Lockdown yields first global sound map of spring dawn chorus

Scientists and artists take advantage of low noise levels to record birdsong around world

Alex Morss

Sat 30 May 2020 04.00 EDT

- recording at link -

Scientists and artists have used the drop in noise pollution during the coronavirus lockdown to create the first global public sound map of the spring dawn chorus.

Throughout May, people around the world have uploaded about 3,000 early morning bird recordings made on their phones to the Dawn Chorus website, where they are being shared to help conservation and to create public art.

The soundscape project is inspired by the pioneering work of the bioacoustician Bernie Krause and is led by Prof Michael Gorman, the founding director of the Biotopia museum in Munich, Germany.

Gorman said the idea was created rapidly after Covid-19 led to lockdowns around the world: “Suddenly the natural world could be heard more clearly. It is a moment to stop and listen, to record and share the unique acoustic fingerprint of the bird species of your local area.”

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/30/lockdown-yields-first-global-sound-map-spring-dawn-chorus-birds