?

Q: How do we know this is true interspecific cooperation rather than humans simply paying attention to a nearby bird?

Cooperation is evidenced by both sides actively influencing each other's behavior to achieve mutual benefit, with the bird emitting a distinctive chattering call to recruit humans and humans using culturally specific signals to follow and share rewards.

Okay, but can a bird really cooperate with humans?

Q: If you could talk about this remarkable partnership between Honeyguides and people and what each side gets out of this, what would you say?

The Greater Honeyguide guides humans to bee nests, in return receiving access to wax and larvae; humans receive honey and the birds benefit from a reliable food source, illustrating a mutualistic relationship that is learned and culturally embedded across regions.

Okay, but can birds smell?

Q: Of course. Most people assume birds do not have a sense of smell. Why is that such a pervasive belief?

The belief stems from two centuries of assumptions and a misinterpretation of brain structure, plus early experiments that didn't account for ecological contexts; recent work shows birds do use smell in meaningful ways, including signaling breeding condition and health through odors.

Okay, but what can we learn from a drawer of birds?

Q: How has genomics changed our understanding of bird evolution compared to traditional morphology?

Genomics can confirm or overturn morphology-based assumptions, showing that some visually similar species are not closely related, while uncovering deep connections that reshape the avian family tree.

Okay, but what can we learn from a drawer of birds?

Q: What makes museum specimens uniquely valuable for answering questions about biodiversity over time?

They provide a tangible record of individuals, time, and place that can be reanalyzed with new tools, revealing changes in diet, environment, and evolutionary relationships that aren't evident from contemporary observations alone.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Okay, But... Birds

What is Okay, But... Birds about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show delivers bite-sized, scientifically grounded explorations of birds, blending accessible biology with concrete, real-world applications. Episodes span habitat design for backyard birds, avian evolution, cooperative breeding, cold adaptation, coloration and vision, migration, urban ecology, and conservation challenges like habitat loss and avian influenza. Guests are renowned scientists and science communicators who explain complex ideas with practical takeaways, often tying research to everyday experiences such as gardening, city living, citizen science, and birdwatching culture. A standout feature is the approachable storytelling that makes advanced ornithology engaging for a broad audience while highlighting timely ecological issu... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Okay, But... Birds?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Okay, But... Birds:

1. The Science of Birds
2. The American Birding Podcast
3. The Warblers by Birds Canada
4. Life List: A Birding Podcast
5. BirdNote Daily

How many episodes of Okay, But... Birds are there?

Okay, But... Birds launched 7 months ago and published 26 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 Okay, But... Birds?

Recent guests on Okay, But... Birds include:

1. Jessica van der Wal
2. Dr. Danielle Whittaker
3. Sushma Reddy
4. Olivia Sanderfoot
5. Alex Kacelnik
6. Lucy Aplin
7. Chris Balakrishnan
8. Doug Tallamy

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