The decline of the Ortolan Bunting during the last 30 years is depressing. Now only a handful of ortolans remain in all of southern Sweden. In the north they still have relatively good breeding numbers but then on new clear-cuts and not in the agricultural landscape. This droprig recording was done this morning in one of the last strongholds in Uppland where the same male has returned for its sixth year. Ulva, Upppland. May 13, 2023.

Zoom F3 and 2 x Clippy EM272 as tree-ears

The last of the Ortolan Buntings

Sound recordist Colin Hunter 
Founder of the World Sounds project

Field sound recordist and archivist of vanishing sounds in natural Iandscapes. Highly commended in the Sound of the Year Awards 2024 - Best Natural Sound.

The last of the Ortolan Buntings

Bo Söderström