Like any good travelogue, Listening to a Continent Sing is built on a variety of aspects. Naturally there are stories of adventure and mishap, as well as personal reflections on family, career, and revisiting memorable places. History, geology, and the culture of cycling all have major roles in the story. The main topic of the book, however, is bird song. Kroodsma reflects on his career of investigation into the subject as he traverses the country, noting the birds and their songs along the way.