Upland Sandpipers are an emblematic bird of grassland habitats in many regions of the Americas. These shorebirds live far from sea with the largest breeding populations in the north central U.S. But Upland Sandpipers are losing breeding ground to row-crop agriculture, pushing some birds to nest at airports as a substitute for natural prairies. Preserving grasslands throughout their range will help ensure that the Upland Sandpiper’s signature whistling song continues to ring out.

This episode is sponsored in memoriam of Alice Ashbaugh, a lifelong birdwatcher and amateur ornithologist.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. 

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