Host Nate Swick exclusively reveals the 2025 Bird of the Year: the Common Loon.
The episode opens with host Nate Swick revealing the Common Loon as the ABA's 2025 Bird of the Year, noting its cultural significance in North America and use in Hollywood soundtracks. Swick provides a rare bird focus for December 2024, summarizing 95 first state/provincial records and notable finds like an Oriental Honey Buzzard in Alaska. He then introduces artist Sam Zimmerman, the 2025 Bird of the Year artist from northern Minnesota. Zimmerman describes intimate encounters with loons, such as hearing splashes and seeing them glisten near shore. He explains that loons are a chief clan in Ojibwe culture, adding cultural context to his inspiration. Zimmerman discusses his artistic process, highlighting how he hides Ojibwe constellations in the loon's plumage and uses night skies to backlight the bird. The conversation touches on Zimmerman's background as an art teacher and illustrator of children's books, including 'How the Birds Got Their Songs.' They explore how birds foster universal connections to nature, with Zimmerman noting community efforts in Minnesota to protect loons from lead poisoning. The episode concludes with shout-outs to ABA members and production credits, emphasizing the loon's role in art and conservation.
