Birdsong Radio

Birdsong Radio is a unique online radio station that offers a serene listening experience by broadcasting a continuous loop of birdsong. The station initially began as a test signal on analogue radio in 1992 and was later broadcast on digital radio from 2003 to 2005. Throughout its existence, Birdsong Radio has returned to the airwaves multiple times, often filling in gaps between other stations' transmissions. Most recently, it made a surprise return in December 2019 on the Portsmouth small scale DAB multiplex, and later, in April 2020, it was added to the Glasgow small scale multiplex​​.

The station's hallmark is a 36-minute, 56-second loop of bird songs and ambient sounds, recorded on the edge of Salisbury Plain in 1991. It features at least twelve distinct species of bird, providing a relaxing alternative to other stations for some listeners. However, the sound of crows crowing and the gunshot-like sounds of wood cracking in the morning sun have also been noted by others​.

While Birdsong Radio has been reported as attracting half a million listeners at one point, there has been debate over the accuracy of this figure. Despite these debates, the station has enjoyed popularity, with its removal from airways often leading to complaints from dedicated listeners​​.