How well do you know your bird calls?

A snowy owl
A snowy owl photographed by Gerrit Vyn in his travels.
Courtesy of Gerrit Vyn Photography

Gerrit Vyn once lay under a camouflage cloth for 30 hours in the arctic tundra, waiting for two yellow-billed loons to make a sound.

They didn't.

"They swam and swam all around my microphone all day long and never made a peep," Vyn said. "You know loons are very loud and call fairly often, so it was super frustrating."

Vyn had to wait until a later trip to the far northeast of Siberian Russia to get the call he wanted. Then, he said, the loons he found wouldn't stop calling — they interrupted all the recordings he tried to make of other birds.

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Vyn is the wildlife photographer behind "The Living Bird: 100 Years of Listening to Nature." He joined MPR News' Kerri Miller to talk about his travels and the new book. They were joined by Carrol Henderson, the head of the Minnesota DNR's non-game wildlife program.

"Sometimes if you just take the time to listen, you'll actually encounter a lot more birds than you will just with your eyes," Henderson said. "By learning the bird calls, it really enhances your ability to enjoy the outdoors."

During the show, they played numerous calls that Vyn has collected on his global tips. How well do you know your bird calls?

Name that bird

Scroll down for the answers.

Answers: 1) Long-tailed Duck, 2) Barred Owl pair, 3) Yellow-billed Loon, 4) Greater Sage Grouse

To hear the full conversation about birds and their native habitats with Gerrit Vyn and Carrol Henderson, use the audio player at the top of the page.