A bald eagle checks out the surroundings in Rye, N.H. on May 7, 2023. You’ve probably seen a bald eagle in a film or TV show, where the bird soars gracefully and swoops with might to catch its prey.

NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Matthew Medler of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology about the best bird sounds of 2025 from their vast collection of recordings, and why their selections made the list.

Birds don't just sing for beauty, their voices carry messages, warnings, and even regional dialects that reveal a hidden world of communication. Bird sounds offer insight into how intelligent and ...