Podcast · Tech & Science

How many geese?

by Jack Baddams & Roddy Shaw · English · Tech & Science

The comedy nature podcast for more than just nature nerds. A really wild show for grown ups, each episode looks at stories and science from across the natural world and also pits a host against a listener suggested species of animal to decide how many they could take in a fight. Insta @howmanygees

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 3 min
Latest: 18 Feb 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

18 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 30 min

Our silly little show

5 years, 10 seasons, 100 episodes, 1 finale. The question of how to end How Many Geese is one we've mulled over for months, but we knew we really couldn't do it without the people that have the made the show such a joy for us to make - you guys. So join us on a trip down memory lane as we hear some of your favourite moments from goose history, pull back the curtain for some behind the scenes revelations and look at some of the maddest stories that never made it. Then, we're going out in style with one last visit to the arena as we face off with the only animal fitting enough to be our final…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

E71 · 10 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
An olive branch to Australia
For 5 years, there is one country that has been our spiritual home - Nature's Thunderdome. In a homage to a place that has given us so much over the last 99 episodes, this episode is a deep dive into the most chaotic collection of creatures on the planet. But is Australia as dangerous as we've made out all these years? Join as we delve into the stats, make some surprising discoveries and crown the one true thunderdome... The fight segment sees Roddy tangling with one of the most bizarre looking animals we've ever welcomed into the arena, the Stargazer Fish, before we answer our final ever…
E70 · 3 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 2 min
The locomotion of a walrus
It's time to take the King's shilling and head out to sea as this episode starts with naval tales as a walrus takes on a Russian navy boat, before Roddy grabs a calculator and does some truly bonkers marine mammal maths. Once the calculations are finished though, we take a look at how our activities at sea have impacted ecosystems in ways (perhaps, the naïve amongst us!) would never have thought... That's not all of course, as we then head not to the arena - but a deviously constructed battle box for the fight segment against a crab, and then round things off by assembling our stag do teams…
E69 · 27 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
The domesticated elite
Evolution has carefully crafted species over milennia, tinkering with them in the face of each new challenge to produce the wonders of life that lay before us today. Today's episode takes a look at just how easy it is for humans to ruin that as we bend the species of the earth to our will in one of the most fascinating processes we've subjected nature to - domestication. Once you've wrapped your head around a crazy study that Jack is bringing to the table today, get ready for the arena as we're taking on the Quokka, an animal influencer whose no stranger to rubbing shoulders with the stars.…
E68 · 20 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Featuring Hugh Jackman
Join us this week as we hide the machinery of knowledge behind the fleshy exterior of whimsy and delve into the world of robot animals. Armed with nothing but silliness, a can do attitude and ... a certain Australian's filmography, we take a look at examples of where creatures and cybernetics are colliding around the world. The arena expands this week to welcome Henry as Roddy joins forces to take on the Kakapo. Can this new formed duo take on the world's largest parrot? In the words of (none other than, and I can't believe she's making a reference before we close out) Helen Keller: "Alone…
E67 · 13 Jan 2026 · 59 min
The Ghost Duck of Tushingham
Today's episode is sitting round the campfire with a torch under its face as we share some spooky stories from the natural world. We take a peek into the world of ghostly animals, both real and... questionable, before delving into one of the most extraordinary tales we've ever told on the show... Roddy then takes the fight to the mountains of Germany as he does battle with a subterranean monster - the Giant Rainworm of Baden. Then we stick with the giant animal theme as we answer - what would be the worst animal to suddenly be made Godzilla-sized? For more goose, head on over to our Patreon…
E66 · 6 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
May I take your coat, sir?
Here we go listener, we have lift off on HMG's final voyage as season 10 kicks off in style. In honour of our noble goose mission over the last 5 years of trying to make a nature podcast that you'd have fun listening to, Roddy is shining a light on fun in the animal kingdom. Do animals just have fun? And if so, which ones and why? Our fight segment got Roddy dressing up all fancy as he takes on a foe you might not necessarily associate with a fine dining experience - the Babirusa. And then finally, to wrap up proceedings for episode 94, we answer a question that I cannot believe, in all our…
E65 · 30 Sep 2025 · 59 min
Geese on Tour: Charismatic Crawlies
Time to get those waders on listeners as we head into the aquatic realm for this episode of HMG. Martha Glennon, from Not Bourne Yesterday (and the People vs. Sea Otters fame), is our guide into the crystal clear, watery world of chalk streams - Britain's rarest type of habitat. We find out about what makes them so special, what lives inside them and what YOU can do to find yourself having a lovely time in a chalk stream just like we did... For more on the Not Bourne Yesterday, check out: www.chilterns.org.uk/flagship-projects/not-bourne-yesterday-chalk-stream-communities-of-the-chilterns To…
E64 · 23 Sep 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
Geese on Tour: The Archer of Snakes
Marilyn Monroe, Brad Pitt, Pamela Anderson, Marlon Brando... the list of heart-throbs goes on and on, but we at HMG have only ever had eyes for one bird. In this very special episode we head down to Hampshire, to the Hawk Conservancy Trust, to come face to face with the object of our affections. Tom Morath is our wingman for this very special date as he brings us face to face with the sexiest animal on planet Earth. We're also introduced to other brilliant birds at the Hawk Conservancy Trust, and learn about the amazing work they do to protect some of the world's most critically endangered…
E63 · 16 Sep 2025 · 1 hr 8 min
Geese on Tour: Jurassic Goose
Listeners, allow us to welcome you to a podcast 166 million years in the making... Like most people interested in nature, we absolutely had a dinosaur phase (Jack arguably never left it). It's been an aim of ours to do some sort of dinosaur special on the show for a while, but never in our wildest dreams did we think we'd actually get to JOIN AN EXCAVATION. Have a listen as we visited a quarry in Oxfordshire to meet Dr Duncan Murdock and a team of experts, that are carefully uncovering dinosaur footprints for the first time since the Jurassic... Hang around until the end of the show too, as…
E62 · 15 Apr 2025 · 1 hr 12 min
Diet Chimp
In a masterpiece of editorial writing from Master Shaw, he rounds out the finale of season 9 with a deep dive into nature's finales - lost species and endlings. We're also setting foot into uncharted territory as we welcome the first Great Ape into the fight arena, as we make war (not love) with those promiscuous primates - the Bonobos. We finish our calibration with Green Feathers by looking at which bird has the whitest white feathers known to science before getting our James Cameron on and mulling over which animal we'd want to be turned into an Avatar of... Get your digital window to the…
E61 · 8 Apr 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
Arse based autopilot
We're running around like headless chickens this week as the penultimate episode for Season 9 takes a trip to mid century America and meets a most unlikely celebrity - Mike the headless chicken. Roddy does battle with one of the most fearsome fish in freshwater in the Asian Arowana, Jack busts some myths on penguins for our sponsors Green Feathers and we get our best Hollywood agent acts on as we hire animals for their sound effects. Get your digital window to the natural world here with Green Feathers - https://www.green-feathers.co.uk Need more geese? Check out our Patreon! Come join the…
E60 · 1 Apr 2025 · 16 min
Is it time to stop feeding birds?
Something a little different for you today listeners, as we're delving into the uncomfortable truths surrounding bird feeding and whether it's the right thing to do... For more reading on the subject, you can download this excellent paper that talks about the potential ecological impacts of bird feeding here: www.researchgate.net/publication/353996228_Killing_with_kindness_Does_widespread_generalised_provisioning_of_wildlife_help_or_hinder_biodiversity_conservation_efforts This segment is from our Patreon show. Subscribe for £3 a month for bonus episodes here: www.patreon.com/howmanygeese
E59 · 25 Mar 2025 · 58 min
Pick a parrot
It's time to salute the flag and sing your national anthem with gusto listeners, as Roddy takes us on a tour of some of the world's national animals. Quizmaster Shaw is hosting Geese's answer to Eurovision as he unleashes an iconic animals Euroquiz upon your ears. In today's fight we welcome Patreon member Tom Hone into the ring, as he tag teams with Roddy in the frozen wastes of the Antarctic Ocean to do battle with a fearsome feathered foe from the high seas. Our Green Feathers segment looks at how feathers were integral to the foundation of some of the biggest conservation groups on the…
E58 · 18 Mar 2025 · 1 hr 3 min
A snail on a pendant
Ready the tea leaves and polish your crystal balls, we are discussing divination with doves and dodos as Jack takes us through the ancient practice of bird augury - beginning in the most unlikely of places, and with a snail... But that's not all of course as Roddy does battle with a hellish giant of the deep - the deep sea isopod - and the pair discuss which animals would make the best gang for a dream blunt rotation. That's not all of course as our sponsored segment with pals at Green Feathers sees the hosts chat through some of the biggest feathers in the bird world. Get your digital…
E57 · 11 Mar 2025 · 1 hr
Twenty million dollars later
In a throw back to when we disarmed the bat bomb in Season 5, we are donning our combat gear and heading to the front lines to look at how and when animals have been involved in war throughout history. With everything from a cat receiving an award for gallantry, to battle dolphins, through to how modern conflict is - in some instances - helping preserve parts of the natural world, we uncover the goose juice in some of history's darkest times. Then it's time for the fight segment as Roddy does battle with one of nature's flattest foes; the terror of trypophobics everywhere - the Suriname…
E56 · 4 Mar 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
In softness no one can hear you scream
BOOM! Today's episode is blowing biology wide open as we take a look at exploding animals and why some species have evolved the most hardcore defensive behaviours on Planet Earth. Our journey into the world of feathers continues as we hop in the goose time machine to look back to their origins and see what the dinosaurs were dressed in. Then it's time for our fight segment where we welcome Patreon member Nellie nto the ring to help Roddy tackle the fluffiest combatant that's ever stepped into the arena - Chinchillas. And, after all that excitement, we blow off some steam at a party with the…
E55 · 25 Feb 2025 · 51 min
Hot bonkers
Listener, what's the craziest thing you've found growing where it shouldn't...? Whilst you get to leaving your answers in the comments, Roddy is taking us all through some of the wildest things that nature has sprouted in unexpected places. Then it's time for another feather segment with our pals Green Feathers, where we go all shmancy and don our Eider down jackets to learn about the extraordinary feathers (and prices) that these ducks are responsible for. Then it's our fight segment where the feathers will literally fly as Roddy does battle with the terminator finch hell bent on making us…
E54 · 18 Feb 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Surprise, it's the past
WE. ARE. BACK - and season nine (NINE!) is off to a flying start as Jack takes us through just what all those salmon hat wearing orcas were up to in the news - and used the topic to ask questions about culture in other creatures. If the fashion news of the century passed you by, then you can take a look at them strutting their salmon-y stuff here. Then, in our new sponsored segment - where we'll be featuring all things feathers this season - Roddy gets us started by taking a look at just what even is a feather, before going on to the classic goose juice and doing battle with one of nature's…
E53 · 24 Dec 2024 · 11 min
Twas the night before Goosemas - Patreon sneak peek
We are popping up on Christmas eve to share a sneak peek (sneak hear?) of our Christmas special which has just dropped over on the Goose Patreon! The full episode covers everything from 14th century Sardinian Queens, to Octopi on Christmas cards and a recasting of some nativity guests with wildlife's wisest wonders! (IS this the one time we will accept a chimp??) Sign up by the 10th of January and get 20% off your first month with coded "G00SE" - just head to www.patreon.com/howmanygeese Have a very Merry Christmas and we will see you in the New Year
E52 · 10 Dec 2024 · 1 hr 26 min
Interview: The one true Bird King
Join us before the year ends as we doff our caps and bend the knee in a chat with Peter Kaestner - ex American diplomat and man who has seen more bird species than anyone else in the world! Peter takes us through the world of bird watching at the elite level, and how his love for birds led him to a career that saw him serve his country and travel the globe in search of birds. With a life thoroughly well lived, his story to see his 10,000th bird species is nothing short of Hollywood ready! (This could also be the first podcast interview live interrupted by the appearance of a bird - and what…
E51 · 8 Oct 2024 · 1 hr 10 min
A nebulous concept
Much like the sun setting on a seaside town, season 8 draws to a close with the raucous cries of seagulls as we take on a newspaper article that set out to find Britain's hardest gulls. It wouldn't be How many geese? though if we didn't meander to Melbourne or detour to Darwin, and true to form our friends down under have their own tales to tell of tackling seaside seagull shenanigans in trying to keep snacks on the shoreline safe*. That's not all, as Roddy fights a bird so obscure that not only was Jack unaware of it....but it might not even exist at all! We learn about a photographer who…
E50 · 1 Oct 2024 · 1 hr 2 min
A magnificent but inaccurate history
I can guarantee to you listeners that the start of this week's episode is going to leave you completely baffled as to where it's going, as Roddy embarks on an exploration of what on earth dry cleaners are and the sorcery that goes along with their dark arts. But, stick with us, and we promise it eventually finds its way back to the nature vibe as we explore the world of cleaning behaviour in the animal kingdom. (see what he did there?) If that wasn't enough then there's also photography tales from the deep from a man who spent 24 hours underwater to take a picture of some mating fish whilst…
E49 · 24 Sep 2024 · 1 hr 4 min
That is literally nature
How many geese? has seen its fair share of drugged up animals - from the Hollywood sensation that is cocaine bear, through to Pablo Escobar's cocaine hippos - but in this episode we're here to see the effects of things slightly more "over the counter" as Jack takes us through the impact of excess anti-depressants on the environment. If you've ever wondered about the internet claiming "they're turning the frigging frogs gay", this ones for you! Also in this episode, Roddy fights a the red triangle slug, Jack recaps a drunken moose and the pair discuss which animal would make the best…
E48 · 16 Sep 2024 · 1 hr 9 min
Geese on Tour: The Savannahs of Norfolk
Cast your minds back Goose fans and you may well remember an episode entitled "Hot bear summer", where our own Roddy Shaw went on a mission to prove that Antelope were animals worth our attention and shouldn't just be consigned to being eaten by a big cat on a David Attenborough show. The conclusion of his mission was that they were indeed incredibly dull, and so proclaimed them one of the most boring animals on the planet. Well, fast forward to today's episode and Jack has brought him to the Watatunga Wildlife Reserve to meet someone who will show him the error of his ways. We sit down with…
E47 · 10 Sep 2024 · 1 hr 6 min
Key nose speakers
We've accidentally curated an episode laden with slime as we talk all things deep sea and mucus! Following last week's chat that went to the roof of the world in search of how yak's can live so high, we've done a full 180 and are going deep, deep DEEP down in the sea to understand why life there is just so difficult and hear about some of the crazily named fish that call the ocean depths home. Sticking with the (genuinely accidental) theme, Roddy fights a lungfish, Jack recaps what it takes to photograph a coelacanth in the MPB segment and we possibly bite off more than we can chew in trying…
E46 · 3 Sep 2024 · 57 min
Yak attack
HMG gets high as this episode sees us heading into the mountains to meet one of the maddest animals you've all heard of but never given a thought to - Yaks. Today's episode also sees us invite our first listener on the show! Patreon member Beth joins Roddy in battle against the world's wildlife as she steps into the ring in a tag team bout against the Greater Hedgehog Tenrec. And if all that wasn't enough, then we've got drunken Mountain Gorillas, a misbehaving Orangutan and a debate to decide which bear is best... In need of camera gear? You can check out our show sponsors MPB here…
E45 · 27 Aug 2024 · 1 hr
I shall speak largely of mice
For the past seven seasons, How many geese? has flourished atop the twin foundations of whimsy and shenanigans. Well, Jack has decided that season eight is when that comes crashing to a halt - as he blasts through our whimsical bedrock and holds a mirror up to us all to have us question what makes a society... and can utopias exist? He does this, in true Goose fashion, through the medium of some research on rodents in the 20th century. You will never look at an influencer the same again once you've heard what he's uncovered... It's not just existential philosophy though (hooray!) as we also…
E44 · 19 Aug 2024 · 1 hr 4 min
Interview: Orangutan Jungle School
We're back! A new season is dawning in Gooseland as we kick off series 8 with a banger. We stumble across lots of awesome people in making this show, and when we heard the stories that one of them had to tell, we knew we needed to get him on the show. Enter Ben Callison - CEO of Borneo Orangutan Survival UK, builder of hurricane proof tiger enclosures and carer of one-armed Kangaroo boxers. We sit down with him to learn about how his career unfolded and sending Orangutans to school is helping to return them to the jungle. To check out the work of BOSUK, hit the link here:…
E43 · 30 Jul 2024 · 1 hr
HMG Live: The Worst Bird in the World
It's the second part of our live Global Birdfair specials and we're coming out swinging as we try to answer the ultimate question - what is the worst bird in the world? But we couldn't hope to answer such a question alone, so we've called in the expert when it comes to cretinous creatures and are joined by our pal Alice Vassallo off "Asshole Animals with Alice". There's 16 species up for discussion, but only one will be left spitting feathers when we present it with the trophy for being atrocious... Make sure to check out Asshole Animals with Alice by clicking here! You can find more info on…

About How many geese?

How many geese? is a English tech & science podcast from Jack Baddams & Roddy Shaw. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Jack Baddams & Roddy Shaw
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 3 min
Latest episode: 18 Feb 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1555133269

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