Put online in 2015 by Cornell University in the United States, the Macaulay Library is the world's largest library of natural sounds…and it's free.
A constantly evolving catalog
Thanks to the contributions of many bird watchers, photographers and recorders, the Macaulay Library has grown tremendously in recent years. Recently, it reached two impressive milestones: more than 1,5 million audio recordings and 40 million photographs.
In terms of speed and breadth of content now available to everyone, world, worldwide, it's revolutionary,
according to Greg Budney, curator at the Macaulay Library.
The library began building its collection in 1929 and has since amassed recordings of nearly 75 percent of known bird species, as well as a growing collection of insect, fish, frog and mammal sounds. It took university archivists about a dozen years to digitize all of these sounds.
And the most incredible thing is that even though this collection represents only a tiny fraction of the 8.7 million species likely to live on Earth, it is by far the best catalog of the sounds of life on our planet.
A valuable tool for research and conservation
The Macaulay Library provides access to audio and video recordings for research, education, and commercial use. If you would like to contribute to the archive, you can submit your bird recordings and photographs via the eBird/Macaulay Library media upload tool.
In addition to being a valuable resource for researchers, educators and nature enthusiasts, the Macaulay Library also powers innovative tools for birding and conservation. Recordings and photographs in the Library are used to study species biology, monitor bird populations, assess threats to biodiversity and develop effective conservation strategies.
Some treasures from the Macaulay Library
Here are some of the most astonishing specimens recorded in the Macaulay Library:
- Oldest Recording: Arthur Allen, founder of the Cornell Lab, was a pioneer in recording bird sounds. The oldest recording in the library is from 1929 and is of a wild turkey singing.
- The longest recording: an 80-hour recording of the Amazon rainforest, capturing the sounds of sunrise and sunset, as well as the variations of nightlife.
The Macaulay Library is the world's largest library of natural sounds, providing free access and an invaluable experience for researchers, nature enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the wonders of our planet.
Article updated on April 26, 2023 by Byothe
