123 Every Bird in the World
About this episode
It started with a Tawny Frogmouth at a train station. Jacob from Birding with Cob shares how birdwatching took him from Australia to the Amazon and beyond.
Birds featured: Andean Condor, Flamingos (James’s Flamingo, Andean Flamingo, Chilean Flamingo), Harpy Eagle, Tawny Frogmouth
Places featured: Mungo National Park (NSW)
Episode illustration: Chiliean Flamingo
Resources
Harpy Eagle recording by Alberto Lobato (XC708578) from xeno-canto.org
Chilean Flamingo recording by John V Moore (XC257291) from xeon-canto.org
Meet the guest
Jacob De Leo, known online as Birding with Cob, is a birdwatcher and content creator on a mission to see every bird species in the world. Blending humour and storytelling on a Pokemon-inspired adventure, Cob is turning birdwatching into a quest that is inspiring a new generation to look up and connect with nature.
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Kirsty Costa [00:00:00]
I acknowledge the ongoing custodianship of the Wurundjeri People of the Eastern Kulin Nation, on whose Country this episode was recorded. I was born in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne on Wurundjeri Country, and I return often to see my family and friends. I pay my respects to Elders past and present, and to their families. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land.Kirsty Costa [00:00:27]
This is Weekend Birder and I’m your bird-loving buddy, Kirsty Costa. Thanks to everyone who has been sending through suggestions for this season. Today’s guest has been highly requested. Jacob De Leo, also known as Cob, is a birdwatcher and content creator on a mission to see every bird species in the world. You might know him as Birding with Cob. Here’s how his love of birds began.Jacob De Leo (Cob) [00:01:13]
I think I just started noticing them more. I’ve always loved wildlife and travel, and as I was travelling around Australia, I started seeing all these incredible birds. At first it was the obvious ones - Crimson Rosellas, Emus, King Parrots - but then I started noticing the smaller birds and wondering what they were. When I realised birdwatching was a thing, I was hooked. It felt like Pokémon - trying to see them all. My spark bird was a Tawny Frogmouth. It was sitting on a pole at a train station and I could get really close to it. It felt like I was meant to see it. That moment triggered everything.Kirsty Costa [00:02:52]
Cob says he was proud to see the Tawny Frogmouth named Australian Bird of the Year.Jacob De Leo (Cob) [00:02:59]
So proud. Big up the Tawny Frogmouth.Kirsty Costa [00:03:03]
Inspired by the film The Big Year, Cob has set himself a goal to see every bird species in the world.Jacob De Leo (Cob) [00:03:30]
It started as a content idea, but then I realised it’s the ultimate goal for a birder. It’s like a race against time - against habitat loss and climate change. I want to see as many birds as I can. It’s taken me to some amazing places and into some wild situations.Kirsty Costa [00:05:13]
Cob has built a large following by sharing his birding adventures online.Jacob De Leo (Cob) [00:05:26]
I didn’t know this birding community existed. I thought I was the only one obsessed with birds, but there are so many people out there. It’s been amazing to connect with them.Kirsty Costa [00:06:58]
One of Cob’s most memorable sightings was the Harpy Eagle.Jacob De Leo (Cob) [00:06:58]
We went to the Amazon and got incredibly lucky. We saw a Harpy Eagle on our second day. It’s a massive bird of prey that hunts monkeys and sloths. It was a dream sighting.Kirsty Costa [00:08:02]
The Harpy Eagle is one of the most powerful birds in the world, with enormous talons and a striking crest.Kirsty Costa [00:08:56]
Another unforgettable moment came in Bolivia.Jacob De Leo (Cob) [00:09:00]
We were on the salt flats and saw flamingos flying over what looked like a giant mirror. It felt like another planet. Seeing James’s Flamingos, Andean Flamingos and Chilean Flamingos in that environment was incredible.Kirsty Costa [00:09:51]
These flamingos thrive in high-altitude salt lakes, feeding on algae and small invertebrates.Kirsty Costa [00:11:32]
Back in Australia, Cob has also explored places like Mungo National Park.Jacob De Leo (Cob) [00:11:32]
We drove out to Mungo and found Pink Cockatoos. It felt like a real side quest, and it was worth it.Kirsty Costa [00:12:42]
Cob says birdwatching has taken him to places he never expected.Jacob De Leo (Cob) [00:15:08]
Birding has taken me all over the world. I’ve hitchhiked through the Daintree, climbed volcanoes to find an Andean Condor, and ended up in incredible places I never would have gone otherwise.Kirsty Costa [00:15:49]
Through his work, Cob is inspiring others to notice birds.Jacob De Leo (Cob) [00:12:49]
Seeing people connect with birds for the first time is amazing. Hearing that someone’s kid wants a camera to start bird photography - that’s really special.Kirsty Costa [00:15:08]
Cob says birdwatching is about the experience.Jacob De Leo (Cob) [00:15:08]
It’s the stories and the places and the people you meet. That’s what I love most about birding.Kirsty Costa [00:15:49]
If you’d like to follow Cob’s journey, you can find him online as Birding with Cob. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll speak to you again soon.
