{"podcast":{"title":"Instant Genius","slug":"instant-genius-226559","podcast_index_feed_id":226559,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/GLT7732401960","website_url":"http://www.sciencefocus.com/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/f7c186ec-ab83-11ed-876d-531b385da704/image/1e3aeeafe7dbc619978cf0eccb54d269.jpeg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Our Media","episode_count":652,"summary":"Whether you’re curious about getting healthy, the Big Bang or the science of cooking, find out everything you need to know with Instant Genius. The team behind BBC Science Focus Magazine talk to world-leading experts to bring you two bite-sized masterclasses on a new subject each week. New episodes are released every Monday and Friday and you can subscribe to Instant Genius on Apple Podcasts to access all new episodes ad-free and all old episodes of Instant Genius Extra. Watch full episodes of Instant Genius on BBC Science Focus Magazine's YouTube channel. Follow us on X: @SFIGPod","last_synced_at":"2026-06-19T10:17:02.929921+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/instant-genius-226559"},"episode":{"title":"The dawn chorus – why birds sing at the break of day","slug":"the-dawn-chorus-why-birds-sing-at-the-break-of-day","published_at":"2026-04-19T23:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/instant-genius-226559/the-dawn-chorus-why-birds-sing-at-the-break-of-day","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/instant-genius-226559","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR4989280639.mp3?updated=1776431242","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR4989280639.mp3?updated=1776431242","summary":"In springtime, as the Sun rises, the early morning air is filled with the glorious sound of birdsong. This is known as the dawn chorus. But why exactly are birds so vocal at this time of the day, what purpose does it serve, and how did their songs get so complex? In this episode, we’re joined by the RSPB’s Adrian Thomas, a bird expert and author of the RSPB Guide to Birdsong. He explains how this breathtaking morning symphony is motivated by mating rituals and territorial displays, tells us about the songs of some of his favourite avian vocal superstars, and gives us some top tips on how we can best experience this stunning natural phenomenon for ourselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices","meta_description":"In springtime, as the Sun rises, the early morning air is filled with the glorious sound of birdsong. This is known as the dawn chorus. But why exactly ar…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1657,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/instant-genius-226559/episodes/the-dawn-chorus-why-birds-sing-at-the-break-of-day/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/instant-genius-226559/the-dawn-chorus-why-birds-sing-at-the-break-of-day.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}