Voice of the Wild

Dickcissel ( Spiza americana ).  In a good tallgrass prairie the Dickcissel’s call can seem to come from every direction. It may have a passing resemblance to a Meadowlark, but on closer inspection you’ll find the Dickcissel is much smaller and has stubby finchlike beak. If you are still unsure, simply wait for the bird to sing it’s own name; dick-dick cissel-cissel.  Do you want to learn more bir...

Common True Katydid ( Pterophylla camellifolia ).  This night-singing insect is commonly heard but seldom seen. It’s a master of disguise, with oblong green wing covers that are almost indistinguishable from a leaf. The camouflage is both necessary and appropriate, that’s because this katydid is very nearly flightless! It’s also arboreal, sticking to the tops of trees where it can hide amongst the...

Learn the song and call of the Common Nighthawk ( Chordeiles minor ).  The erratic flight and Narrow angular wings tipped with white bands give the common nighthawk a rather boomerang-like appearance. While it can be found foraging over its native habitats; marshes, ponds, and prairies, you’re more likely to hear its distinctive “peent” when heading downtown for a dinner with friends. That’s becau...

Learn the song and call of the Sandhill Crane ( Antigone canadensis ).  The harsh, resonant call of the Sandhill crane is most often heard from migratory flocks passing overhead in the spring and fall. Those flocks are easily identified by their calls and by the way they fly; with their heads craned out in front (as opposed to folded back the way a great blue heron or great egret flies.) When foun...

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 (...

Learn to tell the difference between Eastern and Western meadowlarks.  Both the Eastern meadowlark and Western meadowlark can be found in Illinois. The Western is only occasional in the state, while the Eastern is common throughout. Both species have a tawny back and yellow front with a black v on their chest, sing while perched on fences and powerlines, and fly with rapid wingbeats interrupted by...

Learn the song and call of the Eastern meadowlark ( Sturnella magna ).  This yellow-fronted bird with a black V on its chest often sings from fence posts and power lines. It’s fairly common anywhere grasses have been spared regular mowing. It nests on the ground where it forages for insects using a long pointed beak. When startled from its prairie or pasture home it flies away with rapid wingbeats...

Learn the song and call of the Red-eyed vireo ( Vireo olivaceus ).  A key member of the summer orchestra, you’ll hear this common gray and olive bird on nearly every hike. It sings throughout the day, every day, seemingly every minute. Uttering short little phrases one after another as if it's just letting us know that it’s up there. It tends to slink about in the upper canopy inspecting the under...

Learn the song and call of the Common Yellowthroat ( Geothlypis trichas ).  This big witchity-witchety song, often heard in tallgrass prairies and open marshes, comes from a little chunky warbler with a yellow throat and black mask. Males call out all summer long, sometimes popping out of the low reeds and grasses to do so. Listen out for their scolding rattle call anywhere there’s tall grass with...

(Note: this episode was originally published in May 2024 as a bonus episode and was re-published in September 2024 as a regular episode.  In the future, chorus and other group-ID episodes will be published as regular episodes while bonus episodes will be reserved for storytelling.) Learn to identify the seven species of periodical cicada ( Magicicada ) by their song.  For a few weeks in 2024 all s...

Learn the song and call of the Yellow warbler ( Setophaga petechia ).  You might find this little yellow bird in a stand of willows next to a pond or hear its call while walking past the shrubby edge of a creek. Its song is an anthem of the early summer and it’s sung in two phrases. The first goes “sweet sweet sweet” and the second can be heard as “I’m so sweet” or “song so sweet.” The singer is y...

Learn the song and call of the Eastern Towhee ( Pipilo erythrophthalmus ).  A flash of black and white in a low brush pile is likely to be this robin-sized sparrow, and if you see a pair arresting dark red eyes peeking out from that dense tangle, you’ll know for sure. This bird has rufous sides and a white belly; features that stand out on otherwise dark plumage. Males display this dark plumage as...

Headphones on! In our first bonus episode we won’t be hearing an animal’s song and learning its voice. Instead, we’ll be giving voice to a tree. We’ll be hearing about Platanus occidentalis , the American Sycamore, and it starts with a walk through the woods…  Do you want to learn bird songs, frog calls, and insect noises? Join Voice of the Wild every Friday to explore a new wild voice. From time...

Learn the song and call of the Yellow-throated Warbler ( Setophaga dominica )  This bird is an early migrant and it often serenades the spring ephemerals from the tops of sycamores. It likes the tall trees of the bottomlands and its song is clear and graceful even when heard from the trail far below. It has a black triangular mask, but the bright yellow of its throat is its most striking feature;...

Learn the song and call of the Palm warbler ( Setophaga palmarum ).  It's easy to get a look at this warbler as it prefers to mingle in mixed flocks on the ground. You might mistake it for a sparrow at first, but it bobs its tail as it forages and it has yellow on its face and rump. In the spring adults have a chestnut-colored cap. This warbler sounds a little like a chipping sparrow but you can t...

Learn the song and call of the Northern Parula ( Setophaga americana ). This bird forages at the top of the canopy so it can be hard to spot. Luckily, it's easy to hear. It calls with gusto, often ending an ascending trill with a loud hiccup. Getting a close look at the bird is worth the effort. It's among the most ostentatious of our migratory warblers: A blue head and back, bright wingbars, yell...

Wood thrush ( Hylocichla mustelina ). The thrush that sings the North American forest's most hauntingly beautiful song.  Note: this episode is a re-recording of an episode originally published in May of 2024 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...

Join Voice of the Wild each Friday to learn the wild sounds that surround us. First regular episode goes live May 3rd.  Voice of the Wild is brought to you by the University of Illinois Extension Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy program. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Subscription links Here     Subscribe to the Newsletter Voice of the Wild Homepage