The Voice She Couldn't Name

Maria Chen spent her first morning at Cornell's Sapsucker Woods completely overwhelmed. The May forest was alive with sound — trills, warbles, sharp chips — but to her untrained ears it was beautiful chaos.

"There," said Dr. Eleanor Vance, her research mentor, raising a hand. "Did you hear that?"

Maria heard dozens of things. She shook her head.

"It'll come again," Dr. Vance said. "Wait."