About

BirdNote transports listeners out of the daily grind and into the natural world. The stories we tell are rich in sound, imagery, and information, connecting our lives to the ways and needs of birds. BirdNote inspires listeners to care about the natural world — and take steps to protect it.

BirdNote shows are aired on public radio stations around the country every day and can be found online at any time. Each show is scheduled to coincide with the time of year when it’s possible to see or hear the featured bird. We inspire people to listen, look, and exclaim, “Oh, that’s what that is!”

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

• Our writers and producers are birders and audio storytellers. Their stories evolve from years of personal observation and are informed and reviewed by a panel of science advisors.
   

The Sounds

• BirdNote shows are full of the rich, clear songs of birds. Most of the sounds come from the world-renowned Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
• 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.
• We work with science advisors and bird experts to identify whether a recorded bird sound is a mating call or a pounding beak, selecting the right ones for the stories.
• BirdNote’s professional narrators are longtime storytellers, DJs, and performers who bring the birds to life.
   

The Images

• Each show is accompanied by high-quality photography. These images were contributed by generous and talented nature photographers.