AI translates birdsong into human text in maiden Vietnam-Germany art installation

Set inside a wooden tree house in Hanoi’s Chuong Duong Forest Park, the installation ‘What do birds tweet about?' is part of a cross-cultural project that blends sculpture, ornithology, sound technology, and storytelling.

Initiated by the Goethe-Institut Vietnam and co-created by German collective Baltic Raw Org and Vietnamese group Think Playgrounds, the project marks 50 years of diplomatic relations between Germany and Vietnam.

Directional microphones mounted in the tree canopy capture live bird calls and send the audio signals to a device installed inside the tree house.

There, artificial intelligence analyzes the acoustic patterns, identifies the bird species based on a global ornithological database, and translates the results into short texts about the birds, offering visitors a scientific yet poetic window into their world.

Móka Farkas, one of the artists behind the project, said it is her team's dream to make environmental awareness feel natural and part of everyday life.

Farkas said she hopes to bring the idea to Germany next.

But for now, Vietnam remains the first place this listening station has taken flight.

If no birds are present, the system automatically plays pre-recorded information about species commonly found along the Red River.

Described by its creators as a ‘listening post,’ the installation encourages reflection on biodiversity, ecology, and how technology can foster new relationships with the living world—even in the middle of urban parks.

In Ho Chi Minh City, a second installation will open on September 27 at Tao Dan Park.

Both versions are free and open to the public.

Kim Duc of Think Playgrounds said the Hanoi site was developed with strong community participation.

“It’s important that the community feels this is their space, their work of art,” she said.

The launch event on Friday drew dozens of curious residents, many climbing the tree house to test the AI-powered bird translator and listen to the sounds of the city’s winged inhabitants.