Long-term Acoustic Monitoring of Bird Populations Using ARU (Acoustic Recording Unit)
– Grace Irwin, Kyle Elliott (McGill University)
Kenauk is a stopover for many migrating birds and has an abundance of resident bird species. The goal of this project is to provide data and actionable recommendations to monitor, sustainably manage and protect the bird populations on the property of Kenauk and beyond.
Long-term monitoring of bird populations on the property can reveal patterns and trends that indicate the health of ecosystems. Acoustic Recording Units (ARUs) are new devices that continuously record all sounds from their environment, allowing large areas to be surveyed long term in a non-invasive and cost-effective way. Data is then run through a program to identify bird species from their calls.
The objectives of the study include: 1) identify the difference in abundance and species composition between pine and marsh habitats as well as differing ages of deciduous tree stands, and 2) create a protocol of how to efficiently implement ARU monitoring at Kenauk and manage a database for future research potential on birds and other acoustic animals such as frogs and flying squirrels.
Video credits: Julia Lespine, Conservation Storyteller.
