The Swainson's Warbler is one of North America's shyest birds. These birds forage quietly on the ground, flipping over leaves to expose and capture insects. They scurry away, calling in alarm when big-footed humans invade their shadowy habitat. On their wintering grounds, in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica, they're even harder to find, because they don't sing in winter. Swainson's Warblers do, however, respond aggressively to a recording of their own song. That's how ornithologists confirmed the presence of these elusive warblers, and discovered a vital connection between the two mountain forests, a thousand miles apart.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

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