Episodes

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Episode 57: Warbling Vireo – Voice of the Wild

Episode 57: Warbling Vireo – Voice of the Wild

Episode 57 · · 02:01

Warbling vireo (Vireo gilvus). The plain vireo with a happy, jumbled song. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wild every Friday to...

Episode 56: Tennessee Warbler – Voice of the Wild

Episode 56: Tennessee Warbler – Voice of the Wild

Episode 56 · · 02:00

Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina). The drab warbler with a repetitive three-parted song. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of th...

Episode 55: Blackpoll Warbler – Voice of the Wild

Episode 55: Blackpoll Warbler – Voice of the Wild

Episode 55 · · 02:00

Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata). A monochrome warbler with a high-pitched “tick-tick-tick” song. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice...

Episode 54: Ovenbird – Voice of the Wild

Episode 54: Ovenbird – Voice of the Wild

Episode 54 · · 02:01

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla). A thrushlike warbler with a blaze of orange on the head. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wild e...

Voice of the Wild...on the Radio?

Voice of the Wild...on the Radio?

Episode · · 01:30

Voice of the Wild might be heading to your local public radio station. As a result, regular episodes will sound a little different. Subscribe to the Newsletter

Episode 53: Chestnut-Sided Warbler – Voice of the Wild

Episode 53: Chestnut-Sided Warbler – Voice of the Wild

Episode 53 · · 03:00

Chestnut-sided warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica).A colorful warbler that’s “pleased to meet you.”Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the...

Episode 52: Prothonotary Warbler – Voice of the Wild

Episode 52: Prothonotary Warbler – Voice of the Wild

Episode 52 · · 03:30

Prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea).A fiery blaze of color and sound.Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wild every Friday t...

Episode 51: Black-and-White Warbler – Voice of the Wild

Episode 51: Black-and-White Warbler – Voice of the Wild

Episode 51 · · 02:07

Black-and-white warbler (Mniotilta varia). A warbler with a call like a squeaky wheelbarrow.Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wil...

Episode 50: Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher – Voice of the Wild

Episode 50: Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher – Voice of the Wild

Episode 50 · · 02:35

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea).The scratchy-voiced little package of attitude. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wil...

Episode 49: Louisiana Waterthrush – Voice of the Wild

Episode 49: Louisiana Waterthrush – Voice of the Wild

Episode 49 · · 02:49

Louisiana waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla). The early warbler that favors muddy shorelines. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wil...

Episode 48: Ruby-Crowned Kinglet – Voice of the Wild

Episode 48: Ruby-Crowned Kinglet – Voice of the Wild

Episode 48 · · 03:22

Ruby-crowned kinglet (Corthylio calendula).The kinglet that hides its crest (most of the time).Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the ...

Episode 47: Spring Peeper – Voice of the Wild

Episode 47: Spring Peeper – Voice of the Wild

Episode 47 · · 03:08

Spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer). The early-spring frog with a sharp birdlike call. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wild eve...

Episode 46: American Woodcock – Voice of the Wild

Episode 46: American Woodcock – Voice of the Wild

Episode 46 · · 03:11

American woodcock (Scolopax minor). The most peculiar of all our shorebirds with a display that is among the surest signs of spring. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls,...

Episode 45: Boreal Chorus Frog – Voice of the Wild

Episode 45: Boreal Chorus Frog – Voice of the Wild

Episode 45 · · 02:16

Boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata). The northern early-spring frog with a call like a fingernail running down the teeth of a plastic comb. Do you want to learn more bird songs,...

Episode 44: Killdeer – Voice of the Wild

Episode 44: Killdeer – Voice of the Wild

Episode 44 · · 03:31

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus). An adaptable shorebird with a solitary lifestyle that puts it in range of our everyday life. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and in...

Episode 43: Common Grackle – Voice of the Wild

Episode 43: Common Grackle – Voice of the Wild

Episode 43 · · 02:40

Common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula). An adaptable blackbird with an explosive and sometimes grating song. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Vo...

Episode 42: Red-Winged Blackbird – Voice of the Wild

Episode 42: Red-Winged Blackbird – Voice of the Wild

Episode 42 · · 03:20

Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). An iconic resident blackbird who’s growing numbers warn of spring’s approach. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect...

Bonus: First Signs of Spring – Voice of the Wild

Bonus: First Signs of Spring – Voice of the Wild

Episode · · 07:50

First Signs of Spring What are the first and most reliable signs of spring? In this episode we’re giving voice to the plants and animals that manage to break through winter's chill t...

Episode 41: Red-Shouldered Hawk – Voice of the Wild

Episode 41: Red-Shouldered Hawk – Voice of the Wild

Episode 41 · · 03:11

Red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus). An agile forest “buteo” with handsome plumage. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wild every...

Episode 40: Northern Saw-Whet Owl – Voice of the Wild

Episode 40: Northern Saw-Whet Owl – Voice of the Wild

Episode 40 · · 03:05

Northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus). A cute but seldom-seen owl that visits Illinois only in fall and winter. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect noise...

Episode 39: Barred Owl – Voice of the Wild

Episode 39: Barred Owl – Voice of the Wild

Episode 39 · · 04:01

Barred owl (Strix varia). The dark-eyed owl with a goofy call, a quirky history, and a penchant for bottomland forests. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect n...

Does the Robin Bring the Spring? – Voice of the Wild

Does the Robin Bring the Spring? – Voice of the Wild

Episode · · 01:35

Is the American Robin really the first harbinger of spring? In this episode I talk about the partially-migratory American Robin and why so many folks seem to think it disappears for ...

Episode 38: Great Horned Owl – Voice of the Wild

Episode 38: Great Horned Owl – Voice of the Wild

Episode 38 · · 03:32

Great horned owl (Bubo virginianus). The quintessential “whooo” owl call belongs to the Great horned owl, North America’s most widespread owl species. The haunting duet of a pair of ...

Episode 37: Black-Capped or Carolina? Chickadee ID – Voice of the Wild

Episode 37: Black-Capped or Carolina? Chickadee ID – Voice of the Wild

Episode 37 · · 02:22

The Black-capped and Carolina chickadee’s range only barely intersects, so identification is typically as easy as finding out which side of the line you are on. Unfortunately, for th...

Episode 36: Red-Tailed Hawk – Voice of the Wild

Episode 36: Red-Tailed Hawk – Voice of the Wild

Episode 36 · · 02:26

Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis). One of the largest and most common raptors in North America and a common sight along highways, especially in winter. Do you want to learn more bi...

Episode 35: Yellow-Rumped Warbler – Voice of the Wild

Episode 35: Yellow-Rumped Warbler – Voice of the Wild

Episode 35 · · 03:03

Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata).One of the few wood warblers that can be found in the Midwest during winter.Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and insect no...

Episode 34: Red-Headed Woodpecker – Voice of the Wild

Episode 34: Red-Headed Woodpecker – Voice of the Wild

Episode 34 · · 03:09

Red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus). The only midwestern woodpecker with a head that’s red from nape to throat. Do you want to learn more bird songs, frog calls, and i...

Episode 33: American Tree Sparrow – Voice of the Wild

Episode 33: American Tree Sparrow – Voice of the Wild

Episode 33 · · 04:06

American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea). The quintessential winter sparrow and a reminder that, even after the leaves have fallen and the prairies turned gray and brown, there’s...

Episode 32: Golden-Crowned Kinglet – Voice of the Wild

Episode 32: Golden-Crowned Kinglet – Voice of the Wild

Episode 32 · · 01:55

Golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa). The golden-crowned kinglet is one of our smallest birds and their sweet, high call is one of winter’s delights. Do you want to learn more bi...

Episode 31: Pine Siskin – Voice of the Wild

Episode 31: Pine Siskin – Voice of the Wild

Episode 31 · · 02:58

Pine siskin (Spinus pinus). An unassuming winter visitor with a strongly ascending call. Join Voice of the Wild every Friday to explore a new wild voice. We’re available on most podc...