© 2026 WRVO Public Media
NPR News for Central New York
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The wild science (and drama) of bird families

This comic, illustrated by Fio Geiran, is inspired by an interview from TED Radio Hour's episode The Birds and the Bees.

From nest-hopping to manipulating eggs, the bird world is full of family drama. Biologist Carin Bondar explains the wild side of bird science and what it teaches us about evolution.

/ Fio Geiran/NPR
/
Fio Geiran/NPR
/ Fio Geiran/NPR
/
Fio Geiran/NPR
/ Fio Geiran/NPR
/
Fio Geiran/NPR
Fio Geiran/NPR /
Fio Geiran/NPR /
/ Fio Geiran/NPR
/
Fio Geiran/NPR
Fio Geiran/NPR /
/ Fio Geiran/NPR
/
Fio Geiran/NPR
/ Fio Geiran/NPR
/
Fio Geiran/NPR
/ Fio Geiran/NPR
/
Fio Geiran/NPR

About Carin Bondar

Carin Bondar is a biologist, author, and philosopher.

Bondar is the author of four books on wildlife and sex, Wild Moms, Wild Sex, The Nature of Sex, and The Nature of Human Nature. She hosts web series based on her books, and has also hosted multiple televisions series, including "Outrageous Acts of Science" on the Discover Science Channel. Her work has appeared on National Geographic, Animal Planet, Netflix, and The Science Channel, among others.

Bondar is also the founder and president of the STEM Angels Foundation, a group that is dedicated to supporting Moms in science.

She earned her bachelor's in biology from Simon Fraser University and her Ph.D. in community ecology from the University of British Columbia.

This comic was illustrated by Fio Geiran and edited by LA Johnson and Katie Monteleone.

The original audio interview was produced by James Delahoussaye and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadio@npr.org.

Copyright 2024 NPR

Fio Geiran
LA Johnson is an art director and illustrator at NPR.
Katie Monteleone
WRVO is now well into its second year without federal funding. Through it all, our mission has stayed the same: serving central and upstate New York with trusted journalism, vital local coverage, and the diverse programming that informs and connects our communities. Listeners like you are what keep journalists on the ground, asking the hard questions that matter to our region.

Stand with public media and make your gift today. You'll be supporting more than yourself. You'll be supporting everyone who depends on WRVO as a trusted resource and civic cornerstone in central and upstate New York.