Ornithologist Seán Ronayne from Cobh, County Cork, has made it his mission to record the sounds of all 200 bird species in Ireland. He often travels with his partner Alba to some of the most beautiful and remote places in the country to capture the elusive species and soundscapes: the bustling seabird colony of Skellig Michael, a native woodland area free from road noise in the Burren, the corncrake stronghold of Tory Island, a lonely nest in the Donegal highlands. Along the way, we meet Seán, whose hypersensitivity to sound has proven to be both a struggle and a strength. Seán's journey is both inspiring and cautionary, illustrating the beauty and importance of sound and what listening can tell us about the state of our natural world.
Shown in
English
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This film is one of 50 productions selected for the European Wildlife Film Awards (EWFA) and is eligible for the Audience Award, which will be presented in February 2026. Cinema-goers will have the opportunity to rate the film on site.
“Birdsong” won the award in the “Best Story” category at the EWFA 2025.
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About the European Wildlife Film Awards (EWFA)
The EWFA is the first nature film competition to exclusively honor documentaries about European flora and fauna. Presented by the German Wildlife Foundation, there are a total of six award categories. A total of 245 films were submitted for the first competition in 2025. A jury of experts from the fields of nature conservation, media, science, and culture selected the winners in the categories of wildlife, biodiversity, nature conservation, and storytelling. But cinema-goers also have the opportunity to rate the films. They voted for the best short film and will decide on the audience award, which will be presented for the first time in 2026.
