Some winters, the bird world throws us a curveball—owls, finches, ptarmigans, and more suddenly show up far outside their usual range, flooding backyards and thrilling birders across the continent. This phenomenon, known as an irruption, is one of the most magical and unpredictable events in birding. In this episode of The Real Birding Podcast, Caleb and Will dive into what causes these movements, share stories of past irruptions, and even make some predictions for what birders might see this winter.
