High Country Audubon Society Motus Tower
Dr. Richard Gray and Paul Laurent installing the Motus Tower
High Country Audubon Society is the proud owner/operator of the first of what will eventually be a series of Motus Towers in the mountains of North Carolina to detect and identify birds migrating through the region. The tower is located on the Appalachian State University Sustainability Farm in Ashe County, NC. Many thanks to retired Astronomy Professor Emeritus, Dr. Richard Gray, a long-time HCAS member, who used his expertise to help make this happen. Our thanks also go out to Motus Wildlife Tracking System (Motus.org) and Birds Canada for making all of this possible.
Click for first bird detected by our Tower
The first bird is an exciting milestone, and we would love to see the number climb. Of course, this is limited by the lack of birds with tracking antennas who happen to come close enough to our tower. Our longer-term goal is to add additional towers in strategic locations to gather more data. To see all data for our first tower, use the link below.
Click for all data for our Motus Tower
The Motus Wildlife Tracking System (Motus: Latin for movement or motion) is an international collaborative research network that uses radio telemetry to track small flying organisms (birds, bats, and insects). When compared to other technologies, automated radio telemetry currently allows researchers to track some of the smallest animals possible, with high precision, over great distances. The system enables a community of researchers, educators, organizations, and citizens to undertake impactful, cost-effective, research and education on the ecology and conservation of migratory animals.
The antenna attached to a bird when tracking with Motus is generally very small and lightweight, designed to minimize impact on the bird’s behavior and health. Typically, the tracking device consists of a nano-tag with a small antenna.
Key Details:
- Antenna Length: The antenna is usually around 12-15 cm (4.7-5.9 inches) in length. This length varies depending on the specific model and the species being tracked.
- Weight: The entire tag (including the antenna) usually weighs between 0.2 and 1 gram, making it suitable for even small bird species without interfering with their natural behavior.
- Tag: The tag itself is often affixed to the bird using a harness, adhesive, or similar method, and it emits a unique signal that can be detected by the Motus towers within a specific range.
The size and design are specifically chosen to ensure that the bird can continue its natural activities like flying and foraging without being encumbered by the tag. The Motus system uses this setup to track the movements of birds, bats, and insects over long distances across a network of receiving towers.
Bird Migration Explorer
National Audubon Society has created a Bird Migration Explorer to show migration paths of birds in the America’s. To view migration data for specific bird species, click the link below and then select a species.
