Join Kirsty and her nephew Edward as they explore the world of Australia's kites. This episode is about the joys of seeing and hearing the Whistling Kite, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite and Square-tailed Kite. Edward is 10 years old and has grown up exploring nature. When he's not playing basketball, cricket or footy, he's hanging out in his backyard, the parkland over his back fence areas and in the bush around his holiday house in north-east Victoria. Edward especially loves watching and...

Get to know one of Australia’s most charming robins. This episode is about the behaviours, calls, habitats and genetics of the Eastern Robin. It’s time to get sciencey! Lana Austin has been working as a professional ornithologist around the world for many years. To name a few, she has been lucky enough to work with macaws in Peru, Toucans in the Ecuadorian Amazon, and Razorbills on the Isles of Scilly (UK). But in 2019 she decided to return to study to attempt to answer one of life’s biggest...

Deep-dive into the world of one of Australia’s charismatic birds of prey. This episode is all about the Eastern Osprey, and how a childhood of field trips and wildlife photography has led to a life-long love of birdwatching and citizen science. Pip Grant-Taylor is a retired TV Journalist Producer who concentrates largely on birds and wildlife photography. She has studied and photographed birds since she was a teenager. Pip’s absolute favourite bird is the Eastern Osprey. She is currently...

Discover how patience and understanding light can create stunning wildlife photographs. This episode is about a photographer’s journey from a childhood in the Australian outback to a career capturing the beauty of birds.  Shelley Pearson is an award-winning wildlife photographer who immerses herself in the natural environment, patiently waiting for the right opportunity to photograph a captivating image. She believes it's all about utilising the light, different angles and perspectives to...

Answering your questions about bird bodies and behaviours. This episode is about bird feathers, eyelids and legs, and their funny little traits that are similar to humans. Dr Gráinne Cleary’s primary area of interest is helping to educate and work with the public to gain the best conservation outcomes for our urban wildlife. She is particularly interested in how we interact with the birds that visit our gardens, and this has been the focus of her last two books. As Australia becomes more...

Meet an 11-year old birdwatcher who has a love for Eastern Victoria. This episode is about a unique part of Australia, birding wishlists and the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher. Luca is an 11-year old nature lover and birder who lives in Naarm (Melbourne) and feels most at home in nature. His fondness and respect for wildlife was first inspired by Sir David Attenborough’s programs. Luca’s fascination for birds began through art at the age of 7, when he started drawing birds and devouring...

Look at Australia's birds through the eyes of an artist. This episode is about kingfishers, kookaburras and painting birds on huge grain silos. Geoffrey Carran has dedicated the past decade to painting explorations of Australia’s diverse bird population. Geoffrey uses his public murals to highlight endangered bird species that can be found in the artwork's locations. Using these murals and the public's interest in street and public art to raise awareness and start conversations about people's...

Gain new insights into birds, traditional knowledge and ecology. This episode is about the health of Country, life in the Otways and the Fan-tailed Cuckoo. Dr Jack Pascoe is a Yuin man living on Gadabanut Country. He studied predator ecology, fire, wildlife and botany. He has led a program of applied ecological research in the Otway region for over a decade. Jack recently crossed the line to become some sort of pseudo scientist, academic and activist. He works at the University of Melbourne...

Explore the intricate world of bird feathers. This episode is about feather colour and structure, and the nesting habits of waterfowl. Freia Noss is a lifelong birder and bushwalker, living and working on Dharug and Gundungurra land in the Blue Mountains. During the week she works on re-vegetation projects on rural properties in Australia. In her free time, she enjoys making artworks of the beautiful native Australian flora and fauna she encounters. Freia has degrees in both art theory and...

Discover the delights of one of Australia’s most popular birds. This episode is all about the Swift Parrot, the 2023 Australian Bird of the Year. Beau Meney has always been fascinated by wildlife and wild places, but his affinity with birds started at the age of ten when he first laid eyes on an enormous Wedge-tailed Eagle nest. Passionate about ecology and conservation, Beau later completed undergraduate studies and an Honours degree where he investigated egg predation among open-cup nesting...

Enjoy the simple pleasures of watching birds through an apartment window. This episode is about Black-faced Cuckooshrikes, pardalotes and the joys of birdwatching at home. Christine Parrott works in a non-birding career and appreciates birds on the side, although many times she wishes it was the other way around! As an adult birdwatching convert, she is still full of enthusiasm for all birds, even the common ones. During the first Victorian COVID lockdown she used all the extra bird...

Take a walk along Australia's stunning coastline to meet the birds that call the beach their home. This episode is about curlews, plovers, gulls, terns and oystercatchers. Bridget Farmer is originally from Northern Ireland. She initially visited Australia to friends but fell in love with the country (and a certain Australian man) and stayed longer than expected. She lives in country Victoria with her husband, two young sons, a whole flock of chickens and a studio rabbit. Bridget is a...

Get inspired by the projects that are helping urban birds to thrive. This episode is about designing new bird habitats, an unexpected cassowary in your kitchen and the joy of seeing a Purple-crowned Lorikeet in a KFC car park. Dr. Kylie Soanes is a scientist on a mission to save nature in our cities and towns. Her research brings together the fields of urban ecology and biodiversity conservation to ask ‘How can we make cities better places for wildlife?’ A leading expert in her field, she...

Embark on a journey to northern Australia with Paralympian Richard Cordukes. This episode is about the Western Bowerbird, Gouldian Finch and birdwatching in a wheelchair. Richard Cordukes is a distinguished Paralympic athlete and advocate renowned for his unwavering commitment to inclusion. Despite becoming a quadriplegic in 1976, Richard swiftly immersed himself in wheelchair sports and representing New South Wales at the National Wheelchair Games just a year later. His illustrious athletic...

Gain a new appreciation for the Australian White Ibis, the Little Corella and the Long-billed Corella. This episode is about the birds that live around us in our cities and towns. Dr John Martin is a senior ecologist in the Wildlife Services branch of Ecosure, an author, and a science communicator. Through inspiring community appreciation of and connection with nature, John aims to enhance the prospects for co-existence between wildlife and humans. John joined Ecosure in 2023, he has...

Adventure to an island in southern Australia that is home to rare birds. This episode is about the Bruny Island Bird Festival, the Forty-spotted Pardalote and the Swift Parrot. Ella Roles grew up camping and bird watching with her dad, and didn't realise how much she was absorbing. When she studied outdoor education at Latrobe University, she started to realise that she could turn guiding and birdwatching into a career! Ella has taken people on walks and hikes all across Victoria and...

Meet a teenager birdwatcher who loves conservation and photography. This episode is about connecting with birds during childhood, youth leadership and Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos. Luke Eaton has always had a passion for animals. His love of birds started when he was very young and when he was three years old he would spend hours with his family researching the birds he saw. From a young age, Luke has also contributed to conservation campaigns for endangered Victorian birds such as the...

Learn how to identify a range of Australian thornbills. This episode is about those tricky Little Brown Birds that live in our gardens, parks and local reserves, and also contains a refresher on how to use binoculars. Ricki Coughlan is a bird guide and nature educator with a particular interest in the behaviour and ecology of the Acanthizids - “Little Brown Birds”. She runs courses and workshops for birders and nature lovers and facilitates the occasional citizen science project, including...

Discover some Darwin birdwatching hot spots and a local community campaign to protect shorebirds. This episode is about where to go birding in the Top End, Red Knot seabirds and the Lee Point campaign. Dr Amanda Lilleyman loves the Top End environment and the Territory lifestyle. She came to Darwin from the Central Coast of NSW to study migratory shorebirds. Amanda established the BirdLife Top End branch in Darwin in 2018 (along with a team of enthusiastic birders) and then kicked off the Our...

Get the lowdown on the world’s smallest penguin. This episode is about the interesting world of the Little Penguins that live on Phillip Island. Paula Wasiak has worked at the Phillip Island Nature Parks since 2009. Primarily, she coordinates and conducts field data collection, supporting projects aimed at future-proofing penguin survival and unlocking the mysteries of the oceans. She also works with other seabirds when the needs arise. Paula completed her Bachelor of Science Honours looking...

Get to know the host of Death by Birding and his love of Australian owls. This episode is about the Rufous Owl, the Southern Boobook and the joys of sharing birdwatching with others. Cesar Puechmarin is a veterinary student and wildlife nurse from Mount Glorious in Queensland. He is an award winning wildlife photographer, specialising in 35mm film. His photography has been praised by Sir David Attenborough and has been printed in publications such as Australian Geographic Magazine. Cesar is...

Adventure to new birding spots in the nation’s capital. This episode is about where to go birdwatching in Canberra and the delights of the Superb Parrot. Olivia Congdon is an amateur bird photographer and nature lover. She works as a science writer for a leading Australian university. She grew up in country New South Wales, lived in Tasmania while studying zoology and journalism, but now calls Canberra home. Canberra is known as the Bush Capital and is a haven for a great range of...

Learn how to identify common Australian birds of prey. This episode is a general introduction to falcons, hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and osprey. Stephen Debus been interested in birds, and especially raptors, since childhood. He’s had a long association with the University of New England (Armidale, NSW) as a research fellow and honorary research associate on various woodland birds. Stephen is also an ecological consultant, doing fauna surveys and assessments for government and industry....

Celebrate the community effort that is preventing a little parrot from going extinct. This episode is about the Orange-bellied Parrot and contains stories that will give you hope about the future of birds. Dr Jenny Gray is the Chief Executive Officer of Zoos Victoria, charged with the operation of the Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary, Kyabram Fauna Park and Werribee Open Range Zoo. Over the last decade Zoos Victoria has transformed into a Zoo Based Conservation Organisation, committed to...