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. 

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