The Warblers by Birds Canada

New research shows a worrying decline in Common Loon populations. But there’s more to the story than numbers. Matt Fuirst and Doug Tozer talk us through their findings: what’s changing on our lakes, how loons are impacted, and how a massive volunteer effort has driven the research.

Amidst some heavy news, there’s also plenty of bird joy. Matt and Doug share their favourite moments with loons, and tell us what these iconic birds might be saying when their incredible calls ring out across the lake.
Read the full paper published on FACETS, or get the shorter blog here. 
Matthew Fuirst is a Research Ecologist and Observatory Manager at Birds Canada. He has spent the last 14 years studying the demography and movement ecology of birds around the world. He received a Masters in Marine Science from Stony Brook University where he studied the foraging and microbial ecology of America Herring Gulls. For his PhD at the University of Guelph, Matthew studied Canada Jays in Algonquin Provincial Park where he examined the role of dispersal in population dynamics. Currently, he is responsible for overseeing the research at Long Point Bird Observatory, aspects of the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network, and collaborative studies with the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey.
Doug Tozer is Director, Waterbirds and Wetlands at Birds Canada. He grew up in the heart of loon country in and around Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, and has been studying birds and bird conservation for over 35 years. He received a MSc and PhD from Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, for which he studied marsh birds and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, respectively. Currently at Birds Canada he leads the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey, Great Lakes Marsh Monitoring Program, and Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Program; and he co-chairs the Loon and Diver Research Working Group, an international collaboration of over 30 researchers that investigates the potential reasons for Common Loon population declines.
Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. 
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From the coffee in your cup to the seafood on your plate, the products we buy can have a surprising impact on birds and their habitats. First David Pritchard walks us through the impact of coffee and why he started Birds and Beans, Canada's first bird-friendly coffee company. Then Dr. Silke Nebel, Birds Canada's Vice-President of Key Conservation Initiatives, helps us understand the impact of beef, seafood, and lumber. Silke also shares fascinating insights into greenwashing, and why regulations can sometimes make it difficult for companies to talk about their conservation efforts. 
Visit Your Guide to Helping Birds at birdscanada.ca 
David is giving listeners of The Warblers get 10% off Bird-friendly coffee orders from Birds and Beans with the code 'warblers' at checkout. 
Search for the 1800 birds found in Brazil! Join Birding Ecotours for an ethical and thoughtful trip with expert guides. Check out all their options at birdingecotours.com.

David Pritchard is the co-founder, co-owner and roastmaster of Birds & Beans Coffee Roasters, a Toronto-based company dedicated to coffee that supports bird conservation. Together with his wife and business partner, David helped launch Birds & Beans after becoming interested in the connection between coffee production, habitat loss and migratory birds.
Dr. Silke Nebel developed a passion for birds while volunteering at a reserve run by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in Scotland. She did her MSc research on Red Knots in the Netherlands, and PhD on Western Sandpipers at SFU. She has worked on bird-related research out of research institutes in Canada, Germany, Panama, the Netherlands, and Australia. In 2018, she joined Birds Canada, and is currently focusing on market-based instruments to protect grassland birds.
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From science and building design, to art and community action, there are many ways to reduce bird-window collisions. This is a significant conservation challenge, but we already have the tools and knowledge to make a difference.

Our guests bring two different backgrounds and areas of expertise. We start by exploring the science: how monitoring is done, which windows are problematic, and what the numbers tell us about the scale of this issue. Then Brendon Samuels helps us understand how policy and building design can prevent collisions, and how we can push for change at every level of government. Vanessa Hum brings an artistic and community-focused perspective, sharing how art, volunteering, and monitoring can raise awareness and inspire action.
This is truly an expansive issue with just as many solutions. Explore more below, and don't forget to enter into the prize draw!
flap.org - information about preventing collisions at home or at work, and using policy for structural solutions
birdmapper.org - a community science tool for the public to report bird collisions, and document locations of new bird friendly buildings
birdsafe.ca - information and tools for building owners, and where to find information on Canada's national bird friendly building design standard
stopbirdcollisions.org - the Bird Collisions Prevention Alliance which is dedicated to improving collaborating across sectors to limit bird collisions
featherfriendly.com/pages/artist-series - to explore Vanessa's work with Feather Friendly 
Enter the Draw! 
To win one of three Feather Friendly Pro DIY kits, follow these steps:
 Share your love of the Warblers by leaving a review for the podcast on whatever platform you listen on. If using Spotify, you can leave a comment on any episode. 
Email us a copy of the review - just let us know which review was yours and what platform we can find it on. Email podcast@birdscanada.org
If you win, we’ll contact you by email.
Reviewers located in Canada are eligible for the give-away.
Explore Brazil, the Philippines, Kenya, and so many more destinations with Birding Ecotours! Check out all their options at birdingecotours.com and read about all the best hummingbird destinations here!
Listeners of The Warblers get 10% off Bird-friendly coffee orders from Birds and Beans with the code 'warblers' at checkout. 
Dr. Brendon Samuels is the Bird Safe Buildings Coordinator with FLAP Canada and a postdoctoral researcher with the Ecological Design Lab at Toronto Metropolitan University. Brendon lives in London, Ontario where he works closely with London's local Bird Friendly City team, as well as the municipal government in a community advisory role. Originally trained in ecology and psychology, Brendon's research focusses on developing​ municipal policy solutions for bird safe buildings and improving landscape connectivity in cities.
Vanessa Hum is a bird-friendly window artist based in Ottawa, Ontario. She recently completed her Masters at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, where her research focused on quantifying bird-window collisions across campus. Passionate about making science accessible, Vanessa combines science with art by creating bird-friendly window murals that help prevent bird collisions while transforming glass into engaging public art. She is also part of Feather Friendly’s Artist Series, where homeowners and businesses can purchase her ready-made bird-friendly patterns or commission a custom design that is both beautiful and effective.
Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. 
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The Bay of Fundy is one of Canada's best kept birding secrets. Following the ebb and flow of the tides are tens of thousands of Semipalmated Sandpipers - and just off the coast, the rocky islands are alive with nesting terns, razorbills, puffins and more! 
Lucas Berrigan and Avery Nagy-MacArthur join us to explain why this region is so magical for Semipalmated Sandpipers, and how the Motus Wildlife Tracking System has been essential in understanding how and why birds move through the area. They also give top-tier advice on how to help shorebirds across the country, and offer ideas for how locals can get involved with the birds at the Bay of Fundy. 
Fly like a bird onto a dream vacation with Birding Ecotours! Check out all their tour options at birdingecotours.com
Listeners of The Warblers now get 10% off Bird-friendly coffee orders from Birds and Beans with the code 'warblers' at checkout. 
Learn more about Space to Roost and Motus - start by exploring the Motus map for Semipalmated Sandpiper. 
Avery Nagy-MacArthur started volunteering with Birds Canada as a Piping Plover monitor in 2008 on the south shore of Nova Scotia, which sparked an interest in a career in ornithology. Throughout her Bachelor's and Master's studies, she focused on Whimbrel, and breeding Arctic and Common Terns. She now works as the Atlantic Canada Shorebird Programs Biologist for Birds Canada.
Lucas Berrigan completed a Master’s on the post-breeding behavior of Swainson’s Thrushes at Acadia University, then joined the Birds Canada’s team in the Atlantic Region in 2018 to run the Maritimes Marsh Monitoring Program. Since then, he has taken on more responsibilities related to the Motus Wildlife Tracking System – namely, managing the Atlantic array of Motus receiver stations and supporting Motus users worldwide. He works as the Motus Manager of Technology and Web Development for Birds Canada. 
Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada. 
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The Warblers go birding! Join Andrea Gress and Jody Allair as they search for the Evening Grosbeak. While searching the woods, they chat about how to use eBird to find a specific species, discuss nerdy fun facts about Evening Grosbeaks, and encounter a variety of forest loving birds - from Western Tanagers to Pacific Wrens. Jody also shares why Birds Canada picked the Evening Grosbeak as the 2026 Avian Ambassador - what makes this species worthy of some extra love. 
Read Jody's blog on Evening Grosbeak, complete with stunning pictures and range maps. 
The eBird checklist from their adventure. 
When you order from birdsandbeans.ca/warblers you receive 10% off your coffee order, plus you support bird-friendly coffee farms which provide essential habitat for birds. It's a win-win!
Jody Allair is an avid birder and naturalist who enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world. He is the Director of Communications at Birds Canada and has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature. You can find him on Bluesky and Instagram at @JodyAllair.

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan, and then as the Ontario Piping Plover Coordinator. Years of sharing her love of plovers with beach goers has turned into a full time communications role with Birds Canada.  
Support the show