I was born inside the Amazon Forest

For centuries, historians and scholars believed the Amazon rainforest was a pristine and untouched forest, a wild jungle that no man could tame. Research now shows that millions of people once lived in the Amazon and they transformed it to suit their daily needs. Quartz News follows archeologists into Brazil’s Amazon to learn how these ancient civilizations thrived without destroying the environment.

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Listen #3

Bernie Krause

Ecologist and musician Bernie Krause has made it his life’s work to record the planet’s vanishing soundscapes. Here’s why we need to tune into the environment. Read more HERE

Without sound…there would be no music, no legend, no voice to stir the soul, evoke the memory, or transport the spirit! From the songs of humpback whales and the screams of Rwanda’s mountain gorillas to the groan of shifting Arctic glaciers or the rumble of an approaching storm, Wild Sanctuary albums, installations, and recognized authority in the field of natural sounds is authentic, adventurous, and inspiring. Within a changing world, what you listen to matters!

Visit Wild Sanctuary HERE

Bird listening or bird watching?

  [The Brain Scoop]

Vocabulary to learn after watching the video :

• Bird calls of Amazonia
• An Ornithologist
• We follow the pre-opened trail
• We do this at a slow pace
• Keep in mind
• The most complex landscape in the world
• Recording equipment
• A field guide
• I do a lot of recordings, primarily for learning
• The most indicative like rainforest bird, noise
• Bird watching in real-time
• Telling insects from birds
• Bird like calls
• Different species
• Haven’t been explored that deeply
• We can upload them on systems online
• A cacophony of sounds
• A flock of ant birds following a swarm of army ants
• A little over an hour
• They should call it bird listening not bird watching

As an Ornithologist, you could be involved in:

• fieldwork and research
• conservation and habitat management
• consultancy
• education
• campaigning and policy development.

Your work would vary depending on the particular job, but typically you’ll:

• conduct surveys
• monitor bird species in a particular habitat
• track bird movements and biological processes
• collect, analyse and evaluate data
• prepare reports, management plans and presentations.

To be an ornithologist you should have:

• a keen interest in birds and their habitats
• an accurate and methodical approach to surveying, recording and reporting
• enthusiasm about wildlife conservation
• good analytical and mathematical skills
• the ability to work alone or as part of a team
• good written and spoken communication skills
• the ability to produce clear reports
• a willingness to work flexibly
• IT skills.

You could be employed as an ornithologist by a number of organisations, including:

• observatories
• ringing stations
• nature reserves
• local authorities
• conservation charities, including international projects
• wildlife trusts
• ecological consultancies conservation organisations

[National Career Service ]