To the American birder, spotting the Tamaulipas Crow is potentially a once-in-a-lifetime event. The crow's range is mostly in Mexico and extends ever so slightly into Texas, specifically in and around a dump called the Brownsville Landfill.
Spotting the Tamaulipas — north of the border — means being able to check it off your American Bird Association Checklist.
So just how far will die-hard birders go to see this bird?
In this episode producer (and first-time birder) Michaela Elias sets out to the southern border with a group of experienced birder friends to find out. Together with her "wingmen" Michaela braves the Texas heat, crawls through brush and over slippery rocks, and risks getting attacked by dogs — to find out whether collecting bird sightings as if they're Pokémon is a meaningful way to engage with the natural world.
Featuring Jake Glassman, Joe Hack, and Joel Glassman.
Produced by Michaela Elias. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.
LINKS
Check out the eBird app, a crowdsourced database of bird observations that lets you log all the birds you’ve seen and where you’ve seen them.
