American Redstart. Photograph by Sandy Selesky.

“Think of how different the world would be if you walked outside and you didn’t hear birds.”

This offhand comment from my friend, who is not a birder, startled me with its unexpected proclamation. Any birder I know would say this but coming from someone who cannot identify a single bird, it caught my interest. After further prodding, she revealed that although she has no idea what she is listening to, she is acutely aware of bird songs on her morning runs or other walks. She notices when song is absent during cold winter days and when song seems to burst forth on warm spring mornings. To her, she explained, the sounds of birds are very much a part of her daily routine, more present than any other sound when she walks outside. They are the dominant feature of her natural soundtrack, and when they are absent, she feels an acute sense of deprivation and disconnection.