The Squirrel Cuckoo, Leena Lee

Composers talk to Verity Sharp about how their creativity has been shaped by an animal species, how it has formed their approach to making music, and what they’ve discovered about the natural world in the process.

Each episode explores how an animal has served as a muse or guide to expand their musical palette with diverse sets of thinking, ranging from personal healing to musical virtuosity and local ecological concerns. These musicians often incorporate field recordings or natural sounds into their work, treating nature as a collaborator.

In this final episode, atmosphere artist and field recordist Leena Lee reminds us that while it is easy to dismiss birdsong, there is much for us still to learn. Following the sounds of the squirrel cuckoo (Piaya cayana) in the Lacandon jungle, from marking seasonal cycles to announcing rain and even warning of danger, Leena explores how birds are not just powerful bioindicators but a crucial opportunity to listen to the world around us in new ways.

Produced by Tess Davidson
Production support from Rebecca Lennon
A Reduced Listening production for BBC Radio 3

Additional field recordings by Fernando González García, Leena Lee and Verity Sharp
Featuring extracts from ‘K’in’ from Aves de Nahá (Bosque Vacío)