Motus Wildlife Tracking System
The Motus Wildlife Tracking System is an international collaborative project that collects data to better understand the movements of migratory animals such as birds, bats, butterflies, and dragonflies. It relies on a network of fixed receiver stations to detect lightweight nanotags, tiny transmitters that track the movements of tagged animals with precision across thousands of miles. Named after the Latin word for movement, the Motus system shares data and maps with researchers across the world.
In 2018, a grant from FirstLight Power Resources, matched with funds from the Connecticut Audubon Society, provided two Motus Wildlife Tracking System receivers. The first was installed at Deer Pond Farm, and the second was erected at Shepaug Dam in Southbury in 2019. (the Southbury site was deactivated in 2023 due to storm damage.)
Here are the species that have been detected since:
2023: Northern Waterthrush, Veery, Wood Thrush, Swainson’s Thrush, several Purple Martin, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Hermit Thrush, Cooper’s Hawk, Northern Saw-whet Owl (acadicus), Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)
2022: American Kestrel, Bobolink, Veery, Swainson’s Thrush, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Bicknell’s Thrush, American Robin
2021: Semipalmated Sandpiper, Common Nighthawk, Bobolink, American Pipit, White-throated Sparrow, Rusty Blackbird
2020: Chimney Swift, American Woodcock, White-throated Sparrow, Blackpoll Warbler, American Pipit, Rusty Blackbird
2019: Swainson’s Thrush, Red, Knot, Semipalmated Plover, Chimney Swift, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Sora, Bicknell’s Thrush, Rusty Blackbird,
2018: Rusty Blackbird
Additional information about specific detections and the research projects that tagged these birds can be assessed here for the Deer Pond Farm receiver.
For more information on our grant, please read our 2018 press release.
