Name: Death And Birding | Victor M. Sweeney + Pro Birder Nick Lund
Uploaded: 2026-05-06T14:00:33.000Z
Duration: 3077
Description: In this episode of "Death And," mortician and funeral director Victor M. Sweeney welcomes birder and conservationist Nick Lund for an engaging exploration of...

In this episode of "Death And," mortician and funeral director Victor M. Sweeney welcomes birder and conservationist Nick Lund for an engaging exploration of the intersection between death and birdwatching. The conversation takes flight with observations about vultures—often unfairly maligned for their association with death—and the crucial role they play in the ecosystem. Victor and Nick swap stories about birding in cemeteries, the surprising beauty of carrion birds, and the way cemeteries serve as vital green spaces for both grieving families and bird enthusiasts. Along the way, they discuss the movement to rename birds previously named after problematic historical figures and dive into how both birding and death remind us of our place in the natural world.

LINKS:
http://www.nicholaslund.com
http://www.thebirdist.com
http://instagram.com/maineaudubon
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/nick-lund/world-without-birds/9781523518029/?lens=workman-kids
https://scottandnix.com/products/copy-of-american-birding-association-field-guide-to-birds-of-maine?srsltid=AfmBOoqNBlLFDljfEZsNW3yOjTYX4P8RaYh-3ByaITQWQ0QJ1bdEfXfp
http://instagram.com/victor.m.sweeney
http://tiktok.com/@victormsweeney
http://x.com/victormsweeney

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00:00 Victor M. Sweeney introduces the episode: Death And Birding
01:37 Victor addresses listener questions
02:01 Listener Jeff asks if working around death changes fear of life
02:18 Victor reflects on valuing time and priorities
04:04 Listener Raven asks about mummified bodies
04:16 Victor recounts treating a desiccated body
07:25 Victor encourages listeners to call in
08:24 Victor describes global listener emails and career changes
09:14 Victor introduces guest Nick Lund
09:41 Victor and Nick bridge death and birding worlds
10:15 Victor discusses backyard birdwatching and turkey vultures
11:14 Victor compares morticians to vultures
11:33 Nick explains the role vultures play in ecosystems
12:56 Nick defines a “kettle” of vultures and bird body adaptations
14:24 Nick and Victor highlight bald eagles as carrion eaters
15:27 Nick reveals surprising facts about bald eagles
17:01 Victor asks about renaming birds named after people
17:24 Nick details the controversy around eponymous bird names
19:37 Nick discusses movements to drop problematic bird names
21:31 Nick inquires if funeral directors judge people they serve
22:11 Victor insists on compassion for all, regardless of life choices
23:52 Victor contemplates separating birds from their human namesakes
24:27 Nick argues for names that honor the birds themselves
24:53 Nick describes the naming process and committee decisions
26:13 Victor shares personal birdwatching stories with family
26:44 Victor and Nick discuss favorite birds
28:27 Nick expresses love for the common gray catbird
29:07 Victor discusses naming birds after literary references
29:31 Victor and Nick talk about cowbirds and brood parasitism
31:08 Victor asks about managing cowbird impacts on rare birds
32:16 Victor proposes using cemeteries as bird habitat
32:40 Nick praises cemeteries as undervalued birding locations
34:19 Victor calculates actual space required for cemeteries
36:03 Nick draws parallels between bird survival and mortality awareness
37:47 Nick describes how birds constantly avoid danger
39:17 Victor asks if robins stand watch for each other
39:35 Nick explains bird alarm calls and interspecies cooperation
40:23 Nick shares the secret of “pishing” for birdwatching
42:07 Victor and Nick bond over chickadee calls
44:26 Victor wonders if birdwatching fosters relationships with birds
44:40 Nick describes how learning about birds bridges people to nature
46:08 Victor contrasts human memorialization with nature’s cycles
47:16 Victor expresses gratitude to Nick for sharing birding expertise
48:37 Victor reflects on birds, tradition, and the passage of time
49:49 Victor encourages gratitude for wild nature and the cycle of life

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