Beautiful Bird Songs From Around the World

29 May 2008

On 29 May 2008, the British Library releases a 2 CD collection which brings together the beautiful bird songs of 40 species from across the globe. The latest addition to the British Library's popular series of wildlife CDs, this collection includes recordings of the world's greatest songbirds, allowing listeners to experience some of the most exquisite sounds that can be heard in the natural world, from the everyday to the exotic.

Wildlife enthusiasts will be enthralled by this collection of Beautiful Bird Songs, a double CD compilation of recordings selected from the extensive wildlife collections of the British Library Sound Archive. The rich, musical voice of a Blackbird, the fast rippling song of an African Paradise Flycatcher, the chatter of the Melodious Warbler, the fluty whistles and high-pitched squeals of a Black-throated Laughingthrush, the eerie wail of the Black-throated Diver, the delicate three-note song of the Golden Oriole and the melancholic, mournful call of the Common Potoo – these distinctive sounds and many more combine to present a captivating celebration of the beauty of birdsong.

The collection was compiled by curator Cheryl Tipp who selected 40 of the most beautiful bird songs from the wildlife collections of the British Library Sound Archive. Highlights include:

• Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
  "The Skylark is a true maestro of the sky. As the male begins his ascent into the sky, he releases a breathtaking stream of warbles and trills. This exquisite outpouring can be sustained for several minutes before the bird begins to descend."

• European Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)
  "The Nightingale is perhaps the most celebrated songbird of all time. The pure, vibrant song constantly changes to reflect the Nightingale's astounding repertoire (males can possess up to 200 different song types) and can be heard night and day. Sadly, there is only a small window of opportunity to enjoy this sound in Britain as Nightingales usually sing for just a few months between April and June."

• White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus)
  "Known as the Nightingale of the Orient, the White-rumped Shama has long been considered one of the world's finest songbirds. The song is a full-throated, warbling masterpiece full of variation, melody and mimicry."

• Albert's Lyrebird (Menura alberti)
  "Albert's Lyrebird is renowned for its amazing mimicking ability. It is able to imitate the sounds of other birds, animals and human noises with outstanding precision and seamlessly incorporates these sounds into its own song. The individual heard in this recording has been known and studied for over 20 years and never fails to impress with his incredible song – species imitated in this recording include the Grey Shrike-Thrush, Eastern Whipbird, Satin Bowerbird and Crimson Rosella."

The CD also contains recordings of two endangered species that face a high risk of extinction in the wild. Both New Zealand's Kokako and Cuba's Zapata Wren have suffered severe population declines through habitat loss and the introduction of non-native predators. Cheryl Tipp commented, "The haunting song of the Kokako is one of the most unforgettable sounds from the natural world. Found only on New Zealand's North Island, the Kokako has experienced serious population declines, but conservation efforts are underway to ensure that this unique sound is not lost forever".

The CD also includes examples of avian duets, where both the male and female bird contributes to the song. Cheryl Tipp explains, "Mated pairs will often perform duets, with the male and female each contributing specific vocalisations to the final song. The true function of this phenomenon is still unclear, although duetting is probably associated with territorial defence and the strengthening of pair bonds."

Cheryl Tipp, wildlife sounds curator at the British Library Sound Archive, said: "Birdsong is undeniably among the most uplifting sounds in the natural world, a source of enjoyment and inspiration to humans for centuries. This new collection of Beautiful Bird Songs from around the World contains rare and fascinating recordings selected from the extensive wildlife collections of the British Library Sound Archive, many of them previously unpublished. Other titles in the British Library's wildlife CD series have been extremely popular and I hope that wildlife enthusiasts will find this new compilation equally enchanting."

For press information, interviews and broadcast quality audio extracts, contact Ruth Howlett at the British Library Press Office: +44 (0)20 7412 7112 or ruth.howlett@bl.uk

Notes to Editors

Beautiful Bird Songs from around the World is published by the British Library on 29 May 2008, price £15.95, 2 CD set of 63 minutes and 67 minutes, respectively (ISBN 978 0 7123 0543 3). The CD is accompanied by a booklet including introductory essay.

The CD is available from the British Library Shop (tel: +44 (0)20 7412 7735 / e-mail: bl-bookshop@bl.uk) and online at www.bl.uk/shop as well as other bookshops throughout the UK.

The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world's greatest research libraries. It provides world class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world's largest and most comprehensive research collection. The Library's collection has developed over 250 years and exceeds 150 million separate items representing every age of written civilisation. It includes: books, journals, manuscripts, maps, stamps, music, patents, newspapers and sound recordings in all written and spoken languages. www.bl.uk

The British Library Sound Archive is one of the largest sound archives in the world. It holds over a million discs, 200,000 tapes, and many other sound and video recordings. The collections come from all over the world and cover the entire range of recorded sound from music, drama and literature, to oral history and wildlife sounds. Collection material comes in every conceivable format, from wax cylinder and wire recordings to CD and DVD, and from a wide variety of private, commercial and broadcast sources. The British Library Sound Archive also operates a wide-ranging recording programme of its own.

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