Recording nature sounds is one of the more fascinating (and challenging) aspects of audio recording. Singing birds, wild animal calls, a babbling brook, or the chirp of baby birds all present unique challenges. Many of the same audio recording techniques apply when recording car noises, lawn mower engines and other man made sounds. Unlike machines, you don’t always get a second chance when you attempt to record high quality nature sounds.
Getting started in recording nature sounds requires three basic things:
- A digital audio recorder, which could be your Android or iPhone. You are likely to get better results with a dedicated recording device.
- A stereo microphone or stereo microphone pair
- Headphones for listening to what you’re recording
The big reason to use an audio recorder for nature sounds is greater control compared to most iPhone apps. Recorders also come with high quality built-in stereo microphones, so you won’t need to purchase additional external microphones. There are some portable digital recorders from either Zoom or Tascam.
A stereo microphone or pair of microphones results in more realistic nature recordings. Stereo creates sounds that better mimic the experience of hearing with two ears. If you don’t want to purchase a separate recorder, the Rode microphone pictured here is a great alternative for phones. Higher quality microphones like this Rode device cost about as much as a high end digital recorder.
A microphone windscreen is also useful for cutting noise from wind while recording. If you use larger external microphones, you can make your own windscreen.
Other considerations when recording nature sounds
The type of headphones you choose will depend on which recording device you choose and whether or not the device has a bluetooth connection for using something like AIrpods.
You also need a good dose of luck and patience in order to find the specific species of bird or animal you’re hoping to record. One key thing is to get the microphone as close to the sound source as possible. Otherwise you risk capturing extraneous sounds that need to be edited out of the recording.
For a great overview of what’s required for recording sounds from the wilderness, the Wildebeat Podcast has a great interview on recording the sounds nature with Kurt Fristrup (of the National Parks Service Natural Sounds Program) and Dan Dugan (of the Nature Sounds Society). Two great tips from the podcast are how to find places free from unnatural sounds and some of the basic techniques for getting a good sample of the sound you hope to record.
One of the best sources for a foundation in nature sound recording is the Nature Sounds Society. Their Question Bird service provides specific recording techniques and gear recommendations for recording specific kinds of natural sounds. The Merlin app from Cornell University is a great tool for identifying specific bird sounds from the field.
