Hello and welcome. This is the Science of Birds.

I am your host, Ivan Philipson. The Science of Birds podcast is a lighthearted exploration of bird biology for lifelong learners.

I'm thrilled to say that this is episode 100.

That's right, episode 100, baby.

Thank you. Zero, baby!

This is a special episode.

It's going to be a bit more personal than usual,

because I want to share some thoughts and feelings with you about the podcast and about some of my favorite bird species.

It's only because I'm so crazy about birds that I could

sustain the energy and enthusiasm for making the show again and again. And what a joy it's been

to immerse myself so completely in the world of birds. I've been able to indulge my curiosity

and learn heaps of amazing things about bird biology.

I gave myself permission to pursue this dream a few years ago, and my listeners, you guys,

have helped me turn it into a realistic career path, so thank you.

Many of you have been listening since the beginning, since I started back in late

2020. You've cheered me on along the way. Other listeners have discovered the podcast more recently.

Many then went back to the first episode and listened all the way through. And some of you

have even listened to all the episodes more than once, which is just incredible.

So four years and 100 episodes later, the science of birds is still going strong.

I'm super proud of it, and I love making episodes for you.

But life is complex and unpredictable, right?

Many things have changed since I started the podcast.

...