The Faunal Aural Codex

Welcome to the FACx (the animal sounds database)! We are a volunteer-driven initiative, dedicated to the goal (and the journey) of building THE complete compendium of accurate, comprehensive, and professional quality animal sound recordings. Woven together through the disciplines of field recording and location sound, acoustic ecology, and conservation, 'The Codex' is continually expanding through the incredible field recording submissions made by recordists from all across the planet. With each new addition, the sonic picture of our natural world becomes more robust, enlivened, and resolved, providing the global community with an archive of immeasurable value, and wonder.

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Pause for a moment. Take a step outside. Listen.

Depending on where on the planet you are in this moment, the possibilities of animals around you are staggering. Though, can you name what you've just heard?

Your ears are always on. Even before we are born, we are listening. And of the great many things we can listen to, some of the oldest and we'll known sounds to human beings are those created by the kaleidoscope of creatures with which we share the planet. Often, even when you can't put eyes on them, you can detect animals through sound. Whether you are venturing through the forest, camping on a mountainside, traversing the coast, or sitting on your back porch, knowing the owners of those calls, chirps, squeaks, warbles, howls, hoots, hisses, barks, cries, growls, roars, grunts, and so much more, deepens your understanding of the living world you inhabit.

Inspired by his experiences working on the 100 Soundscapes of North Carolina project, recordist and sound designer Kyle Raub conceived the Faunal (animal) Aural (sound) Codex (album) after noticing diminished natural soundscapes during his statewide field recording journeys. Having the opportunity to venture to and be still in wonderfully 'quiet' places, it became unavoidably apparent that the sounds of the fauna in these locations were not only captivating and intriguing, but also in many ways delicate and capricious. Often, it doesn't take much to disrupt an otherwise balanced soundscape. To carefully observe and preserve them can be a laborious task, but it is also enriching, joyful, and rewarding).

Estimates range a bit in accuracy and account, but the Animal Kingdom ('Animalia') is comprised of around 1.5 million observed and identified species with possibly 6-6.5 million more roaming the planet. They are take on every foam, and travel by every means and manner. Flying, crawling, swimming, running, jumping, rolling, digging, dancing, slithering, transforming, learning, and doing it all over again. In truth, we owe a good bit our achievement and understanding of the world on our knowledge of they in theirs. Hence, the Faunal Aural Codex and a mission to record the many actions and vocalizations of each identified species, wherever sonically possible.

At some of the most significant moments in our lives, we are given reason for great pause. They can be opportunities, welcomed or otherwise, to confront something that is immense and gravitational by some measure or variable, and yet shrouded, in need of discovery. The effort required for this work is equally as great, but we are set on the endeavor to see it done. Though hopefully, not alone. With the help of many hands (and ears, brains, mics, recorders, headphones, cables, ... ) that work will surely be made light.

If you are ready to learn how you can help and join in on this monumental effort, follow along below!

Awesome! The next step is to review our Submission Guidelines in order to check if your audio is ready for submission.