Ep 98. Bird feeding and book publishing with Darryl Jones

Don’t feed the birds! Well.. OK, if you must make sure you do it properly. Dr Darryl Jones is an urban ecologist who has spent years studying the interactions between humans and animals in towns and cities. One of the most common and widespread interactions between animals and humans is bird feeding. Despite how common it is, there has been very little research into the … Continue reading Ep 98. Bird feeding and book publishing with Darryl Jones

Ep 92. Bird brains, documentaries and serial killers with Lucy Farrow

Humans have the biggest brains of any animals… well, kind of… only if we correct for body size… which is important… we think. Understanding animal intelligence is difficult, especially when brains are so complex that our own brains might be incapable of understanding themselves. When it comes to animals, brain size has been a primary indicator of intelligence, however showing that having bigger brains leads … Continue reading Ep 92. Bird brains, documentaries and serial killers with Lucy Farrow

Ep 82. Emu farming, pregnancy tips and Bill Nye the Science Guy with Andrew Katsis

A single tweet can make all the difference, or at least it did for Andrew Katsis, who decided to get involved in the #billmeetsciencetwitter trend. Little did he know that his tweet would be seen by American television producers, who decided to fly Andrew over to LA to talk about this research on the Netflix show ‘Bill Nye Saves the World’. Andrew’s research looks at … Continue reading Ep 82. Emu farming, pregnancy tips and Bill Nye the Science Guy with Andrew Katsis

How much water does it take to grow a duck?

Wetlands, despite their name, aren’t always wet. But when the rain starts and the rivers flow theses dynamic landscapes can flourish with life. Though the question remains, how much water is enough? Freshwater ecosystems have been significantly altered by water management for human use. In particular, flow regulation has resulted in enormous declines in both the extent and health of wetlands. In 2018 Lindsey Frost … Continue reading How much water does it take to grow a duck?

Ep 40. Twitchers, miners and presidential decorum with Paul McDonald

Australia’s iconic birdlife can be a divisive issue. Whilst some species are welcomed into backyards and gardens, others are derided as pests and invaders. Paul McDonald studies the behaviour of one particularly divisive species, the Noisy Miner. Whilst many people may regard them as urban pests, Paul says that beneath their screeching facade they exhibit complex social behaviour, comparable even to primates. Paul McDonald is … Continue reading Ep 40. Twitchers, miners and presidential decorum with Paul McDonald