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

#34 of Songbirding

Fullerton Loop Trail, Part 6

I’m half way down the main descent of the Fullerton Loop Trail. For this final stretch we’ll be listening to this Varied Thrush, as well as Pine Siskin, Tennessee Warblers, and more. Credits Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production. Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter. Producer: Lesley Loksi Chan 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

#33 of Songbirding

Fullerton Loop Trail, Part 5 (Western Warbling-Vireo)

The Western Warbling-Vireo is greyish olive bird that can be found in deciduous trees in woodlands and open areas in western Canada and the United States. Its name is quite descriptive of its song — a rapid and almost frantic warbling song that is loud enough that you are more likely to hear this bird than see it. In 2025 this species was split from the Eastern Warbling-Vireo, which has a much more rapid sounding and less disjoined song. This split happened after this recording, so you’ll hear me refer to it simply as a Warbling Vireo. 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

# of Songbirding

2026 Owl-o-ween Special

In the first half we explore insect songs & sounds in southern Ontario in mid-October, then to a group of Common Ravens in Alberta in June. Credits The Songbirding Halloween Special (2026) 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 Scott Buckley. https://www.scottbuckley.com.au/library/ Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

#32 of Songbirding

Fullerton Loop Trail, Part 4

While hiking the Fullerton Loop Trail I found a very cooperative Townsend’s Solitaire, at about the halfway point of the hike. For this episode, we’re going to listen to this long-winged songster, as well as many other songbird species here. 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

#31 of Songbirding

Fullerton Loop Trail, Part 3

Continuing the ascent of the Fullerton Loop Trail, I’m about to encounter the songs of Red-breast Nuthatches, Western Warbling-Vireos, and Townsend’s Solitaires. 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