Songbirding Studios

Nature-based audio documentaries.

Shows

Songscapes

Soundscapes from nature sanctuaries and natural areas in Canada. Includes birds, amphibians, insects, and more. Season 1 and 2 produced from field recordings of the Hamilton Bioacoustic Research Project & the Hamilton Naturalists' Club in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Season 3 produced from field recordings of various recordists around the world. See the episode notes for details.

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Birdsong Serenades

Learning to identify birdsong by ear can be a satisfying skill for anyone who has interest in birds and nature. In this podcast, birdsong recordist Rob Porter introduces you to the songs found in various habitats across North America. Recordings are by Rob Porter. Cover art is by Lauren Helton. https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/

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Songbirding

Immerse yourself in the elsewhere. Guided by award-winning naturalist and field recordist Rob Porter, the Songbirding podcast is an audio nature documentary that takes you on guided hikes while you learn the songs of dozens of North American songbird species. Entirely recorded in the field, and equally ideal for learning or relaxing to. You really won't hear any other podcast quite like this (and if you do, we'd really like to hear about it!). Songbirding has been four-time nominated as Best Science Podcast for the Canadian Podcast Awards. You can start with any episode in any season. Season 1: Bruce Peninsula, Ontario; 2-3: Southern Ontario; 4: Mid-western & Southern Ontario; 5: Johnston Harbour, Ontario; 6: Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania; 7: Kananaskis Country, Alberta. For those with high-frequency hearing loss, please search for "Songbirding Under 5kHz". Credits Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter. Cover art by Lauren Helton - https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/ About the Host Rob is a software engineer and naturalist in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He is the winner of the 2025 Betty Blashill Environmental Prize, and started the Songbirding podcast in 2019. He is also currently the Bird Studies Group Director of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club. Support Support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

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Journal of a Songbirder

Birds, nature, field recording, and more. This is a new podcast where host Rob Porter talks about his field recordings (used in the podcasts "Songbirding" and "Songscapes") as well as general bird and nature-related topics. Most episodes will be based on newsletters from https://www.patreon.com/songbirding where anyone can sign up for free.

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Latest Episodes

#24 of Songbirding

Species in Focus: Ruby-crowned Kinglet

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet has a lengthy and fascinating song for such a tiny songbird. This little grey bird starts off with soft high notes, then break into a musical twittering, and concludes with a loud series of phrases. It’s an enchanting song, and a loud one for such a tiny bird. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet breeds throughout most of Canada and much of the interior western United States. For this species in focus episode I’ll be sharing my recordings of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet from the Barrier Lake Forestry Trails, and the Sibbald Flats. Credits Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production. Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter. The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062 Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions. Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

#23 of Songbirding

Species in Contrast: Chipping Sparrow & Orange-crowned Warbler

A classic birding-by-ear problem is having two or more species in the same area that have similar songs. The Chipping Sparrow and the Orange-crowned Warbler are two such species: two of many that are infamous for their cryptic trills. First, the Chipping Sparrow has a straight trill with a consistent spacing between each “note”. In contrast, this Orange-crowned Warbler’s trill slows down as it progresses, and is not very consistent in quality. For this species in contrast episode I’ll be sharing my recordings of Orange-crowned Warbler & Chipping Sparrow from the Barrier Lake Forestry Trails, the Fullerton Trail, Prairie View, and the Sibbald Flats. Credits Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production. Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter. The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062 Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions. Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

#22 of Songbirding

Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest, Part 5 (Townsend's Warbler)

This episode concludes the morning at Jumpingpound Demonstraton Forest, with a focus on the Townsend's Warbler Credits Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production. Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter. The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062 Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions. Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

#21 of Songbirding

Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest, Part 4

Not wanting to leave a good birding location, I’m continuing to hike up and down the main hill at the Pine Woods Loop Trail at Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest, following each new bird species I hear. It may be getting late into the morning, but the intensity of birdsong is not letting up yet. Credits Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production. Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter. The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062 Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions. Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

#20 of Songbirding

Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest, Part 3

I’m continuing my hike through Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest. As the morning air warms, the birdsong continues to increase in intensity and diversity. Credits Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production. Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter. The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062 Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions. Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

Hosts

Rob Porter

Host of Songbirding