When is Attenborough’s Wonder of Song on TV?
Attenborough’s Wonder of Song will air on the BBC during the Christmas period, and will be available on BBC iPlayer afterwards.
What is Attenborough’s Wonder of Song about?
It’s an early spring morning and we join Sir David Attenborough in a garden to marvel in the cacophony of the dawn chorus at his peak. “There are surely few more enchanting natural soundscapes than this,” he says, and we can’t but agree (and not just because it’s Attenborough saying this).
But as he points out, this beautiful avian chorus is not performed for our benefit, but for the purposes of attracting mates and defending territories. And, in what may come as surprise to some, it’s actually a rather dangerous activity for a bird to perform, giving away an individual’s location to predators.
!["A]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/23/2021/12/Singing-robin-in-winter.-Attenboroughs-Wonder-of-Song.-George-Woodcock.-Mike-Birkhead-Associates-ea7ce15.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C349" "\"A")
In this hour-long documentary, Attenborough explores seven recordings of song taken during his lifetime that have particular interest to him. The oldest was recorded when he was just five years old, and one just a few years ago. One of them was even captured by him, and the archive footage of Attenborough doing so is absolutely charming. All have broken new ground and contributed to how our understanding of song has changed since Charles Darwin put forward his theory of sexual selection.
With the seven songs covering a range of species including the humpback whale, the indri (the world’s largest species of lemur) and the lyrebird, it’s a fascinating and thrilling programme and we only wish it could’ve lasted longer.
Who is Sir David Attenborough?
!["Sir]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/23/2021/09/David-Attenborough.-GettyImages-526492374-2b40452.jpg?quality=90&resize=611%2C413" "\"Sir")
Sir David Attenborough is a world-renowned TV broadcaster and conservationist, who has presented numerous natural history series across a number of decades, with recent programmes including A Perfect Planet, David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, Our Planet, and Extinction: The Facts.
Which species appear in Attenborough’s Wonder of Song?
Seven key mammal and bird species and their songs will be featured in the documentary, including:
Indri (Indri indri)
Please note that external videos may contain ads:
Also known as the babakoto, the indri is the largest of the lemur species, measuring 60-70cm in length. It has black and white fur, and a pointed bare face. It is found in northeastern Madagascar (all lemurs are endemic to Madagascar), and is most closely related to sifakas and avahis.
The scientific name of the indri, Indri indri, is a tautonym, where the genus and specific name are the same.
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
!["A]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/23/2021/12/Humpback-whale.-GettyImages-1189053011-4910e42.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"A")
The humpback whale is one of the largest of the baleen whale species and can live for about 80 to 90 years. Its name comes from the distinctive hump on its back. It feeds on krill and small fish, and has one of the longest migrations of any mammal on the planet.
Learn more about whales:
- Humpback whale guide
- How do whales breastfeed underwater?
- Why do bowhead whales have such large heads?
Superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae)
Please note that external videos may contain ads:
The superb lyrebird is one of two lyrebird species, both of which are found in Australia and are among the world’s largest songbirds. They have elaborate courtship displays and are able to mimic the calls and noises of other birds and animals.
Main image: Sir David Attenborough on location for Attenborough’s Wonder of Song in Richmond Park. © Mike Birkhead Associates