Join BirdNote tomorrow, November 30th!
Illustrator David Sibley and actor H. Jon Benjamin will face off in the bird illustration battle of the century during BirdNote's Year-end Celebration and Auction!
On February 21, 2005, BirdNote first took flight!
15 years and 1500 shows later, we're still delighting listeners around the world with stories of inspiration and hope. During this special anniversary, we honor the people who launched the program, nurtured its growth, and continue making BirdNote accessible to all — free of charge — through generous financial support and tireless service. Thank you for caring about birds and the future of our fragile natural world.
Did you know . . .
1. The idea for BirdNote was inspired by the StarDate radio program.
2. Chris Peterson, BirdNote founder, served as executive director of Seattle Audubon for nine years.
3. The first BirdNote episode aired on KPLU (now KNKX) 88.5 FM Seattle/Tacoma on February 21, 2005.
4. BirdNote expanded broadcasts from weekday coverage to daily coverage in 2008.
5. The BirdNote program archive features 1,500+ shows and 650+ species of birds.
6. The #1 search on BirdNote.org is about the difference between crows and ravens.
7. More than 500 photographers contribute stunning images to www.birdnote.org.
8. The Macaulay Library of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology provides most of the bird sounds in BirdNote programs.
9. BirdNote conservation partners include American Bird Conservancy, Audubon, BirdLife International, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ducks Unlimited, Endangered Species Coalition, Environment for the Americas, National Environmental Education Foundation, and Partners in Flight.
10. Narrator Mary McCann has traveled the world by motorcycle.
11. Narrator Michael Stein speaks German, loves Tex-Mex, and plays the drums.
12. Producer John Kessler is one helluva Scrabble player. Don't mess with him!
13. In September 2019, The New Yorker recognized BirdNote as one of three podcasts to listen to.
14. Quartz named BirdNote the Best Ongoing Science & Technology Podcast of 2019.
15. The most frequent comment from listeners since 2005? "I love BirdNote!"
Wood Ducklings courtesy of John A. Haig