Motus Audio Day 9: Kamloops BC.
Oops, we're in Kamloops! Madison and Natalie deployed a Motus Audio recorder near the banks of the Thompson Rivers, as we continue to launch our cross-Canada migration monitoring network. @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @birdscanada.bsky.social
"Human activity fills the world with noise. The sounds of cars, airplanes, boats and industrial activities produce a steady roar that impacts wild animals."
I've written an article for The Conversation about noise pollution and bird song. 🚘🎶🐦 Read it here:
theconversation.com/paris-has-su...
Motus Audio Day 8: Vaseux Lake BC.
We launched a recorder at Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory, a Canadian Migration Monitoring Network site. This is an offline Motus Audio recorder; we will upload data at the end of the season. Thanks to our host, bander Jason Jones, my old friend from grad school.
Motus Audio Day 7: Hope BC.
With our trusty Chrysler Pacifica — rented in honour of our home town of Windsor, Ontario — Natalie and Madison have made it to Hope, BC, heading into the mountains to launch our cross-Canada bioacoustic migration monitoring network. @birdscanada.bsky.social
Motus Audio Day 6: Vancouver BC.
A great moment when Madison & Natalie were joined by Dr. David Bradley, an alum of our lab, and now Conservation Scientist & Director of Birds Canada for British Columbia @birdscanada.bsky.social. Back on mainland, we launched 3 units in the Vancouver area.
Motus Audio Day 4: Victoria BC
To the delight of a curious harbor seal, Natalie and Madison launched two new Motus Audio recorders on southern Vancouver Island. From Nanaimo to Victoria, our Canada-wide microphone network continues to grow.
#bioacoustics #ornithology @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social
Our amazing field duo enjoying their time launching a Motus Audio microphone at The Raptors. [📷 N. Emerick and M. Bygrove]
Motus Audio Day 3: Duncan BC
We launched our next Motus Audio recorder at The Raptors education centre on Vancouver Island. Thank you to The Raptors! 🦉🦅
Follow us as we launch a continent-wide array of migration monitoring microphones: motus-audio.web.app
#bioacoustics #ornithology
11h
Motus Audio Day 2: The ferry to Vancouver Island.
We're unboxing and assembling 100 Motus Audio recorders, and getting ready to launch the most westerly of our continent-wide microphone network.
motus-audio.web.app #bioacoustics #ornithology
@ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @birdscanada.bsky.social
Come and join our team! With an application deadline in 1 week, we're hiring a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Ecology in the Department of Biology at University of Windsor: efhc.fa.ca2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
@ibiouwindsor.bsky.social
Motus Audio Day 1: Vancouver BC.
After a year of designing, planning, and building, today is a big day: Natalie and Madison are starting a cross-Canada trip to launch 100 Motus Audio recorders. Follow us as we build a continent-wide microphone network.
motus-audio.web.app #bioacoustics #ornithology
I shared some thoughts on our campus geese with the university newspaper: www.uwindsor.ca/news/2026-04... @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social
Congratulations @nelsyninor.bsky.social!
Spotted at the River Bookshop: my chapbook on vocal learning in Savannah Sparrows. riverbookshop.com/products/sav...
This chapbook is part of a series "Birders on Birds" with proceeds supporting the Pelee Island Bird Observatory. @peleeislandbird.bsky.social @riverbookshop.bsky.social
This infographic summarizes the key elements of our paper "Acoustic differences persist in urban Parus major (Great Tit) over two decades of declining anthropogenic noise in Paris, France" in Ornithological Applications. #bioacoustics #ornithology @amornith.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social
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We're hiring an Assistant Professor of Ecology! Come and join me and a great group of colleagues at University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Our job ad: efhc.fa.ca2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...
Message me if you have questions. @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social @uwindsor.bsky.social
An infographic summarizing the key findings of the new paper "Acoustic differences persist in urban Parus major (Great Tit) over two decades of declining anthropogenic noise in Paris, France" by Dan Mennill and Hans Slabbekoorn. A cartoon image shows a sound recordist recording a Great Tit on a street in Paris. One inset graph shows that noise levels in Paris have declined from 2008 to 2023. A second inset graph shows that Great Tits sing at higher song frequencies when the ambient environment is louder. A third inset graph shows that Great Tits continue to sing higher-freuqency songs in 2023 versus 2003; even though Paris is growing quieter, Great Tits in Paris sing higher frequency songs than quiet forests outside of Paris.
Our new paper is out: "Acoustic differences persist in urban Parus major (Great Tit) over two decades of declining anthropogenic noise in Paris, France."
A study of noise and bird song, by me and Hans Slabbekoorn, in Ornithological Applications @amornith.bsky.social:
doi.org/10.1093/orni...
Thank you to a homeowner who kindly agreed to host a Motus Audio recorder in southern Ontario. This recorder is now sampling the flight calls of migratory birds passing overhead as part of the Motus Audio network, so we can better understand bird migration: motus-audio.web.app
Thanks to Birds Canada for their collaboration during our launch of Motus Audio recorders across Canada. Sarah, Natalie, Nelsy, Madison, and Jeff enjoyed a visit the Birds Canada headquarters in southern Ontario this week. [📷 J. Sayers] @birdscanada.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social
Our team launched a Motus Audio flight call recorder at Long Point Bird Observatory. Natalie & Madison added a recorder to the Old Cut Motus Tower, with help from Nelsy Sarah & Jeff, and in collaboration w/ Birds Canada. 🎤🎶🐦👍
#nocmig #bioacosutics @birdscanada.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social
The Bowdoin Scientific Station's 2025 Annual Report has just been published. It's a colourful and vivid depiction of one of the finest biology stations I've had the pleasure to work at. Check it out:
indd.adobe.com/view/edcf4d1...
@bowdoincollege.bsky.social @ibiouwindsor.bsky.social
Pop songs in science papers! Our new paper is the third time a pop song appears in one of our paper titles:
"In the danger zone: Wrens respond more strongly to experimentally simulated predators near their nest"
doi.org/10.1111/eth.... 🧵1/3
Our new article appears in today's issue of Ethology:
"In the Danger Zone: Wrens Respond More Strongly to Experimentally Simulated Predators Near Their Nest"
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
We presented 3D-printed owls near versus far from nests of tropical wrens. How did wrens respond?
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Welcome Jeff!
22 boxes of tubes, each holding extracted DNA of an individual Savannah Sparrow from our field site at Kent Island, New Brunswick.
A tube holding extracted DNA of one of the male Savannah Sparrows breeding on Kent Island in 2021. How many nestlings did he sire?!
Me loading DNA into a gel to test the quality of our DNA for ddRAD analysis.
I just returned from Cornell's Lab of O where I processed 1170 Savannah Sparrows for paternity analysis! I had so much fun learning new techniques and meeting the outstanding people at the Lab of O. Now I can't wait to see who the fathers are! @dmennill.bsky.social @ryannorrissci.bsky.social
Instead of our usual Thursday lab meeting, today our team is joining the @wildlifeacoustics.com #NocmigWebinar "Dispatches in the Dark." We're learning all about nocturnal flight calls, migration over China and Europe, and the Chirpity #nocmig package. Thanks for hosting, Wildlife Acoustics!
Sarah's visiting the Lab of Ornithology this month, conducting genetic analyses of parentage of Savannah Sparrows. Thanks to everyone at the Lab of O for their hospitality and mentorship. Great work @sdobney.bsky.social!
Madison held her first supervisory committee meeting, presenting her plans for bioacoustic studies of bird migration. Congratulations Madison! I'm excited for the research ahead.
Three cheers for Natalie who had her first supervisory committee meeting today. Congratulations Nat! I’m really excited about your proposed research.
Our new paper is out today in Ethology: "In the Danger Zone: Wrens Respond More Strongly to Experimentally Simulated Predators Near Their Nest" With Dan Mennill @dmennill.bsky.social
How do tropical wrens respond to simulated predators near their nest?
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
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