While working with Piping Plovers in June of 2022, Andrea Gress and the rest of the plover team, observed a same-sex pairing between two well known plovers. It was a first for the species.

But was it really?

In today's episode, Andrea shares a brief history of how queerness in nature was viewed by the scientific community, and how these perspectives have evolved. To explore this further, we also re-share an episode originally aired in 2022: Piping Plovers - A Love Story.

As promised, here are some additional resources to explore:

Watch:

Animal Pride: Nature's Coming Our Story, the Nature of Things

Listen:

A Field Guide to Gay Animals by Canadaland

The Seagulls by Radiolab

Read:

Same-sex partnerships in birds: a review of the current literature and a call for more data by Gillies and Siddiqi-Davies 2025

Same-sex sexual behaviour among mammals is widely observed, yet seldomly reported: Evidence from an online expert survey by Anderson et al 2024

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.

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Discover the fascinating world of the White-throated Sparrow: birds with two colour morphs, a unique mating system, and songs that spread like the latest Taylor Swift release. Professors Ken Otter and Scott Ramsay reveal the surprising complexity behind these seemingly ordinary birds.

When you order from birdsandbeans.ca/warblers Birds and Beans donates to this podcast, plus you support bird-friendly coffee farms which provide essential habitat, simply by drinking a cup of coffee.

Scott Ramsay is a Biology professor at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON, where he has been studying White-throated Sparrows since 2001. Since joining the faculty at Laurier, his research has included studies of the White-throated Sparrow populations in Algonquin Park, and Prince George BC in collaboration with Ken Otter.

Ken Otter is a professor at the University of Northern British Columbia. Ken and his team were behind much of the song research for White-throated Sparrows. His primary interest is in how forest birds respond to anthropogenic disturbance.

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.

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In this episode we get answers to some of our biggest questions about bird songs, calls, and non-vocal sounds. Learn how thrushes make that haunting flute-like sound, listen to the duetting phenomenon of tropical songbirds, and explore how some birds learn their songs while others don’t. Dive into the complex world of avian communication – and so much more!

Help the iconic Wood Thrush and so many more migratory birds by drinking Bird-friendly Certified Coffee. When you order from birdsandbeans.ca/warblers Birds and Beans donates to this podcast.

Dan Mennill is a Professor of Ornithology at the University of Windsor. He studies acoustic communication in wild animals, especially the songs of birds. He has helped pioneer many new recording and playback technologies for field research. He has published more than 180 papers in scientific journals and supervised more than 40 graduate students.

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.

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The birds are back! From raptors doing trust falls, to grebes running across water - birds are displaying their finest selves all across Canada!

In this episode, Kyle Horner breaks down the common, the weird, and the obscure bird behaviours that you should be looking for this spring. We also get interesting insights into the "mess" that is the Canada Goose. And Kyle shares what he considers the best birds to look for at this time of year, whether you're in Halifax, Kelowna, or somewhere in between!

Want more info on how to help birds? Visit Your Guide to Helping Canada's Birds.

Birds and Beans will donate to this podcast when you use the code "warblers" at checkout. Thanks for your support!

Kyle Horner was gifted the love of birdlife and storytelling from his father. From a young age he was obsessed with talking about nature to others (whether or not they wanted to hear it), and his career has been spent doing just that. Kyle has worked in environmental education and science communication for parks, zoos, botanical gardens, outreach programs, non-profits, and the University of Guelph. As the NatureCounts Engagement Coordinator, he is excited to find the stories in the data and share the incredible potential of this fascinating project.

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.

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The Breeding Bird Atlas is the ultimate province-wide bird survey. In this episode, Atlas coordinators from Newfoundland, Ontario, and Saskatchewan share how and why Atlassing is a key part of bird conservation. We hear their biggest challenges, favourite stories from the field, and why you should be a part of it all. From boast worthy birds, to blackflies - the Breeding Bird Atlas is a project driven by a love for birds and for Canada's most far to reach places.

It's not too late to join an Atlas!

• Newfoundland: nf.birdatlas.ca
• Ontario: birdsontario.org

Pull out the camping pot, boil some water, and brew some bird-friendly coffee! Birds and Beans will donate to this podcast when you use the code "warblers" at checkout.

Catherine Dale had an early career job studying Tree Swallows which sparked her love for birds, animal behaviour, and spending time in the field. She began working with Birds Canada in 2019 as the Coordinator of the Newfoundland Breeding Bird Atlas, and has spent the past six years learning about the amazing province she now calls home. She also coordinates the NL Nocturnal Owl Survey and the newly launched Short-eared Owl Survey.

Kaelyn Bumelis spent her undergraduate summers studying aerial insectivores, which inspired her to pursue a Master of Science in Biology at Western University, where she focused on niche segregation among sympatric Barn, Cliff, and Tree swallows. Today, Kaelyn serves as the Project Manager for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, a role that allows her to blend her love of birding and conservation with her enthusiasm for connecting and exchanging knowledge with others.

LeeAnn Latremouille is originally from Montreal, but fell in love with the prairies and has called Saskatoon home for the last 10 years. In addition to coordinating the Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas, she also runs the Saskatchewan Nocturnal Owl Survey, delivers the MarshWatch educational program, and has recently taken on a role with our Grassland Bird Conservation Team as the coordinator for the Integrated Monitoring of Bird Conservation Regions effort in Prairie Canada.

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.

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By size, shape and style, you might mistake this owl for a cuddly toy, but it's actually a deadly predator. In today's episode we chat about the Northern Saw-whet Owl - their adaptations, how to identify them by sound, how banding operations are helping to track their populations, and how you could get involved!

Happy Superb Owl day! #superbowl

Protect habitat while sipping on a cup of bird-friendly coffee! Birds and Beans will even donate to this podcast when you use the code "warblers" at checkout.

Join the Nocturnal Owl Survey, or keep an eye out for owl banding at a banding station near you. Follow Long Point Bird Observatory on FB or IG @longpointbirds

Kyle Cameron got hooked on birds from a young age and turned it into a career! He currently works as the Ontario Projects Biologist for Birds Canada, where he provides contributions to numerous projects including education programming, the Motus wildlife tracking system, and the Long Point Bird Observatory.

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.

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As a special treat we've rounded up some of your most curious bird related questions and answered them in this episode (or tried to!).

Why do some birds have red eyes? Can owls hybridize? Can birds smell? And of course, we'll try to solve the hotdog mystery.

Help us keep doing what we do best by donating today. Or another great way to help...
Order some bird-friendly coffee for your cozy holiday season, and when you use the code "warblers", Birds and Beans will donate to this podcast.

Check out Winter is better with Project FeederWatch for more information about bird feeding, or How do birds survive the extremes of winter?! for some mind blowing winter bird facts!

Some of you asked where to find ornithology jobs. We recommend checking the Birds Canada site if you'd like to work with us! Or check out Work Cabin for jobs in the larger conservation community.

Others asked for audio and birdsong resources for North America. Try:

• Merlin Bird ID: field guide app with sounds
• Sibley Birds: field guide app with sounds
• Larkwire: quiz app to learn bird sounds
• xeno-canto: online database of sounds

Lindsay Lalach is currently working towards her Masters of Science in Biology at Simon Fraser University, her research is focused on the winter movement and foraging ecology of Brandt's Cormorants in the Salish Sea.

David Toews is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Penn State University. He did his undergrad at Acadia University in NS, and MSc and PhD at UBC. He also serves as the “population genetics expert” for the Birds Specialist Subcommittee of COSEWIC. He has studied avian evolution since 2005, and has been focused on speciation and hybridization in warblers.

Doug Tozer is the Director of Waterbirds and Wetlands with Birds Canada. His academic and professional career has focused on developing workable conservation solutions for birds, and raising awareness of the importance of these animals; through programs such as the Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program, Canadian Lakes Loon Survey, and Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Program.

Jody Allair is an avid birder and naturalist who enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world. He is the Director of Communications at Birds Canada and has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram at @JodyAllair.

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds

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Some call them goatsuckers, others may think of them as dragons in the night sky...but we know them lovingly as the Eastern Whip-poor-will.

We're joined by three researchers who are exploring the habitats, food sources, and migratory ranges of the Eastern Whip-poor-will. We learn all kinds of spooky facts about this elusive species, and gain insights into their threats and challenges. Plus we get to take a behind the scenes look at how research is done for this species at risk.

Help us keep doing what we do best by donating today. Thank you!

Natasha shared many great ways to help the Eastern Whip-poor-will and aerial insectivores, here are some of our favorites:

• Canadian Nightjar Survey
• Global Nightjar Network
• Breeding Bird Survey
• Breeding Bird Atlas
• Bird Gardens

And if you'd like to keep learning, check out the State of Canada's Birds, get some quick facts, or dive into some research that was mentioned in the episode!

Help birds and bugs today by ordering some bird-friendly coffee. When you use the code 'warblers' at check out, Birds and Beans makes a donation to this podcast.

Victoria Pepe is a first-year master’s student at the University of Waterloo, working under the supervision of Dr. Liam McGuire. She is researching the home range dynamics and nest site selection of Eastern Whip-poor-wills. Victoria hopes to help bridge the knowledge gaps for this species with her research, helping to inform landowners on how they can help support Whip-poor-will populations and entice this iconic bird to use their properties.

Lauren Weeks is completing her master's in the McGuire Lab at the University of Waterloo. Her main topics of interest are avian migration and diet composition. Passionate about the outdoors, Lauren loves hiking while looking for cool birds and bugs. She hopes her research will contribute to conservation efforts to support species at risk.

Natasha Barlow grew up near Point Pelee National Park in southern Ontario, and didn't fully appreciate the area until she had already moved away. Thankfully, she realized the error in her ways, and after completing her masters assessing the efficacy of restoration and conservation strategies on protecting sagebrush songbirds, she now coordinates various field-based research projects, runs citizen science programs, and advocates for change for aerial insectivores in Ontario as a Projects Biologist with Birds Canada.

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.

Support the show