Customer Reviews

Birds Of America In Song

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a CD transcription of the first two record sets of bird songs ever recorded and released in this country. Cornell University's Laboratory of Ornithology created two six-78 rpm album sets (a total of 24 sides) back in the late forties- American Bird Songs, Volume One and American Bird Songs, Volume Two. They translated themselves to lps in the late 1950s, then went out of print, never to appear on cassette and not on cd until now.

Each band of about 3.5 minutes each contains a set of three or four birds, identified by Dr. Arthur A. Allen, grand old man of Ornithology at Cornell. I grew up on these and they are a great introduction to bird song for young people. I'm glad they're back.

I wish Cornell's other lps (African Bird Songs, Mexican Bird Songs and Songs of Insects)would emerge. In addition to 12 inch lps, they produced a series of 10 inch lps and 78 singles which have also disappeared.

It's everything the review says and much more. Truly excellent. Be sure you all like to listen to bird calls or that the birder has headphones, as s/he'll be playing these over and over.

This can work if you are trying to find out what bird is making what call. However, you have to have an idea of what the bird is you are trying to identify. If not, you just have to go through all the songs and listen until you find what you want.

Would have been better if categorized by the bird name, not the area you might find them in.