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May 7, 2025 21 mins

When Ajay Tegala discovers that chaffinches, a small songbird, have a different accent every 30 miles, he’s intrigued. 

However, under threat from disease these birds are dying out in urban areas, and their unique urban songs may be lost for ever. But all is not lost. There's a way to find out how this disease is spreading...by recording their song.   
 
Follow Ajay and ecologist and UKYouth4Nature advocate Şeniz Mustafa as they search for this disappearing birdsong. 

To send Joe a chaffinch recording:  
  • Identify a chaffinch. You can use apps like Merlin to help you make sure it’s the right bird.  
  • Point your phone at the chaffinch. Be safe and don’t do anything you wouldn’t normally do!  
  • Record for anywhere up to 5 minutes.  
  • Send to joe.cooper@bto.org 
  • Your recording will be added to the database! 
[Ad] Wild Tales is sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, your outside retailer and epic guides to adventure.   
Quick breathers, calming walks or heart-pounding hikes. We feel better when we get out more.   
Find quality kit and 50 years of outdoor wisdom. Plus, supporters save 15% in-store and online. Feel in your element, in the elements, at Cotswold Outdoor.   
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Production:   
Hosts: Ajay Tegala and Rosie Holdsworth   
Producer: Marnie Woodmeade 
Assistant Producer: Katy Kelly
Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez 

Contributors:  
Şeniz Mustafa 
Joe Cooper  
Ian Johnson 
  
Discover more:   
Find out more about chaffinches and the British Trust for Ornithology here: https://www.bto.org/understanding-birds/birdfacts/chaffinch 
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