New England Birds

Tracking bird biodiversity and ecosystem health in northeastern U.S. parks through acoustic monitoring

In partnership with the National Park Service and Dartmouth College, this project focuses on monitoring bird populations and biodiversity in NPS sites in the northeastern United States. We analyze data from passive acoustic monitoring, calibrated with more traditional point counts by skilled human observers, to get a picture of biodiversity in the park habitats.

In addition to this overview of biodiversity, we’re also focusing on:

• Phenology and Climate Change: Examining how bird species are responding to changing temperatures and habitats (for example, changes in leaf out timing and the impact on caterpillar populations) and how to make New England parks more resilient to these changes.
• Forest Succession: The project looks at the long-term changes in forest ecosystems, especially as they mature and how this impacts bird diversity. A key focus is on the impacts of habitat changes due to events like hurricanes or human activity.
• Ash Tree Decline: The “Ashes to Ashes” subproject focuses on the rapid decline of ash trees due to the emerald ash borer. Ash trees play a critical role in the ecosystem, supporting unique biodiversity. The project records the final stages of ash trees’ existence in these forests.

Here’s a sound clip of dawn chorus at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park: