Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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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 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 

 calling — they interrupted all the recordings he tried to make of other birds.

"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?

Bird Call Quiz Ex. 1: Recordings by Gerrit Vyn of "The Living Bird" by MPR News

Bird Call Quiz Ex. 2: Recordings by Gerrit Vyn of "The Living Bird" by MPR News

Bird Call Quiz Ex. 3: Recordings by Gerrit Vyn of "The Living Bird" by MPR News

Bird Call Quiz Ex. 4: Recordings by Gerrit Vyn of "The Living Bird" by MPR News

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.

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Gerrit Vyn has traveled the world photographing and recording hundreds of species of birds. Can you name these species by their call?

Wildlife photographer Gerrit Vyn joins the DNR's Carrol Henderson to talk about some of the world's most majestic birds and their signature calls.

'The Living Bird': Amazing creatures, amazing calls

Courtesy of Gerrit Vyn Photography

Gerrit Vyn has traveled the world photographing and recording hundreds of species of birds. His new book is "The Living Bird: 100 Years of Listening to Nature."

He joined MPR News' Kerri Miller to talk about his book and his travels. Talk the bird call quiz here: http://ow.ly/URbzZ 

How well do you know your bird calls?

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