The best nature podcasts, reviewed by me.
Just as diversity in nature makes ecosystems complex, fascinating, and resilient, a diversity of voices and perspectives makes the world of nature podcasts more vibrant. This is my incomplete, imperfect, work-in-progress list of my favorite nature podcasts, with notes on what they each offer. I hope to keep adding to it as I review more podcasts. If you know of a good one I’m missing, get in touch and I’ll be happy to consider adding it!
The Music of Nature
Lang Elliott’s Music of Nature podcast immerses listeners in place-based soundscapes of nature. Audio quality is phenomenal and Lang’s passion for and deep knowledge of natural sounds, from birds and crickets to frogs and coyotes, is impossible to ignore. Something I especially appreciate about this podcast is that, although the narration is excellent, Lang lets the voices of nature speak for themselves. If you have even the remotest curiosity about natural sounds or the desire to transport yourself to a wild place, you’ll enjoy this podcast. Note: as of March 2024, Lang has informed me that he is not currently producing new episodes. Nevertheless, the existing archive is excellent.
Nature Guys
The Nature Guys podcast makes me feel like I’m having one of those stimulating conversations with a fellow naturalist or conservation biologist that is not soon forgotten. Nature Guys goes in-depth on a variety of important and fascinating nature topics, from wolverines and earthworms to oaks and milkweed beetles. Hosted by Bob Staggenborg, the show features several excellent co-hosts and interviews with a variety of knowledgeable guests. It’s characterized by thorough background research and easy-to-follow conversations about the fascinating complexity of nature. Finally, this is a podcast that emphasizes local nature and the benefits of getting outside.
Wild With Nature
My own Wild With Nature podcast features narrated stories of nature that focus on wonder and place-based connection. Since February 2023, it’s also fully bilingual (English/español). Each episode of Wild With Nature includes a written transcript, richly illustrated with photos. Episodes typically run 15-30 minutes, slightly longer in Spanish. Like many podcasts produced by nature enthusiasts on a tiny budget, Wild With Nature has evolved over time. Recent episodes increasingly seek to incorporate field recordings of birdsong and other sounds of nature for a more vivid, immersive, place-based nature experience.
The Science of Birds
The Science of Birds is an entertaining, humorous, narrated podcast that’s all about birds and their biology. Hosted by naturalist Ivan Phillepsen, these episodes—which typically range from 30 minutes to an hour and a half—focus on a variety of topics related to bird habitats, specific birds, nests, and much more. The scope of these discussions covers birds and their ecology from around the world. I find Ivan’s narration style approachable and easy to listen to, with high-quality production on par with an audio book.
Field Notes
Field Notes is a short (~5 minute), weekly radio program/podcast produced by volunteer naturalists at the Montana Natural History Center, in Montana, USA. Like Wild With Nature, Field Notes is available as a podcast and also as a written narrative. The stories of Field Notes are written by a variety of naturalists and cover a wide range of topics, ranging from geology to birds to plants. These are great short listens or reads when you’re looking for a dose of nature in your day! Although the geographic focus is on Montana, you’ll find relevant connections to many of these stories wherever you live.
Future Ecologies
The Future Ecologies podcast features a diversity of storytellers, voices, and stories that explore topics of ecology, the human relationship with nature, and environmental issues. The stories are artfully produced and often interdisciplinary, weaving between the humanities, philosophy, indigenous cultures, science, and more. This independently-produced podcast has a geographic focus on Canada and the United States, but in its varied themes and considerations it has something (if not many somethings) for everyone.
The Wild
Hosted by scientist and storyteller Chris Morgan, The Wild is a podcast focused on themes of nature and ecology that blends elegantly-produced radio-style interviews with engaging storytelling. This podcast is based in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, but covers stories from across the globe about nature and its complex relationships with human society, ranging from coverage of cougars and coyotes to orangutans and salmon.
Jumpstart Nature
This podcast features well-produced narrative stories that include interviews with experts in order to report on a variety of nature- and conservation-related topics, such as the ecology of birdfeeders and the impacts of roads on wildlife. Hosted by Griff Griffith, these episodes are around 30 minutes. Also check out Nature’s Archive, a sister podcast also produced by Jumpstart Nature. Hosted by Michael Hawk, this podcast features longer (~1 hour), interview-style, informative conversations with a variety of scientists about topics ranging from insects to condors to wildfires.
The Permaculture Podcast
The Permaculture Podcast considers our relationships with the creatures and ecosystems around us through the lens of positive actions we can each take to help humans and biodiversity thrive. This podcast features inspiring, thought-provoking interviews with a variety of people involved in social and ecological projects inspired the principles of ecology. The creator, Scott Mann, is an excellent interviewer with a genuine curiosity for his guests and their areas of expertise. Note: In 2024, for health reasons, The Permaculture Podcast is not currently producing new episodes. Nevertheless, the extensive archives, spanning more than a decade, continue to provide an invaluable resource.
Terra Firma
Terra Firma is a poetic, meditative podcast that reflects on the wonder of nature through short (5-10 minute) episodes that pair the essays of Indigenous poet CMarie Fuhrman with the ambient sound recordings of Jacob Job. Each episode transports listeners to a wild place within the Rocky Mountain landscape, with a focus on Colorado, USA and surrounding states. These stories feature excellent audio and make for short, reflective listens, rooted in wild landscapes.
In Defense of Plants
In Defense of Plants gets deep “in the weeds” with the science of plants. Hosted by Matt Candeias, this show features interviews with a variety of scientists, going in-depth into topics related to plants and their ecology. This podcast has been going for years, and its archive features hundreds of episodes. If you want to delve deep into the intricate world of the vegetation that forms the basis of most terrestrial ecosystems, check out this podcast!
Nature Revisited
This podcast features a variety of interviews and conversations exploring the breadth of the human relationship with nature. These conversations feature poets, farmers, scientists, activists, and more. The focus is primarily on the United States. Hosted by Stefan Van Norden, Nature Revisited is based on the idea that “nature is not a place one goes to, but rather a place one is part of—that We Are Nature.”
Will’s Birdbrain
Will’s Birdbrain celebrates the joy of getting to know common birds, one species at a time. This playful podcast, produced by Will Valentine, introduces listeners to relatively common North American birds like rock pigeons, common loons, and downy woodpeckers, with interview-based episodes that feature a variety of bird enthusiasts. The stories connect a love of birds with a variety of broader human themes, such as art, travel, spooky stories, diversity and inclusion, and more. Also check out the story Will and I co-produced in 2023 about yellow-rumped warblers, Yellow-rumped Wanderers.
BBC Earth Podcast
The BBC Earth Podcast features radio-style stories of nature with a focus on scientific projects from various parts of the world. Hosted by Rutendo Shackleton and Sebastian Echeverri, the show features interviews with wildlife scientists, sound recordists, and more about a variety of nature-related stories. Audio production is excellent and includes wildlife sounds to help illustrate the engaging storytelling.
Grubbing in the Filth
This podcast focuses on insects, molluscs, spiders, and other invertebrates, celebrating their diversity, ecology, and more through interviews with entomologists and other knowledgeable, passionate folks. These are long-form (~1 hour), interview-style episodes. Hosted by Tom Sharpe, this show is full of information about the world of invertebrates, creatures that we see around us every day and that are nevertheless bizarre, fascinating, and often misunderstood.
Backyard Ecology
The Backyard Ecology podcast focuses on nature where we live, in our yards and communities. Hosted by Kentucky, USA-based nature lovers Shannon and Anthony Trimboli and geographically focused on the eastern United States, this show features long-form (~1 hour) interviews as well as shorter episodes that explore a variety of topics related to backyard ecology, such as hummingbirds and goldfinches, gardening with native plants, and the importance of moths. A passion for nature shines through in these episodes.
Beakuency
Beakuency is a bird-focused radio show that is broadcast monthly in the Hudson Valley of New York State, USA. Hosted by the incredible artist Mayuko Fujino, these roughly hour-long programs feature interviews with local bird people and a mix of bird sounds and bird-inspired music. Although primarily a radio program, you can also listen to these programs as a podcast archive. This show is geographically focused on the Hudson Valley, but it explores themes that are relevant for naturalists everywhere. It has a relaxed, enjoyable, Saturday-morning feel to it.
The Happy Botanist
Produced by botanist Allasandra Valdez, this enthusiastic podcast shares a passion for plants. Each month Allasandra creates a short (~10 minute), informative episode focused on some aspect of plant biology or ecology, along with a longer (~1 hour), relaxed conversation with a scientist or other plant person about a topic related to botany and plants. Grounded in the sciences, this podcast is full of passion for the plants around us.
Voices of the Wild Earth
This podcast by the Idaho Mythweaver features stories that celebrate and explore human relationships with nature, featuring voices and perspectives from Indigenous communities, artists, naturalists, and more. These professionally-produced stories typically run about 30 minutes each and focus on nature and culture in the northwestern United States, but the connections that they speak of reach far beyond this geographic area.
The Urban Wildlife Podcast
This podcast, hosted by Billy Brown and Tony Croasdale, features rambling but interesting conversations related to a variety of urban wildlife topics. Billy and Tony are both based in Philadelphia, USA, but their podcast includes urban wildlife themes from across the world, including interviews with other naturalists. Episodes can range from 30 minutes to an hour and a half. I love the enthusiasm and curiosity that Billy and Tony have for urban wildlife of all shapes and sizes (including plants). Their relaxed conversations encourage us to think about wildlife everywhere, including in our built spaces, and consider the ecology of our cities.
Entocast
This British entomology podcast, produced by entomology PhD students Nick and Liam, ran from 2017 to 2018 and remains available, in spite of the lack of new content. Episodes, which run around 40 minutes each, feature interviews with various entomologists showcasing different insect groups and their ecology. I find this show educational and entertaining, with a good mix of science and humor and an obvious passion for insects.