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Join us in person or virtually on Wednesday, November 5th for a talk with Lisa Rainsong!

We are often aware of what we hear in our backyards or local parks, but to what extent are we aware that birds are listening to each other for information that is critical to their survival? Birds listen not only to their own species but also to everyone else for important clues about safety, reproduction, and resources. Backyard mammals - particularly squirrels and chipmunks – give warnings that birds respond to, and even some of our insects are listening closely to each other. This program emphasizes what birds, mammals, and insects are listening to and how they interpret what they hear around them.

Lisa Rainsong's life combines music, natural history, and education. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from the Cleveland Institute of Music and has recently retired from her longtime position as a member of the Music Theory faculty. As she became increasingly interested in teaching the songs of earth's first musicians - birds, crickets, katydids, amphibians - she earned a Naturalist Certificate from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, focusing on field work. She now teaches classes, and presents programs and in-service training in the music of nature throughout Ohio. She is also a field recordist and her programs feature her own field recordings and photos.Lisa's field research on the crickets and katydids of Northeast Ohio includes surveys for park districts throughout the region and research grant projects. Her online field guide, Listening to Insects, can be found at https://listeningtoinsects.com. Her educational blog, Listening in Nature, has years of educational tutorials and stories from the field about her exploration of birdsong, insect song, and amphibian song. http://listeninginnature.blogspot.com

November 2025 Speaker Program

By Kirtland Bird Club

November 2025 Speaker Program

Birds and Insects are Listening