Birdsong from Before: a critical historical geography of bird sound recording

This project explores the history of bird sound recording in Canada and the USA, with a specific focus on the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology at Cornell University, New York, which holds the world’s largest bird sound archive. I will focus on three case study recordings: Arthur A Allen and Peter Paul Kellogg’s 1935 Ivory-Billed Woodpecker recordings, William W. H. Gunn’s 1953 Atlantic Puffin recordings, and Norma and Jerry Stillwell’s 1950 Barred Owl recordings. With a few exceptions, all recordings and physical materials pertaining to these case studies are held at Cornell University. Under the supervision of Dr. Juno Salazar Parreñas in the Department of Science & Technology Studies, I will undertake archival research of these collections, as well as complete supplementary interviews regarding these materials with individuals at the ornithological lab. This project will provide a critical social science perspective on bird sound recording, contribute to the completion of my PhD, and inform a public-facing environmental education project.

Faculty Supervisor:

Laura Cameron

Student:

Partner:

Cornell University

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Sustainability & the Environment; Technology; Entertainment and Media

University:

Queen's University

Program: