I’ve been following evolutionary biologist and postdoctoral scholar Dr. SK Winnicki on social media for a number of years now. For the entirety of that time, I’ve found SK to be brilliant at educating the public about birds and conservation with a mix of fascinating facts, kindness, great humor, and an unfettered passion for birds. No wonder SK was among the first people to come to mind as an interviewee when I launched Ten Birding Questions.
Boy am I glad I asked. SK and I had a blast (more than a few laughs) discussing, among other things—
The joys and challenges of birding at a very young age.
The virtues of cowbirds.
Delighting in the “weirdos” of the birding word, including bespectacled geese, bilateral gynandromorphs, and other unexpected wonders.
Making a bucket-list trip at age 18.
The most unlikely of favorite birds.
I think you’ll agree that SK’s answers, true to their social media presence, exude a joy not just for birds but also for spreading bird knowledge. A true science educator, I extend many thanks to SK for keeping their scientific answers digestible for the benefit of the host.
To learn more about SK’s research, outreach, and birding adventures, and to find links to all their socials, check out their website—
I had the chance to meet SK in person when we ran into each other at the Magee Marsh boardwalk last month. Not only was it a treat watching SK help their fellow birders find and ID the surrounding avifauna, they put me on track to see my lifer Connecticut Warbler after four miserable years of chasing them. For that, I owe SK an eternal debt of gratitude.
Finally, since this interview was recorded pre-migration, it pleases me to inform you that SK’s “walking list” has since climbed to 124. Listen to the podcast to learn exactly what that means 😉
Featured Photo—SK Winnicki + Oddball Eastern Towhee
I love this photo because of the joy SK radiates from the chance to not only see but also hold a possible bilateral gynandromorph (a bird displaying both female and male characteristics) Eastern Towhee. For more photos of this extreme rarity among birds, check out SK’s Twitter thread from last September.
10/10 Recommends
Cowbird PSA, SK Winnicki
Cowbirds. In the spring of 2019, SK wrote up an epic Twitter PSA in defense of cowbirds and brood parasitism, a nesting behavior that involves laying eggs in another bird’s nest and seems, on its face, irredeemably evil. But not so fast! SK reminds us that cowbirds are native songbirds that evolved alongside other songbirds to behave exactly as they do.
That’s all for this month. I hope you enjoyed listening to this edition of Ten Birding Questions as much as I enjoyed talking to SK. What’s your opinion of cowbirds? Have you ever seen a super-rare bilateral gynandromorph? Do you have a particular birder you’d like to learn more about in a future episode? Let me know in the comments!👇
Until next week, thanks for reading, thanks for listening, and don’t forget to bird your ass off!
nwb
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