Proving that they are no featherweights when it comes to support from the Australian public, 53 of Australia’s most threatened avian species have flown into the pop charts this week, screeching ahead of the likes of Abba and Michael Bublé to nest at #5 on this week’s ARIA albums list.
Becoming the highest selling Independent record, the birds have well and truly made their mark; despite not quite managing to knock Adele off her perch Songs of Disappearance has well and truly beaten expectations to claim their top 5 position.
Released by Birdlife Australia, the album coincides with a report on the impact of climate change on threatened species, with the album available across digital platforms and to purchase from songsofdisappearance.com. Bird enthusiasts from around the country flocked together to support the project.
Compiled in conjunction with The Bowerbird Collective and featuring recordings by renowned wildlife documenter David Stewart, among others, the album flew off shelves around the country, with Tweets flying and bird lovers egging each other on to support a much bigger cause.
“This album is a very special record with some rare recordings of birds that may not survive if we don’t come together to protect them,” said Paul Sullivan, CEO of BirdLife Australia. “While this campaign is fun, there’s a serious side to what we’re doing, and it’s been heartening to see bird enthusiasts showing governments and businesses that Australians care about these important birds.”
Songs of Disappearance features bird calls captured by eminent nature recordist David Stewart, Nature Sound, as well as a three-minute compilation of all the species on the album creating a magical chorus of rare birdsong unlike anything heard before.
The release of Songs of Disappearance follows a once-in-a-decade scientific study led by Birdlife Australia and Stephen Garnett of Charles Darwin University, with input from more than 300 bird experts, which discovered that 1 in 6 (216 out of 1,299) species of birds in Australia are in imminent danger due to climate change – up from 195 in 2011.
Climate change has emerged as a dire threat to Australian wildlife, as comprehensive surveys from around the continent continue to reveal how animals are feeling the full weight of this global issue.
Songs of Disappearance is available on CD and digital download. For more information, visit: www.songsofdisappearance.com for details.
Image: Songs of Disappearance (supplied)