
Life List: A Birding Podcast
Science
Birdy. Proudly nerdy. Detailed. Not-so-subtly obsessive. Delve into all things birding and birding culture with George Armistead, Alvaro Jaramillo, and Mollee Brown. Join us for light-hearted conversations on birds, conservation, travel, and more.
Location:
United States
Description:
Birdy. Proudly nerdy. Detailed. Not-so-subtly obsessive. Delve into all things birding and birding culture with George Armistead, Alvaro Jaramillo, and Mollee Brown. Join us for light-hearted conversations on birds, conservation, travel, and more.
Language:
English
Website:
http://www.lifelistpodcast.com
Episodes
Traveling as a birder and musician with Bonner Black
10/4/2025
We’re joined by Bonner Black: Nashville-based singer-songwriter, birder, and all-around force of nature.
Highlights of our chat include:
Come for behind-the-scenes tales of a professional music artist…stay for shared love of birding!
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:00:58:52
Birding with us: our backyard birdwatching conversations
9/20/2025
One of our favorite things to hear from guests is that it's like you're birding with us during our conversations. This time, you actually can!
We're each recording from our backyards, during some mid-afternoon, mid-September birdwatching. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to join us on a birdwalk, now's your chance!
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:01:05:12
LISTERS: Inside the extreme birdwatching documentary with Owen and Quentin Reiser
9/6/2025
We’re talking with Quentin and Owen, the filmmakers and brothers behind Listers: the indie documentary that’s both absurd and profound, and probably the funniest thing ever made about birding.
Highlights of our chat include:
theCome for the NyQuil-fueled ivory-billed woodpecker quest…stay for the most joyful, profane, and heartfelt celebration of birding we didn’t know we needed!
Links:
Watch Listers, free on YouTubeField Guide of All the Birds We Found One Year in the United StatesGet more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:01:10:57
Late summer birding: movements, migration, and surprises
8/23/2025
The biggest surprise of all might be that George is learning to love summertime at home. We are chatting about birds and critters in our patches and recent travels, plus about books, media, and pizza.
By the way, you can learn more about Frontiers in Ornithology at https://frontiersinornithology.com/.
Come for the sightings that surprised us lately...stay for a slice of August birding joy!
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:01:02:01
Finding rare Alaskan birds and more wildlife encounters with Alex Harper and Phil Chaon
8/9/2025
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:00:55:09
How to find rare birds with Jen Brumfield
7/26/2025
This episode is a blast—and full of stuff you'll want to remember! George and Alvaro interview the legendary birder of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and beyond: Jen Brumfield. They dive into all it takes to be a rarity-finding machine, and then put their advice through a detailed walkthrough of jaegar identification. We always say it...this hour passed by too quickly.
Come for the gales and gulls… stay for the unabashed joy of birding!
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:01:05:03
Bird chases, misses, and surprises...and what birders can't let go of
7/12/2025
This is what we do, folks! George and Alvaro are sharing the stories from the field and their yards, discussing scientific and hobbyist news in the birding world, and sharing travel tales. And karaoke dos and don'ts. And a skunk saga that seems to have included. Hang out with us for a spell!
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:00:51:41
Svalbard dreams and birds you wait a lifetime for
7/1/2025
We're all here—Mollee, George, and Alvaro—to catch up on birding and nature stories from home and Alvaro's adventures spanning oceans...and two Great White Norths! Yup, with our usual dose of wildlife weirdness, too.
Highlights include:
Come for the booby stakeouts and skunk drama…stay for the midnight sun, polar silence, and birding in life’s liminal spaces.
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:00:57:30
AviList: the new Global Avian Checklist and its effects on bird taxonomy with Marshall Iliff and Frank Rheindt
6/14/2025
You like splits and lumps? Thinking about the intricacies of global taxonomy? Oh boy, are you in for a treat!
George and Alvaro sat down with Marshall Iliff and Frank Rheindt, two members of the AviList Core Team, to take a deep dive into what’s just been released: AviList, the Global Avian Checklist!
Learn how the process got started, what’s happened in the years it’s been in the making, and how decisions were made bird-by-bird. Plus, hear how the four existing global checklists—including IOC, eBird/Clements, and Birdlife—will align with Avilist (spoiler alert: it’s a global merge!).
We're exploring the importance of collaboration among various taxonomic committees, the challenges of aligning different naming conventions, and the significance of evidence in making taxonomic decisions.
AviList has just officially launched, and you can learn all about it at avilist.org.
Come for this special interview that takes an intricate look at the world’s bird taxonomy…stay for the splits!
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:01:10:50
Global conservation and the Birdfair that started a movement with Tim Appleton
6/2/2025
This episode, we're catching up with Tim Appleton: co-founder of Global Birdfair and lifelong conservationist...and who possibly has the UK's best yard list.
Highlights of our chat include:
Links:
Global Birdfair websiteFledgling by Hannah Bourne-TaylorRutland Ospreys Live CamCome for the whiskey tent stories… stay for the message of passion-driven conservation!
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:00:55:27
Deep-diving wild India: backyard leopards & a king-cobra's hiss with Surya Ramachandran
5/17/2025
We caught up with our friend Surya Ramachandran: Indian naturalist, author, big-cat tracker, and awesome guy.
Highlights of our chat include:
Home patch leopards:Snow-leopard obsession:King-cobra lore:Himalayan lowland magic:Life List tour:Field-guide series update: Come for the leopard cubs and king-cobra growls...stay for the tips on getting to see the best of India's birds and animals!
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:00:56:57
Weird science and birding through life changes
5/3/2025
Our travels have recently taken us across Costa Rica, Cuba, Argentina, Chile, and Tanzania — so it's high time for a catch-up! In this episode, George, Alvaro, and Mollee swap stories from the field, from color-changing marlins to Galápagos rail rediscoveries to grizzly bear rewilding efforts.
We also talk about how birds pick up dozens of local names (hello, timberdoodle!) and how birding stays with you even during major life changes. Yep, one of us is making an international move.
Come for the octopus escapes and marlin flash mobs, stay for a conversation about how birding threads through every part of life.
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:00:59:56
Birding travels, timberdoodles, connecting through nature in prison
4/19/2025
Our travels have recently spanned Costa Rica, Cuba, Argentina, Chile, and Tanzania, so it's high time for a catch-up! We swap favorite moments from the field, talk birds with many names (hello, timberdoodles), and updates from our homes, too.
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:00:59:57
Geographic clues to hybridization and the evolution of birding field guides
4/5/2025
George and Alvaro have an evening chat about the evolution of field guides with notable quirks in a few editions, Alvaro discusses how he used location-based evidence to theorize about gull hybridization, and more.
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:00:56:49
Bird conservation on the Chatham Islands and beyond with Mike Bell
3/22/2025
George and Alvaro took some time during their Subantarctic Islands cruise to chat with Mike Bell, ornithologist for the Chatham Islands Landscape Restoration Trust. Make sure to check out their website for more information on all the conservation work they're doing!
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:00:58:49
Birding the world versus major sporting events
3/9/2025
We're catching up on our tales around the world and wondering...how close does birding get to a major sporting event? Join us in our usual banter.
Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest OwlNocturnal CurassowGet more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:00:59:38
The heart of seabird diversity: Subantarctic Islands
2/22/2025
Welcome to our first episode covering our recent Subantarctic Islands cruise out of New Zealand. We're diving into the islands we visited, including Albatross Island and Pyramid Rock, and all about our travels on this world-class adventure.
Check out the whole trip report here. Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:01:00:52
Birding Asia X3: India, Thailand, and Japan
2/9/2025
Hey there, we're back! Listen to us catching up on our recent travels throughout Asia in India, Thailand, and Japan. Are you tempted to join us in India next year?
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:01:04:40
Declaring a species extinct and sampling the world's coolest birding events
11/25/2024
It's our final episode...but only for this season, don't worry 😉
We're chatting about birding festivals near and far, the multinational process of declaring a species extinct, and (literal) nightmares about birding tours.
Don't miss out on:
Alvaro's upcoming toursHillstar's newest tours and pelagics Tours and articles on Nighthawk Ladera Sur website
And with that, we're off on our winter break from podcasting! Follow Life List on Facebook and Instagram, sign up for our newsletter, and we'll see you here in 2025.
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:01:03:36
Defending Ecuador’s rarest species: Jocotoco’s on-the-ground efforts
11/4/2024
Jocotoco Conservation works in the field throughout Ecuador and the Galapagos to conserve birds, wildlife, and habitats. Today, George is digging into their efforts and goals.
Learn more about Jocotoco Conservation here.
Get more Life list by subscribing to our newsletter and joining our Patreon for bonus content. Talk to us and share your topic ideas at lifelistpodcast.com.
Thanks to Kowa Optics for sponsoring our podcast! Want to know more about us? Check out George's company, Hillstar Nature; Alvaro's company, Alvaro's Adventures, and Mollee's company, Nighthawk Agency, to see more about what we're up to.
Duration:00:55:28