This is Bird Note.

In summer, the thick tangles of streamside vegetation in many canyons echo with an uncanny sound.

After a long and careful scan of the willow tree tops, your eyes come to rest on the mystery singer.

A bird with a bright yellow chest and a green face marked with what looked like bold white spectacles.

You've just spotted a yellow-breasted chat.

Keep a sharp eye on it, though,

because when the chat turns its grayish-green back to you,

its image will blend so thoroughly with the leaves

you may think that you imagined the whole thing,

except that the song keeps coming.

When the northern summer declines,

the yellow-breasted chat will make its way south to winter in Central America,

until the springtime draws it north again.

For Bird Note, I'm Michael Stein.

Support for Bird Note is provided by Sarah Mearner and Craig McKibbin from Seattle, Washington,

and generous listeners around the world.