Bird Accents | Saving Urban Birdsong

Bird Accents | Saving Urban Birdsong

Author: National Trust May 7, 2025 Duration: 21:25

When Ajay Tegala discovers that chaffinches, a small songbird, have a different accent every 30 miles, he’s intrigued. 

However, under threat from disease these birds are dying out in urban areas, and their unique urban songs may be lost for ever. But all is not lost. There's a way to find out how this disease is spreading...by recording their song.   
 
Follow Ajay and ecologist and UKYouth4Nature advocate Şeniz Mustafa as they search for this disappearing birdsong. 

To send Joe a chaffinch recording:  
  • Identify a chaffinch. You can use apps like Merlin to help you make sure it’s the right bird.  
  • Point your phone at the chaffinch. Be safe and don’t do anything you wouldn’t normally do!  
  • Record for anywhere up to 5 minutes.  
  • Send to joe.cooper@bto.org 
  • Your recording will be added to the database! 
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Production:   
Hosts: Ajay Tegala and Rosie Holdsworth   
Producer: Marnie Woodmeade 
Assistant Producer: Katy Kelly
Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez 

Contributors:  
Şeniz Mustafa 
Joe Cooper  
Ian Johnson 
  
Discover more:   
Find out more about chaffinches and the British Trust for Ornithology here: https://www.bto.org/understanding-birds/birdfacts/chaffinch 

There’s a story waiting in every landscape, a secret history woven into the hedgerows and hidden in the soil. Wild Tales | Nature Podcast, brought to you by the National Trust, goes beyond the guidebook to find those narratives. Each episode is a quiet exploration of the intricate connections between the natural world and our own place within it. You might find yourself listening to the surprising biography of a centuries-old oak tree, learning how coastal erosion reveals forgotten chapters of human history, or understanding the subtle language of birdsong at dawn. This isn’t just a catalog of facts; it’s an immersive audio experience that considers the science of a changing ecosystem alongside the cultural traditions it sustains. We visit specific places-ancient woodlands, rugged coastlines, and working farms-to hear directly from the people who know them best: rangers, historians, ecologists, and local communities. The result is a thoughtful collection of stories that change how you see the world outside your window. Tune into this podcast for a deeper sense of connection, a moment of calm reflection, and a renewed appreciation for the wild and historic places that shape our shared story.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast
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