Spark Bird: Dara Wilson and the Blue-gray Tanager
5/4/20262 min
While Dara Wilson was working at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in D.C., she introduced visitors to the Amazonia exhibit. She would describe the song of a bird she’d never had the chance to see in the wild, the Blue-gray Tanager. But when Dara moved to Panama, she heard the song that she knew by heart already. Encountering the Blue-gray Tanager in its natural habitat inspired her to keep learning about birds — and to share that knowledge with others as an educator. Dara helps organize Black Birders Week. Find out how you can participate in this year's event here.
More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.
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Conor Gearin· Host0:32
[birds chirping] This is BirdNote. While Dara Wilson was working at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in DC, she introduced visitors to the Amazonia exhibit.
Dara Wilson· Guest0:45
You have to talk about every species, all the trees, all the frogs, and all the birds.
Conor Gearin· Host0:51
She would describe the song of a bird she'd never had the chance to see in the wild, the Blue-gray Tanager.
Dara Wilson· Guest0:56
Their song, it's, I think it's very beautiful, but, like, it's a very raspy song. It goes like tease and tsk-tsk, and multiple parts, too.
Conor Gearin· Host1:05
[bird singing] But when Dara moved to Panama to work at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, she heard a familiar song, one that she knew by heart already.
Dara Wilson· Guest1:19
[bird singing] I heard that call, and it's like, I know that call. I know that call because I spent so much time