Motus Report: Mapping localized bird movements using nodes

The cooperative network of Motus towers combined with radio-transmitting tags are transforming our understanding of long-distance bird movements, but do not provide accurate locations for mapping localized bird activity. The University of Montana Bird Ecology Lab (UMBEL) is testing whether supplementing Motus with an array of receiving nodes can locate tagged birds precisely enough to shed light on breeding season movements in the steep woody draws of the Bitterroot Valley. This report shares our initial findings for three bird species in Woodchuck Draw on MPG Ranch, discusses potential applications, and addresses limitations of using node arrays for tracking small-scale bird movements in a topographically complex landscape.

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