Birding editor Ted Floyd is back for another edition of Random Birds. Ted and Nate talk about avocets, sparrows, and more with the help of a random number generator and a big list of birds. Plus, some talk about the brand-new National Geographic guides written by Ted

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Birders know about Big Data. We’re all familiar with eBird and the Avian Knowledge Network, but the Christmas Bird Count or the Breeding Bird Survey are giant pools of data that inform everything from conservation decisions to where to spend time tomorrow morning. But how can we use that data to encourage new birders or convince policy-makers to care about birds. It's something data artist Jer Thorp likes to think about. He is among other things, the New York Time’s first Data Artist in residence, and the creator of Bincoulars and Binomials and the author of the upcoming We Were Out Counting Birds.

Also, a new discovery about bird brains could have huge impacts about what we can learn about bird intelligence.

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February brings an all-star lineup to This Month in Birding, with long-time friends Jody Allair, Nick Lund, and Jordan Rutter joining us to talk about all manner of birdy topics. The panel discuss the latest birding news including bird communication, low-impact journals, snakeskin in bird nests, and our favorite signs of spring, even if the season itself seems far off.

Also, our 2025 slate of ABA Community Weekends is up. Come join us this year!

LInks to items discussed this month:

Evaluating biotic and abiotic drivers of avian community mobbing responses along urban gradients in Southern California

Snakeskin Isn’t Just a Fashion Statement for Birds

Want to get a species protected? Publish in a small, niche journal

Songbirds socialize on the wing during migration, study suggests

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