Flying is basically the most defining thing about what birds do, and yet I've never really spoken about it. Well no more, today we begin the mission to figure out how exactly birds fly. We will begin in the long past and look at the evolutionary journey from lizard to bird, as I refuse to answer the question: how do birds fly. But then I guess that's Part 2 will be for?

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Flightless bird episodes

• Kiwis: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1733312/episodes/13777746-kiwis-fruit-people-birds
• Emu: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1733312/episodes/11406903-the-great-emu-war
• Flightless birds: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1733312/episodes/11317493-flightless-birds
• The Great Auk: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1733312/episodes/10605634-the-great-auk
• Penguins: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1733312/episodes/10464354-penguin-extravaganza

Notes

• Flying Snake: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysopelea
• Archaeopteryx: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeopteryx
• Huxley's Near Bird: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchiornis
• Holy Confucius Bird: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confuciusornis
• Opposite Birds: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enantiornithes

Wow, does this podcast even release episodes anymore? Yes it does, and we are back with Albatross, renown as some of the biggest birds in the world. Majestic birds of the open ocean, clumsy buffoons on land. What is it that makes them special? We find out in this episode.

To support Bird of the Week and gain access to our second podcast, What's up with that's Bird's Name? click on through to Patreon: www.patreon.com/birdoftheweek

Want birds in your inbox? Drop me a line at weekly.bird@outlook.com and I'll hook you up with a free weekly bird.

Notes

• Pelagic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelagic_zone
• Procellariiformes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procellariiformes
• The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43997/the-rime-of-the-ancient-mariner-text-of-1834
• Wandering Albatross: https://ebird.org/species/wanalb1
• Tube nose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRTRRMwXuEg
• Waved Albatross: https://ebird.org/species/wavalb?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Laysan Albatross: https://ebird.org/species/layalb?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Short-tailed Albatross: https://ebird.org/species/shtalb?siteLanguage=en_AU
• Smell: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0709047105#:~:text=Wandering%20albatrosses%20(Diomedea%20exulans)%20forage,role%20in%20natural%20foraging%20behavior.
• Waved Albatross moves egg: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/cd6b/5ba04ee23bec2f62f223216ef97be0d307d8.pdf
• Mating dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EYNazaodHg
• Proventriculus: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/proventriculus#:~:text=The%20proventriculus%20is%20a%20glandular,a%20koilin%20layer%20(cuticle).
• Wisdom: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/wisdom-laysan-albatross-super-mom-is-73-and-still-going-strong/
• Plight of the Tristan Albatross: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1733312/episodes/8788007-the-tristan-albatross

I'm sure we've all heard some fun facts about birds, a duck's quack won't echo, an Ostrich sticks its head in the sand when threatened. But is there any truth to these statements, or are they straight up lies?

Well on this episode we dive into 5 famous bird myths, break them do and see if there is any truth to the rumours.

To support Bird of the Week and gain access to our second podcast, What's up with that's Bird's Name? click on through to Patreon: www.patreon.com/birdoftheweek

Want birds in your inbox? Drop me a line at weekly.bird@outlook.com and I'll hook you up with a free weekly bird.

Notes

• Quack's quack won't echo: https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2004/05/06/1102602.htm
• Ostrich with its head in the sand: https://www.clevelandzoosociety.org/z/2020/03/11/truth-or-tail-do-ostriches-really-bury-their-head-in-the-sand-when-scared-or-frightened
• Egyptian Plover cleans crocodile teeth: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_plover
• Trochilus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trochilus_(crocodile_bird)
• Don't touch baby birds: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=426#:~:text=Q%3A%20If%20a%20person%20touches,prevent%20people%20from%20disturbing%20wildlife.
• Birds can't smell: https://www.audubon.org/magazine/january-february-2014/birds-can-smell-and-one-scientist