Voice of the Wild

Learn the song and call of the Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor).

The erratic flight and Narrow angular wings tipped with white bands give the common nighthawk a rather boomerang-like appearance. While it can be found foraging over its native habitats; marshes, ponds, and prairies, you’re more likely to hear its distinctive “peent” when heading downtown for a dinner with friends. That’s because this nightjar has an affinity for the evening city skyline. The bright city lights draw in plenty of insects for it to catch with its enormous mouth and it finds places to nest on the gravel roofs of apartments and hotels. This bird can make a booming sound with its wings, though this is far less commonly heard than its call.

Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wild every Friday to explore a new wild voice. From time to time, we’ll also do a deep dive into wildlife science, news, and natural history. Voice of the Wild is brought to you by the University of Illinois Extension Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy program.

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The following Cornell Lab | Macaulay Library recordings were used in this episode:

Common Nighthawk call by Geoffrey A. Keller (ML507144)

Common Nighthawk boom by Matthew D. Medler (ML507143)

Learn to tell the difference between Eastern and Western meadowlarks.

Both the Eastern meadowlark and Western meadowlark can be found in Illinois. The Western is only occasional in the state, while the Eastern is common throughout. Both species have a tawny back and yellow front with a black v on their chest, sing while perched on fences and powerlines, and fly with rapid wingbeats interrupted by periods of gliding. The visual differences between the two birds are very subtle. The western meadowlark has less white in its tail, less distinct markings on its head, and is paler on its sides, but these are variable traits and the most reliable way to tell the birds apart is by their voice. Luckily they're very vocal birds.

Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wild every Friday to explore a new wild voice. From time to time, we’ll also do a deep dive into wildlife science, news, and natural history. Voice of the Wild is brought to you by the University of Illinois Extension Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy program.

Available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Subscription links Here

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Listen online on our Homepage

The following Cornell Lab | Macaulay Library recordings were used in this episode:

Eastern Meadowlark song by Wil Hershberger (ML509953)

Eastern Meadowlark call by Ted Parker (ML509967)

Western Meadowlark song by Geoffrey A. Keller (ML509945)

Western Meadowlark call by Randolph Little (ML509951)

Headphones on! Today we’re giving voice to the array of plants and animals which can only be found where the land and the water mingle. It's a set of ecosystems united by inundation, whether it's the long edge of a shallow pond, a cypress swamp, or a wet prairie. It starts with an unwanted sparrow...

Thank you to the various researchers, friends, and coworkers who gave me feedback on this episode (and to my partner who listened to many drafts over the course of a weekend.)

This episode was written and recorded by Brodie Dunn. Some of the information from this recording was derived from a fantastic master naturalist training delivered by Dr. Susan McIntyre.

The following Cornell Lab | Macaulay Library recordings were used in this episode:

Dark-eyed Junco Song by Wil Hershberger (ML509729)

Henslow's Sparrow by Geoffrey A. Keller (ML509579)

Note: While I used this for emphasis at a few points, most Henslow’s calls in episode were native to the recordings.

Sora call by Geoffrey A. Keller (ML506061)

Virginia Rail grunt by Wil Hershberger (ML506054)

American Bittern booming song by Steven R. Pantle and Gregory Budney (ML505854)

Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wild every Friday to explore a new wild voice. From time to time, we’ll also do a deep dive into wildlife science, news, and natural history. Voice of the Wild is brought to you by the University of Illinois Extension Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy program.

Available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

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Voice of the Wild is a service of Illinois Extension’s Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy program.

Learn the song and call of the Northern Parula (Setophaga americana).

This bird forages at the top of the canopy so it can be hard to spot. Luckily, it's easy to hear. It calls with gusto, often ending an ascending trill with a loud hiccup. Getting a close look at the bird is worth the effort. It's among the most ostentatious of our migratory warblers: A blue head and back, bright wingbars, yellow under the bill, and a partial eyering that puts a white dot above and below each eye. Males even have a dark band across on their front, sometimes with a bit of orange in it. It's an absolute mess of color and a joy to behold.

Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wild every Friday to explore a new wild voice. From time to time, we’ll also do a deep dive into wildlife science, news, and natural history. Voice of the Wild is brought to you by the University of Illinois Extension Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy program.

Available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Subscription links Here

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Voice of the Wild Homepage

The following Macaulay Library recordings were used in today’s episode:

ML509167 by Robert C. Stein and William W. H. Gunn, ML509169 by Gregory Budney, and ML509171 by Randolph Little and James Kimball

Learn the song and call of the Red-eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceus).

A key member of the summer orchestra, you’ll hear this common gray and olive bird on nearly every hike. It sings throughout the day, every day, seemingly every minute. Uttering short little phrases one after another as if it's just letting us know that it’s up there. It tends to slink about in the upper canopy inspecting the underside of leaves for caterpillars and other arthropods. Despite its name, its red iris is not always easy to see; look instead for its dark eyeline and pale eyebrow.

Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wild every Friday to explore a new wild voice. From time to time, we’ll also do a deep dive into wildlife science, news, and natural history. Voice of the Wild is brought to you by the University of Illinois Extension Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy program.

Available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Subscription links Here

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Listen online on our Homepage

The following Cornell Lab | Macaulay Library recordings were used in this episode:

Red-eyed vireo song (ML507846) by Geoffrey A. Keller

Red-eyed vireo call (ML507849) by Oliver H. Hewitt