E7: Okay, but who helped build the world’s bird soundtrack? The inside scoop on Merlin!

E7. Every bird song you’ve ever heard on a hike, through an open window, or sampled in a nature documentary has a story behind it. In this episode, host Dr. Scott Taylor is joined by Linda Macaulay, Chairman of the Board of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, to explore how bird sounds get recorded, preserved, and shared with the world, and why audio might be one of the most powerful tools we have for understanding and protecting birds. And yes, it’s THAT Macaulay; the one with the library named after her. Casual.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• How Linda helped build the world’s bird sound library and why it matters
• What it takes to record a clean bird vocalization in the wild and the even wilder stories behind the scenes
• The role of the Macaulay Library and what’s next for apps like Merlin

If you enjoy this one, follow Okay, But… Birds and share it with a friend who thinks bird songs are just background noise.

All audio, video, and images in this episode are either original to Okay, But… Birds (© Okay Media, LLC) or used under license/permission from the respective rights holders. Bird media from the Macaulay Library is used courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as follows::

• Merlin (Taiga) audio contributed by George B. Reynard, ML4408
• Egyptian Plover audio contributed by Linda Macaulay, ML50441
• Whitehead’s Trogon audio contributed by Linda Macaulay, ML75416
• Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Myrtle) audio contributed by Wil Hershberger, ML85245
• Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Myrtle) video contributed by Eric Liner, ML472204
• Red-Backed Fairywren audio contributed by Tony Baylis, ML233591
• Superb Lyrebird audio contributed by Linda Macaulay, ML128376