If you’ve ever paused mid-walk to listen to a magpie warble or a kookaburra cackle, a new music project wants to hear from you – quite literally.

Western Australian ensemble Decibel New Music Ensemble has issued a nationwide call for audio recordings of Australian birdsong as part of BioFONIKA, an immersive performance work set to premiere in Perth and Melbourne in 2027. The project brings together field recordings, live instrumental performance, electronic sound transformation and spoken text to explore the rich sonic world of Australian birdlife.

The ensemble is collaborating with composer and violinist Jon Rose and violinist, ornithologist and zoomusicologist Hollis Taylor, whose work has long explored the musical possibilities of birdsong. In fact, the pair were jointly recognised with the Richard Gill Award for Distinguished Services to Australian Music by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre in 2025 for their pioneering contributions to Australian sound culture.

Now they’re asking the public to help build the sonic palette of BioFONIKA.

Hollis Taylor & Jon Rose’s favourite galah, Doggie. Photo supplied

Contributors are invited to submit recordings of Australian birdsong, spoken recollections of memorable bird encounters, or even historical and...