December Podcast Club Discussion: Birds

This month, we're listening to a playlist curated by one of our very own members, Maccewill, in collaboration with me. Maccewill was inspired by This American Life's Poultry Slam 2003 and the surprising ways birds intersect with science, culture, and personal stories. Join us as we follow the stories, histories, and mysteries that reveal how our relationships with birds illuminate so much about being human.

How It Works:

• We often follow the Podcast Brunch Club listening lists covering a different topic each month. Members can also make suggestions for future topics. Be sure to check the monthly Meetup event to see what we're listening to!
• Listening lists are composed of episode selections related to the month's theme and are pulled from a variety of shows. And we love to include some recommendations too!
• Finishing the recommended listening list is not a requirement to attend. Listen to as many or few of the suggested episodes as you would like.
• We will have an unstructured, informal discussion of the selections and the month's theme.

This Month's Topic:
From their ancient reptilian origins to the myths, mistakes, traditions, and personal stories humans attach to them, our playlist traces how birds shape us and how we, in turn, shape their stories. These episodes span science, culture, and heartfelt narrative, revealing the surprising depth of our connections to the birds in our lives. Together they offer a wide-winged view of how these creatures continue to inspire wonder, meaning, and curiosity.

Here's a link to the Spotify playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3gajNsYGJYRzZCmgJOEBDK?si=c93b5bc6031c4f41

Here's a free listening link to the This American Life episode:
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/252/poultry-slam-2003

The Playlist - Suggested Episodes:

• This American Life: “Episode 252: Poultry Slam 2003” (November 2003, 57 min)
  During the highest turkey consumption period of the year, we bring you a This American Life tradition: stories of turkey, chickens, geese, ducks, fowl of all kinds--real and imagined--and their mysterious hold over us.
• The Science of Birds: "The Origin of Birds" (September 2020, 25 min)
  Learn about the deep evolutionary origin of birds and follow their history up to the great extinction that happened 66 million years ago.
• Decoder Ring: “The Wrongest Bird in Movie History” (October 2024, 48 min)
  There is a prominent bird in the 2000 film Charlie's Angels that makes absolutely no sense. This so-called Pygmy Nuthatch doesn't look or sound like it should, or live where the characters say it does. The bird is so elaborately wrong that is has haunted the birding community, including Slate's very own Forrest Wickman, for almost a quarter of a century. In this episode, Forrest embarks on a wild goose chase: Why can't hundreds of filmmaking professionals with a $100 million budget accurately portray a single bird?
• 99% Invisible: “Towers of Silence” (April 2024, 1 hour 11 min)
  Situated right in downtown Mumbai, India is an area of about 55 acres of dense, overgrown forest. In one of the most populous cities in the world, this is a place where peacocks roam freely--a space out of time. This forest is protected by a religious community. It has survived in a relatively undeveloped state in the middle of this gargantuan city. Importantly, it's also home to an ancient tradition in crisis--one that is central to the lives (and deaths) of a particular population.
  There's a certain point in this forest beyond which almost no one can step--only special caretakers of these grounds can go any further. They go by many names: khandia, nassassalar, pallbearer, corpse bearer. Their work here is holy. They carry dead bodies to their final resting place--atop stone structures that stand gray against the lush green. These buildings are called Towers of Silence.
• Heavyweight: “#58 Harry” (December 2023, 42 min)
  Before Scott died, he bequeathed to his brothers his beloved pet parrot, Harry. The brothers promised to care for the bird. Except they didn't. Over twenty years later, they want to find Harry and make things right.

Bonus Episodes:

• Up First from NPR: “Kiwi vs. Predator” (October 2025, 27min)
• Unspookable: “Episode 64: Ravens and Crows” (August 2024, 23 min)
• On Wildlife: “Ostriches” (May 2022, 15 min)
• Science Friday: “How Conservation Efforts Brought Rare Birds Back from the Brink” (September 2025, 18 min)