Blog icon

Our wildlife sound archive is part of the Australian National Wildlife Collection.

With a library of more than 60 000 recordings, it is the largest of its kind in Australia and among the largest in the world.

The sound recordings dating back to the 1950s, providing useful information about animal behaviour and evolution, as well as insights into taxonomy. Parrot on a branch

Our sound archive covers:

  • birds
  • mammals
  • amphibians
  • invertebrates.

While most of the recordings are of Australian birds, our sound archive also contains sounds from European, North American, South American and New Guinean wildlife.

Accessing the wildlife sound archive

Our sound archive is progressively being digitised. Available recordings can be discovered through the Atlas of Living Australia. Sound recordings may only be accessed by researchers and educators under strict data licensing conditions. None may be used for commercial purposes. To request access please contact us.

If you are interested in Australia's elusive night parrot you can listen to recordings here and view the open access paper here.

Our wildlife sound archive is part of the Australian National Wildlife Collection.

With a library of more than 60 000 recordings, it is the largest of its kind in Australia and among the largest in the world.

The sound recordings dating back to the 1950s, providing useful information about animal behaviour and evolution, as well as insights into taxonomy.

Our archive of wildlife sound recordings is the most comprehensive library of its kind in Australia and is among the largest in the world.

Our sound archive covers:

  • birds
  • mammals
  • amphibians
  • invertebrates.

While most of the recordings are of Australian birds, our sound archive also contains sounds from European, North American, South American and New Guinean wildlife.

Accessing the wildlife sound archive

Our sound archive is progressively being digitised. Available recordings can be discovered through the Atlas of Living Australia. Sound recordings may only be accessed by researchers and educators under strict data licensing conditions. None may be used for commercial purposes. To request access please contact us.

If you are interested in Australia's elusive night parrot you can listen to recordings here and view the open access paper here.

Related to this page

Interested in helping us further this research?

We seek research collaborators with complementary skills so we can work together for stronger results.

Contact us to collaborate

Contact us

Find out how we can help you and your business. Get in touch using the form below and our experts will get in contact soon!

CSIRO will handle your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and our Privacy Policy.


This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

First name must be filled in

Surname must be filled in

I am representing *

Please choose an option

Please provide a subject for the enquriy

0 / 100

We'll need to know what you want to contact us about so we can give you an answer

0 / 1900

You shouldn't be able to see this field. Please try again and leave the field blank.