Jaegers Give Chase in September

0:00This is BirdNode. A light September breeze wafts across a coastal estuary. A flock of common turns wings over the water. Their harsh voices a sharp contrast to their sprightly appearance. One plunges headfirst into the water, then bounces aloft, grasping a small fish in its bill. But before the turn can swallow its catch, a dark bird with a sharply pointed tail swoops in. The turn twists and turns in frantic flight, trying to evade its larger adversary. Back and forth they race. The dark falcon-like bird gaining until it nips the turn's wing with its hooked bill. The hapless turn drops its hard-won fish, which the pursuer catches mid-air and gulfing its pirated meal. This elegant buccaneer is a parasitic yeager, a relative of gulfs that is built for sprinting speed and predatory feats.

1:10Yeager is German for hunter, and on its arctic tundra nesting grounds, the yeager hunts small birds and rodents. The rest of the year, the parasitic yeager spends on marine waters, living up to the first half of its name. In the late summer and fall, watch for yeagers over inland waters, from puget sound to the great lakes to the Chesapeake Bay, especially around flocks of turns and small gulfs. For birdnut, I'm Michael Stein. If you love nature's stories like we cover here on birdnut, you'll want to add back from the brink, from mutual of Omaha's wild kingdom to your rotation. Hosted by Dr. Ray Wynne Grant and Peter Gross, they share stories about species that nearly disappeared and the people working to bring them back. A recent episode, how coffee is bringing songbirds back, explores the journeys of migratory songbirds, the threats they face, and the extraordinary comeback story of the Curtlyn's Warbler.

2:19You'll also learn how shade-grown coffee farms can provide critical habitat for migratory songbirds. Follow back from the brink from mutual of Omaha's wild kingdom, wherever you get your podcast.