IT WAS DAYLIGHT on the river and no birds sang. It was quiet, like The Duke used to say, “A little too quiet.” I figured the birds were up to something. Normally I’d be cussing the fish ducks about ...

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.