About

BirdNote is a public media program that brings joy, inspiration, and hope to millions of people around the world who value birds and the environment we share. 

Catch the two-minute show every day — the way you want to listen — on the air, via podcast, online at BirdNote.org, and through social media. We also produce BirdNote Presents, longform stories and series that connect us more deeply with birds, nature, and each other. 

You can also find BirdNote stories in print. Look for BirdNote: Chirps, Quirks, and Stories of 100 Birds from the Popular Public Radio Show at your favorite bookseller.
 

Our Mission

Birds connect us with the joy and wonder of nature. By telling vivid, sound-rich stories about birds and the challenges they face, BirdNote inspires listeners to care about the natural world — and take steps to protect it.

Our Vision

As listeners tune in to the lives of birds, their connection with nature deepens. They become champions for conservation and stewards of places important to birds and people.

The Stories

Listeners consistently tell us they love the rich sounds of birds and the variety of topics featured in the daily show and extended features. 

• Our writers and editors include birders, scientists, and journalists.
• Every BirdNote story is informed and reviewed by a panel of science advisors. 
• BirdNote’s professional narrators are longtime DJs, performers, and storytellers.
• BirdNote producers are professional audio storytellers.

The Sounds

• Most of the sounds in BirdNote shows come from the Macaulay Library wildlife media archive at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  
• We source additional bird calls, songs, and ambient habitat sounds from Gordon Hempton and QuietPlanet.org, Naturesound.org, Kessler Productions, Lang Elliott, Martyn Stewart, Kevin Colver Productions, and xeno-canto.
• Our theme music was composed and played by Grammy Award-winning musician, Nancy Rumbel, and produced by John Kessler, host of the KNKX All Blues program.

The Images

Photos contributed by the BirdNote corps of photographers bring our stories to life on BirdNote.org, through social media, and in BirdNote publications, including the annual report and calendar. Hundreds of photographers have generously shared their photos since BirdNote began in 2005.

Our Partners

BirdNote conservation partners help inform our programming and offer opportunities for listeners to get involved in bird conservation and habitat preservation.

• American Bird Conservancy
• Audubon
• BirdLife International
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Ducks Unlimited
• Endangered Species Coalition
• Environment for the Americas
• National Environmental Education Foundation
• Partners in Flight