White-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). 

A big sparrow with unexpected biology and an easy song mnemonic. Look for the yellow spot just ahead of its eye, the namesake white throat, and white or tan stripes over the head. The white-throated sparrow arrives in the fall and is common throughout the winter and into early spring. 

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. We’re available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 

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The following Cornell Lab | Macaulay Library recordings were used in this episode: 

• White-throated sparrow song by Geoffrey A. Keller (ML509672)
• White-throated sparrow call by Lewis Kibler (ML509692)
• White-throated sparrow second call by Wil Hershberger (ML509694)

Sources and more: 

• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/  
• https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/white-throated-sparrow   
• Arnold C. 2016. The sparrow with four sexes. Nature. 539(7630):482–484. https://doi.org/10.1038/539482a.
• Beadle D, Rising Jim. 2002. Sparrows of the United States and Canada : the photographic guide. San Diego: Natural World.
• Dobson, Colin et al. Field Guide to Hotspots and Birds in Illinois. Champaign-Urbana: Scissortail LLC, 2023. Print. 
• Godfrey, Michael A, John Farrand, and Roger Tory Peterson. Videoguide to the Birds of North America. New York, N.Y: MasterVision, 1985. Film. 
• Peterson, Roger Tory, and Virginia Marie Peterson. A Field Guide to the Birds: A Completely New Guide to All the Birds of Eastern and Central North America. Fourth edition, completely revised and enlarged. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1980. Print. 
• Sibley, David. Sibley Birds East: Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. Second edition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2016. Print. 
• Tuttle EM, Bergland AO, Korody ML, et al. 2016. Divergence and Functional Degradation of a Sex Chromosome-like Supergene. Current Biology. 26(3):344–350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.11.069.

White-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys). 

A handsome winter visitor with a crisp cap and a sweet whistle. Look for them starting in October in undisturbed brushy habitats and neighborhoods with good, shrubby cover. While the white-crowned sparrow has different regional dialects, the ones found in the Midwest should sound similar to the primary song and call at the beginning of the episode. To hear the alternate songs, you’ll have to travel farther north or west across the continent. 

Cornell’s sound page for the white-crowned sparrow: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-crowned_Sparrow/sounds 

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. We’re available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 

Subscription links Here 

Subscribe to the Newsletter 

Listen online on our Homepage 

The following Cornell Lab | Macaulay Library recordings were used in this episode: 

• White-crowned Sparrow song by Arthur A. Allen and Peter Paul Kellogg (ML509702) 
• White-crowned Sparrow call by Wil Hershberger (ML509703) 
• White-crowned Sparrow alternate song #1 by Arthur A. Allen and David G. Allen (ML509709) 
• White-crowned Sparrow alternate song #2 by Geoffrey A. Keller (ML509704) 
• White-crowned Sparrow alternate song #3 by Leonard J. Peyton (ML509705) 

Sources and more: 

• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-crowned_Sparrow/ 
• https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/white-crowned-sparrow 
• Dobson, Colin et al. Field Guide to Hotspots and Birds in Illinois. Champaign-Urbana: Scissortail LLC, 2023. Print. 
• Godfrey, Michael A, John Farrand, and Roger Tory Peterson. Videoguide to the Birds of North America. New York, N.Y: MasterVision, 1985. Film. 
• Peterson, Roger Tory, and Virginia Marie Peterson. A Field Guide to the Birds: A Completely New Guide to All the Birds of Eastern and Central North America. Fourth edition, completely revised and enlarged. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1980. Print. 
• Sibley, David. Sibley Birds East: Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. Second edition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2016. Print. 

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis). 

The beloved Eastern Bluebird is a conservation success story that shows the huge impact of dedicated conservation and stewardship actions. The bird’s musical and somewhat variable churring can be heard in scrubby meadows and forest clearings, especially when there are dead snags with old woodpecker holes present (or well-kept birdhouses.) 

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. We’re available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 

Subscription links Here 

Subscribe to the Newsletter 

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The following Cornell Lab | Macaulay Library recordings were used in this episode: 

Eastern Bluebird song by Gregory Budney (ML508598) 

Eastern Bluebird Chattering Calls by Wil Hershberger (ML508605) 

Eastern Bluebird call by William Evans (ML508606) 

Sources and more: 

• https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/bluebird.htm 
• https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/vertebrates/european-starling
• https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/eastern-bluebird 
• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/eastern_bluebird/overview 
• Sibley, David. Sibley Birds East: Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. Second edition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2016. Print. 
• Peterson, Roger Tory, and Virginia Marie Peterson. A Field Guide to the Birds: A Completely New Guide to All the Birds of Eastern and Central North America. Fourth edition, completely revised and enlarged. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1980. Print. 
• Godfrey, Michael A, John Farrand, and Roger Tory Peterson. Videoguide to the Birds of North America. New York, N.Y: MasterVision, 1985. Film. 

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum). 

The Cedar Waxwing’s high-pitched call is often heard coming from hungry flocks visiting a local stand of fruit-bearing trees. Look out for their crisp black mask, strong yellow stripe at the end of their tail, and their courtship display of passing a berry back and forth! 

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. We’re available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 

Subscription links Here 

Subscribe to the Newsletter 

Listen online on our Homepage 

The following Cornell Lab | Macaulay Library recordings were used in this episode: 

Cedar Waxwing song by Wil Hershberger (ML508854) 

Cedar Waxwing staccato song by Sally F. Hoyt (ML508857) 

Cedar Waxwing flock call by Geoffrey A. Keller (ML508855) 

Sources and more: 

• https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/cedar-waxwing
• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/cedar_waxwing/overview
• Sibley, David. Sibley Birds East: Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. Second edition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2016. Print. 
• Godfrey, Michael A, John Farrand, and Roger Tory Peterson. Videoguide to the Birds of North America. New York, N.Y: MasterVision, 1985. Film. 

Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon). 

A kingfisher perched along the edge of a lake or stream is a common sight for anglers – besides perching, the kingfisher can also hover a few meters above the surface of the water as it watches for little fish. While you’re listening for their clattering call, keep an eye out for the females; they’re the ones with the orange band across their chest. 

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. We’re available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 

Subscription links Here 

Subscribe to the Newsletter 

Listen online on our Homepage 

The following Cornell Lab | Macaulay Library recordings were used in this episode: 

Belted Kingfisher call by Geoffrey A. Keller (ML507256) 

Sources and more: 

• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Belted_Kingfisher/overview 
• https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/belted-kingfisher 
• Sibley, David. Sibley Birds East: Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. Second edition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2016. Print. 
• Peterson, Roger Tory, and Virginia Marie Peterson. A Field Guide to the Birds: A Completely New Guide to All the Birds of Eastern and Central North America. Fourth edition, completely revised and enlarged. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1980. Print. 
• Dobson, Colin et al. Field Guide to Hotspots and Birds in Illinois. Champaign-Urbana: Scissortail LLC, 2023. Print. 
• Godfrey, Michael A, John Farrand, and Roger Tory Peterson. Videoguide to the Birds of North America. New York, N.Y: MasterVision, 1985. Film. 

Greater Anglewing, (Microcentrum rhombifolium).

Appropriately named, the greater anglewing has curiously rhombus-shaped wingcovers. These clicking insects emerge a few weeks after the common true katydids and add a strange stone-tapping sound to the grinding chorus of other night singers. 

Thank you to Wil Hershberger for letting us use the insect calls from SongsofInsects.com. 

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. We’re available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 

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Sources and more: 

• http://songsofinsects.com/katydids/greater-anglewing 
• https://bugguide.net/node/view/6891 
• Guide to night singing insects of the northeast by John Himmelman 

Dog-day cicada (Neotibicen canicularis). 

While canicularis is the insect most associated with the “dog-day” name, that common name is shared by several species. If the northern dog-day cicada doesn’t sound like what you learned as the dog day cicada, check out episode 15 on Neotibicen pruinosis; that’s the one I learned to call dog-day cicada in central Illinois. https://voiceofthewild.transistor.fm/episodes/episode-15-scissor-grinder-cicada-voice-of-the-wild 

Thank you to Wil Hershberger for letting us use the insect calls from SongsofInsects.com. 

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. We’re available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 

Subscription links Here 

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Sources and more: 

• http://songsofinsects.com/cicadas/dog-day-cicada 
• https://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/neotibicen-canicularis-harris-1841-aka-dog-day-cicada/ 
• https://bugguide.net/node/view/12461 

Morning Cicada (Neotibicen tibicen). 

As the name suggests, this insect sings only in the morning. It begins its rattling broadcast just after the late summer sun has cooked the cool of the night out of the low vegetation it tends to prefer. This cicada has blueish wings, a dark body, and a notably humped back. It is known to have an affinity for swampy areas – in fact, another common name for it is the “swamp cicada.” Nonetheless, I’ve heard it many habitats, so keep an ear open for this bug on your morning walk. 

Thank you to Wil Hershberger for letting us use the insect calls from SongsofInsects.com. 

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. 

Available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 

Subscription links Here 

Subscribe to the Newsletter 

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Sources and more: 

• http://songsofinsects.com/cicadas/swamp-cicada 
• https://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/neotibicen-tibicen-tibicen-linnaeus-1758-aka-morning-cicada/   
• https://bugguide.net/node/view/6966 

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis). 

The American goldfinch’s jumbled song is a staple of warm mornings and hot summer afternoons. In the cold months they visit hanging finch feeders, the drooping heads of last year’s sunflowers, and sometimes join in with Pine siskins foraging in sycamore and sweetgum trees. Listen for their “perchicory” or “potato chip” flight call as you go about your day! 

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. 

Available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 

Subscription links Here 

Subscribe to the Newsletter 

Listen online on our Homepage 

The following Cornell Lab | Macaulay Library recordings were used in this episode: 

American Goldfinch song by Wil Hershberger (ML510272) 

American Goldfinch flight call by Wil Hershberger (ML510278) 

American Goldfinch call by David Sibley (ML510280) 

Sources and more: 

• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Goldfinch/ 
• https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-goldfinch 
• Sibley, David. Sibley Birds East: Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. Second edition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2016. Print. 
• Peterson, Roger Tory, and Virginia Marie Peterson. A Field Guide to the Birds: A Completely New Guide to All the Birds of Eastern and Central North America. Fourth edition, completely revised and enlarged. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1980. Print. 
• Dobson, Colin et al. Field Guide to Hotspots and Birds in Illinois. Champaign-Urbana: Scissortail LLC, 2023. Print. 
• Godfrey, Michael A, John Farrand, and Roger Tory Peterson. Videoguide to the Birds of North America. New York, N.Y: MasterVision, 1985. Film. 

Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea). 

While the Indigo Bunting is named for the breeding male’s exceptionally blue plumage, the female’s plumage is also exceptional; a rich fawn brown. Look for the Indigo Bunting in hedgerows, forest edges, and other savannalike habitats. Their song is generally sang in multiple phrases, each two notes long. 

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. 

Available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 

Subscription links Here 

Subscribe to the Newsletter 

Listen online on our Homepage 

The following Cornell Lab | Macaulay Library recordings were used in this episode: 

Indigo Bunting song by Wil Hershberger (ML509853) 

Indigo Bunting second song by Wil Hershberger (ML509852) 

Indigo Bunting call by Wil Hershberger (ML509857) 

Sources and more: 

• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Indigo_Bunting/ 
• https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/indigo-bunting 
• Sibley, David. Sibley Birds East: Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. Second edition. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2016. Print. 
• Peterson, Roger Tory, and Virginia Marie Peterson. A Field Guide to the Birds: A Completely New Guide to All the Birds of Eastern and Central North America. Fourth edition, completely revised and enlarged. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1980. Print. 
• Dobson, Colin et al. Field Guide to Hotspots and Birds in Illinois. Champaign-Urbana: Scissortail LLC, 2023. Print. 
• Godfrey, Michael A, John Farrand, and Roger Tory Peterson. Videoguide to the Birds of North America. New York, N.Y: MasterVision, 1985. Film.