Rebecca Heisman
@rheisman.bsky.social
Part-time bird writer for hire, part-time school garden educator. Author of Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration. She/her. https://linktr.ee/r_heisman
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
Don't ask ChatGPT. Ask this perfect Amanita mushroom. The answer may be quieter, but I'd argue it's more likely to be correct.
November 14, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Don't ask ChatGPT. Ask this perfect Amanita mushroom. The answer may be quieter, but I'd argue it's more likely to be correct.
I guess since holiday gift-buying time is upon us I should remind you all that my book about the surprisingly wild and entertaining history of bird migration research is available in paperback now...
Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration
How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration
bookshop.org
November 14, 2025 at 12:01 AM
I guess since holiday gift-buying time is upon us I should remind you all that my book about the surprisingly wild and entertaining history of bird migration research is available in paperback now...
Current pet peeve: People who are convinced they are able to flawlessly spot AI-generated writing and are constantly lobbing accusations that something "must be AI," when the "AI hallmarks" they're honing in on are things like using em dashes, lists of three items, and varied sentence structure. 🙃
November 6, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Current pet peeve: People who are convinced they are able to flawlessly spot AI-generated writing and are constantly lobbing accusations that something "must be AI," when the "AI hallmarks" they're honing in on are things like using em dashes, lists of three items, and varied sentence structure. 🙃
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
I've been pretty quiet here lately, trying to cut down on doomscrolling for the sake of my mental health... BUT I have a new story out at @therevelator.org, on how climate change is contributing to bird population declines in multiple biomes around the world. #birds 🪶🌏
Studies: Extreme Weather Fueled by Climate Change Is Adding to Bird Declines • The Revelator
Scientists have typically pointed to habitat loss as the key factor behind the worldwide drop in bird populations worldwide, but climate change poses a second, closely linked threat.
therevelator.org
November 3, 2025 at 6:29 PM
I've been pretty quiet here lately, trying to cut down on doomscrolling for the sake of my mental health... BUT I have a new story out at @therevelator.org, on how climate change is contributing to bird population declines in multiple biomes around the world. #birds 🪶🌏
I've been pretty quiet here lately, trying to cut down on doomscrolling for the sake of my mental health... BUT I have a new story out at @therevelator.org, on how climate change is contributing to bird population declines in multiple biomes around the world. #birds 🪶🌏
Studies: Extreme Weather Fueled by Climate Change Is Adding to Bird Declines • The Revelator
Scientists have typically pointed to habitat loss as the key factor behind the worldwide drop in bird populations worldwide, but climate change poses a second, closely linked threat.
therevelator.org
November 3, 2025 at 6:29 PM
I've been pretty quiet here lately, trying to cut down on doomscrolling for the sake of my mental health... BUT I have a new story out at @therevelator.org, on how climate change is contributing to bird population declines in multiple biomes around the world. #birds 🪶🌏
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
I love finding my friends’ books at independent bookstores! I hit the jackpot at Paulina Springs Books in Sisters, OR today.
@jeffvandermeer.bsky.social
@rheisman.bsky.social
@kingfisherjourney.bsky.social
@timberpress.bsky.social
@jeffvandermeer.bsky.social
@rheisman.bsky.social
@kingfisherjourney.bsky.social
@timberpress.bsky.social
October 20, 2025 at 1:23 AM
I love finding my friends’ books at independent bookstores! I hit the jackpot at Paulina Springs Books in Sisters, OR today.
@jeffvandermeer.bsky.social
@rheisman.bsky.social
@kingfisherjourney.bsky.social
@timberpress.bsky.social
@jeffvandermeer.bsky.social
@rheisman.bsky.social
@kingfisherjourney.bsky.social
@timberpress.bsky.social
Hey it's me, popping up to tell you all that I'm giving my book talk over Zoom in about an hour (registration required but it's free), if you're interested in hearing some wild and surprising tales from the history of bird migration research! www.sarasotaaudubon.org/events/the-f...
The Fascinating History of Bird Migration - Sarasota Audubon | Sarasota, Florida
Rebecca Heisman, freelance science writer and bird enthusiast who lives in Walla Walla, Washington will discuss The Fascinating History of Bird Migration, including her recent book Flight Paths: How a...
www.sarasotaaudubon.org
October 13, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Hey it's me, popping up to tell you all that I'm giving my book talk over Zoom in about an hour (registration required but it's free), if you're interested in hearing some wild and surprising tales from the history of bird migration research! www.sarasotaaudubon.org/events/the-f...
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
So excited to finally share our work on how birds responded to the 2024 Great American Eclipse! Thanks to @rosvall-lab.bsky.social for inviting me on this journey! I never expected any of my research to show up in @science.org, let alone on the cover. Surreal. I hope you enjoy it!
As the Moon eclipsed the Sun on 8 April 2024, birds took note.
Leveraging nature’s own experiment, scientists and the public joined forces to show how different species responded to sudden midafternoon darkness followed by a new “dawn.” Learn more this week in Science: https://scim.ag/48WbhLL
Leveraging nature’s own experiment, scientists and the public joined forces to show how different species responded to sudden midafternoon darkness followed by a new “dawn.” Learn more this week in Science: https://scim.ag/48WbhLL
October 9, 2025 at 6:19 PM
So excited to finally share our work on how birds responded to the 2024 Great American Eclipse! Thanks to @rosvall-lab.bsky.social for inviting me on this journey! I never expected any of my research to show up in @science.org, let alone on the cover. Surreal. I hope you enjoy it!
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat
EXTREMELY COOL BAT STUFF: A study out in Science today found that the greater noctule bat, Europe's largest, hunts and catches *migrating birds* while in flight. In at least one case, a bat climbed to more than 1200 feet, then chased a robin downward FAST until it caught it near the ground.
Greater noctule bats prey on and consume passerines in flight
Despite billions of passerines seasonally migrating during the night at high altitudes, only three bat species have been found to consistently tap into this rich prey resource. However, it remains unk...
www.science.org
October 9, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat
I'm trying to spend less time on social media for the sake of my mental health BUT I thought y'all might enjoy this SciShow video that I wrote the script for, all about the ways that decoy/dummy birds are used in #ornithology. youtu.be/aSzCs_w0dhA?...
These Birds Aren’t Real
YouTube video by SciShow
youtu.be
September 24, 2025 at 9:37 PM
I'm trying to spend less time on social media for the sake of my mental health BUT I thought y'all might enjoy this SciShow video that I wrote the script for, all about the ways that decoy/dummy birds are used in #ornithology. youtu.be/aSzCs_w0dhA?...
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
Having names for plants and animals is our starting point for interacting with nature. I think that's discouraging for a lot of people because they don't know the names for things around them (me included!) but instead why don't we just… make them up?
Americans used to know birds by thousands of unique local folk names. Ruddy Ducks alone were called dummy duck, dinky, dipper, dopper, dumb-bird, and god-damn. My latest piece is on the joy of folk names and losing them to the bureaucratic formalization of knowledge about birds.
Chunk Ducks, Blatherskites, Butterballs, and Slug-toots
These used to be folk names for American birds. Where did they all go?
birdhistory.substack.com
September 18, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Having names for plants and animals is our starting point for interacting with nature. I think that's discouraging for a lot of people because they don't know the names for things around them (me included!) but instead why don't we just… make them up?
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
Political violence is bad. It usually begets more political violence.
Celebrating political violence is bad. It usually encourages more political violence, against various targets.
Campus shootings are bad. They make everyone on campus less safe.
It's bad that what I wrote here is controversial.
Celebrating political violence is bad. It usually encourages more political violence, against various targets.
Campus shootings are bad. They make everyone on campus less safe.
It's bad that what I wrote here is controversial.
September 10, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Political violence is bad. It usually begets more political violence.
Celebrating political violence is bad. It usually encourages more political violence, against various targets.
Campus shootings are bad. They make everyone on campus less safe.
It's bad that what I wrote here is controversial.
Celebrating political violence is bad. It usually encourages more political violence, against various targets.
Campus shootings are bad. They make everyone on campus less safe.
It's bad that what I wrote here is controversial.
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
The biggest scandal in US public life *ought* to be that we are the richest country in history & yet our infrastructure sucks, our transportation choices suck, our cities suck, our healthcare sucks, our public administration sucks, & in dozens of little ways, our daily lives suck.
September 3, 2025 at 7:12 PM
The biggest scandal in US public life *ought* to be that we are the richest country in history & yet our infrastructure sucks, our transportation choices suck, our cities suck, our healthcare sucks, our public administration sucks, & in dozens of little ways, our daily lives suck.
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
WOS Research Award recipient Samantha Fishman's work has shown that although Chestnut-sided and Golden-winged warblers can tolerate a certain percentage of nonnative shrubs in the landscape, they both strongly prefer to forage on native shrubs. #ornithology
Guest Post – Where the Warblers Forage: How Birds Help Us Understand Habitat Quality in Shrublands
“Bee-buzz buzz” and “pleased pleased pleased to meetcha” are two of the many frequently heard bird songs in the shrublands of Virginia.
wilsonsociety.org
September 4, 2025 at 3:03 PM
WOS Research Award recipient Samantha Fishman's work has shown that although Chestnut-sided and Golden-winged warblers can tolerate a certain percentage of nonnative shrubs in the landscape, they both strongly prefer to forage on native shrubs. #ornithology
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
the worst part of every manuscript for an ornithologist,
yes, worse than tough reviewers
worse even than outright rejection
when they typeset the paper and all the species names are lower case
yes, worse than tough reviewers
worse even than outright rejection
when they typeset the paper and all the species names are lower case
a man in a suit is crying in the rain .
ALT: a man in a suit is crying in the rain .
media.tenor.com
September 4, 2025 at 5:43 PM
the worst part of every manuscript for an ornithologist,
yes, worse than tough reviewers
worse even than outright rejection
when they typeset the paper and all the species names are lower case
yes, worse than tough reviewers
worse even than outright rejection
when they typeset the paper and all the species names are lower case
Loved this @highcountrynews.org story about Motus research, and not just because researcher @andyjboyce.bsky.social is also featured in my book! www.hcn.org/articles/the...
The invisible ‘giant nets’ that catch the smallest songbirds - High Country News
Collaboration and tiny technology are revolutionizing the study of migration.
www.hcn.org
September 4, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Loved this @highcountrynews.org story about Motus research, and not just because researcher @andyjboyce.bsky.social is also featured in my book! www.hcn.org/articles/the...
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
I sent out my monthly email newsletter this morning. Random (usually bird-related) musings, book recommendations, and bird news from around the internet. Maybe subscribe if that sounds like it would interest you? buttondown.com/rheisman/arc...
Bird of Passage: September 2025
Our backyard has a unique bird-related feature...
buttondown.com
September 3, 2025 at 4:49 PM
I sent out my monthly email newsletter this morning. Random (usually bird-related) musings, book recommendations, and bird news from around the internet. Maybe subscribe if that sounds like it would interest you? buttondown.com/rheisman/arc...
This is what being a cancer survivor is like. (Context: when I was diagnosed w/ lymphoma in 2020, enlarged lymph nodes in my sternum were causing some tenderness.)
"Oh that's weird the area around my sternum aches OH F#&% MY CANCER MUST BE BACK S#!%—wait, I did pushups yesterday, my pecs are sore."
"Oh that's weird the area around my sternum aches OH F#&% MY CANCER MUST BE BACK S#!%—wait, I did pushups yesterday, my pecs are sore."
September 3, 2025 at 9:05 PM
This is what being a cancer survivor is like. (Context: when I was diagnosed w/ lymphoma in 2020, enlarged lymph nodes in my sternum were causing some tenderness.)
"Oh that's weird the area around my sternum aches OH F#&% MY CANCER MUST BE BACK S#!%—wait, I did pushups yesterday, my pecs are sore."
"Oh that's weird the area around my sternum aches OH F#&% MY CANCER MUST BE BACK S#!%—wait, I did pushups yesterday, my pecs are sore."
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
Tfw someone asks you to smile for the camera. 🪶
September 3, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Tfw someone asks you to smile for the camera. 🪶
I sent out my monthly email newsletter this morning. Random (usually bird-related) musings, book recommendations, and bird news from around the internet. Maybe subscribe if that sounds like it would interest you? buttondown.com/rheisman/arc...
Bird of Passage: September 2025
Our backyard has a unique bird-related feature...
buttondown.com
September 3, 2025 at 4:49 PM
I sent out my monthly email newsletter this morning. Random (usually bird-related) musings, book recommendations, and bird news from around the internet. Maybe subscribe if that sounds like it would interest you? buttondown.com/rheisman/arc...
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
Oh word? Birds-of-paradise are just fluorescing left and right now? Goddamn! royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
September 3, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Oh word? Birds-of-paradise are just fluorescing left and right now? Goddamn! royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
Currently reading: What If We Get It Right by Ayanna Elizabeth Johnson. Enjoying this surprisingly uplifting book examining what the future could look like if humanity can come together to stop the worst effects of climate change. www.getitright.earth
What If We Get It Right?
www.getitright.earth
September 2, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Currently reading: What If We Get It Right by Ayanna Elizabeth Johnson. Enjoying this surprisingly uplifting book examining what the future could look like if humanity can come together to stop the worst effects of climate change. www.getitright.earth
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
Hello everyone! I am working on a story for The Guardian about how Chicagoans are preparing for the possible arrival of federal troops, following President Trump's statements on the matter. Right now, I'm looking for residents, community organizers, business owners, and other folks to talk to!
September 2, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Hello everyone! I am working on a story for The Guardian about how Chicagoans are preparing for the possible arrival of federal troops, following President Trump's statements on the matter. Right now, I'm looking for residents, community organizers, business owners, and other folks to talk to!
Reposted by Rebecca Heisman
As everyone waits with bated breath for some announcement from the White House that may or may not be very significant, I am reminded of something @sarahkendzior.bsky.social wrote in a post a few days ago: "Do not let Donald Trump be the most important person in your life."
September 2, 2025 at 6:53 PM
As everyone waits with bated breath for some announcement from the White House that may or may not be very significant, I am reminded of something @sarahkendzior.bsky.social wrote in a post a few days ago: "Do not let Donald Trump be the most important person in your life."