NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Matthew Medler of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology about the best bird sounds of 2025 from their vast collection of recordings, and why their selections made the list.

Jun. 30—Is that the tweet of a titmouse? Or the chirp of a chickadee? After you download the app Merlin Bird ID, you can use your smartphone to identify sounds and match them to the birds in trees ...

Birds are the master vocalists of the animal kingdom. They can make a remarkable variety of sounds. But why is a barred owl more of a baritone, while a cedar waxwing is a soprano? And what influences ...