Frequently Asked Questions

General
Can I visit the Macaulay Library?
Didn't you used to be called the Library of Natural Sounds?
Can I borrow recording equipment from the Macaulay Library?

Audio
How large is the audio archive?
Do you have sounds of predators that will scare birds away from my house/barn/garage, etc.?
Can I get sounds or videos for free?

Video
Can I submit natural history video to the archive?
How large is the video archive?

General

Can I visit the Macaulay Library?

We appreciate your interest but the Macaulay Library is not set up for public tours. However, the visitors' center at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has several interactive exhibits for the public that describe our work and allow you to explore a sound studio just like the ones used by our archivists.

Didn't you used to be called the Library of Natural Sounds?

Yes. In 2000, we changed our name to Macaulay Library. An ambitious capital campaign financed the Lab of Ornithology's move into a new building in 2003. This new space included ample room for our collection. Linda and William (Bill) Macaulay made a major contribution to the campaign, which helped finance custom-built studios, fiber-optic connectivity, and an atmospherically controlled deep archive for the collection. Thanks to Linda and Bill's support the archival facility was named the Macaulay Library.

Can I borrow recording equipment from the Macaulay Library?

A limited number of video and audio recording rigs are available on loan to capable videographers, recordists, and field researchers. We provide instruction on operation and care of the loaner equipment.

Audio

How large is the audio archive?

The Macaulay Library is the world's largest archive of animal sounds.We have more than 170,000 recordings of 75 percent of the world's bird species, and rapidly increasing holdings of insects, fish, frogs, and mammals.

Do you have sounds of predators that will scare birds away from my house/barn/garage, etc.?

For some species this can be an effective method of control. If you contact us, we'll let you know if we have any experience with the species that is troubling you. You might also want to go to the Lab website on Woodpeckers: Damage, Prevention, and Control, or view the All About Birds page on nuisance birds.

Can I get sounds or videos for free?

A large number of our recordings are now available as streaming files on our online archive. Our media distribution staff provide high-quality versions and licensing arrangements. As a not-for-profit organization, we basically charge for the time it takes us to prepare materials for distribution. Learn about all the ways touse our materials and order copies.

Video

Can I submit natural history video to the archive?

We are interested in expanding our collection, but due to limited archival capacity we are highly selective. If you have high-quality video that you think might be of interest, please contact us.

How large is the video archive?

We currently have more than 60,000 professional quality video clips in the archive, representing over 3,500 species of birds. The video archive is rapidly growing in coverage of other animal life as well.