AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
If you're a regular listener to this show, you may have heard I really don't like birds.
(SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE))
DANIEL RENJEWSKI: The largest population of bipeds on Earth are actually birds.
RASCOE: Oh, my goodness. And they're - whoo (ph).
RENJEWSKI: Yeah.
RASCOE: I'm sorry, I don't like birds.
(LAUGHTER)
RASCOE: WEEKEND EDITION loves critters, except birds. I do not love birds.
Now...
But I'm not a fan of birds.
...People know I'm not a big fan of birds, right? But do peacocks...
(SOUNDBITE OF THE BYRDS' "ALL I HAVE ARE MEMORIES (INSTRUMENTAL)")
RASCOE: Every time I say this on the radio, we get an email from bird-loving listeners like this.
REBEKAH CRESHKOFF: Ayesha, I was distressed to learn that you don't like birds. I'm curious to know why you dislike birds and would like to try to help you over this hump, if I can. Really, you're missing out on a whole dimension of life that can be an endless source of fascination. Sincerely, Rebekah Creshkoff.
RASCOE: So we decided to take Rebekah up on her offer. She joins us now from her home in Callicoon, New York, and we can hear birds in the background. Welcome.
CRESHKOFF: Thank you, Ayesha. Yes, the blue jays are being very noisy this afternoon.
RASCOE: Now, I do have to warn you, I will not be swayed by this. But I appreciate your efforts, and I'm willing to listen.
CRESHKOFF: I was going to ask you - why don't you like birds? Did you have a traumatic experience in your childhood? Did you see "Birds," you know, the movie...
RASCOE: The movie.
CRESHKOFF: ...By Hitchcock?
RASCOE: You know, I didn't have a traumatic experience, but I've always been scared, especially of bigger birds. And there was an episode of "Dobie Gillis" where they have a giant chicken that pops out at the end, and that did scare me really bad, and I went running to my mom. It was in the middle of the night.
(SOUNDBITE OF CHICKEN CLUCKING)
RASCOE: But, yeah, I have had an issue with birds since I was just a child. I just do not like them (laughter).
CRESHKOFF: OK. I can see how that might affect one's perspective. Well, I would like you to take a look at some pretty much smaller birds.
RASCOE: OK.
CRESHKOFF: I mean, really, birds that would fit in your hand.
RASCOE: OK. I'm opening up a thing so I can look at it.
CRESHKOFF: All right. I'd like you to take a look at the northern flicker, a very handsome woodpecker.
RASCOE: I don't know about this one (laughter). What about those claws? You see those claws on his feet?
(LAUGHTER)
RASCOE: So this one has, like, speckled, black and white. It has a longer beak.
CRESHKOFF: He's a woodpecker. That's why he's got that beak and...
RASCOE: Oh.
CRESHKOFF: ...Why he needs those claws to...
RASCOE: Oh, my goodness.
CRESHKOFF: ...Hang onto trees. So, yeah, he's got this gray cap on the back of his neck with red nape, bright red nape back there, and then a pinkish brown face with a black mustache and black polkadots. I mean, he's...
RASCOE: Black polkadots.
CRESHKOFF: ...Outrageous.
RASCOE: He is outrageous. Like, I appreciate the boldness of it. And I guess...
CRESHKOFF: Yes.
RASCOE: How many times do these attack humans (laughter) ?
CRESHKOFF: None that have been reported, but they do attack ants. They have to eat, too.
RASCOE: They have to eat, too. OK, OK.
CRESHKOFF: Yeah. To our listening audience, we're at Cornell Labs, allaboutbirds.org, where you can look up any bird in the U.S.
(SOUNDBITE OF WOOD THRUSH CHIRPING)
CRESHKOFF: So, Ayesha, not only are birds beautiful, some of them have really great songs. So you should have a link there for the wood thrush.
(SOUNDBITE OF WOOD THRUSH CHIRPING)
CRESHKOFF: It obviously was a day in spring. Everybody is singing their heads off.
RASCOE: (Laughter) Now, I don't mind the bird sounds. Those sounds - right? As long as it's not the (imitating raven) caw, caw. Like...
CRESHKOFF: Yeah. OK.
RASCOE: But these songs, I don't mind. Like, sitting outside and hearing the sounds, I don't mind.
CRESHKOFF: Well, good. I'm glad to hear that. Now, Henry David Thoreau was very fond of the wood thrush song, and he wrote, (reading) whenever a man hears it, he is young and nature is in her spring. Whenever he hears it, it is a new world and a free country, and the gates of heaven are not shut against him.
RASCOE: Oh, that is very nice.
CRESHKOFF: And when you learn birdsongs, Ayesha, it's like having access to another dimension of reality.
RASCOE: That sounds wonderful. Now, I will say, I'm still not a lover of birds, but I understand better the love that people have for it.
CRESHKOFF: Well, thank you. I feel we've made some progress.
RASCOE: Rebekah, you are a wonderful advocate for birds. That's Rebekah Creshkoff, a bird lover and attentive WEEKEND EDITION listener. Thank you so much.
CRESHKOFF: Thank you, Ayesha. It's been a kick. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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