The Gray-headed Chickadee is certainly one of the most enigmatic species of breeding birds in the ABA Area. Although it is found broadly across northern Eurasian it was, until very recently, also known from an isolated breeding population in northern Alaska and far northwestern Canada. Those birds, long a bucket list objective for ABA Area birders, might be gone, and the reasons for that are not entirely clear. Alaska birder and conservationist Brad Meiklejohn explores the chickadees’ disappearance in “Lost on the Frontier: The Mysterious Disappearance of North America’s Rarest Breeding Bird,” published in the July 2025 issue of Birding magazine, and he joins us to talk more about this avian mystery. The ABA is pleased to provide free access to Brad’s article; please join the ABA to support the publication of in-depth content like this—and to enjoy full access to all ABA publications.
Also, the auction featuring some of our past Bird of the Year cover art is up and running!
Subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and please leave a rating or a review if you are so inclined! We appreciate it!
The American Birding Podcast brings together staff and friends of the American Birding Association as we talk about birds, birding, travel and conservation in North America and beyond.
Join host Nate Swick every other Thursday for news and happenings, recent rarities, guests from around the birding world, and features of interest to every birder.
