Baker Consultants

Combining bioacoustics and occupancy modelling for improved monitoring of rare breeding bird populations

Our Technical Director, Carlos Abrahams, has just had another paper published on bird bioacoustics research, following previous studies on capercaillie in Scotland.

This new publication was developed from a ground-breaking project undertaken for Natural England, associated with their management of internationally important heathlands in Southern England.

The paper – “Combining bioacoustics and occupancy modelling for improved monitoring of rare breeding bird populations” – used innovative sound recording and analysis methods to assess the population of the rare bird species nightjar, woodlark and Dartford Warbler. The project was the first of its type to be undertaken anywhere in Europe, and demonstrates Baker Consultants expertise in the application of cutting-edge bioacoustic research.

The survey methods identified the presence/absence of target bird species at a large number of sampling locations, and interlaced this information with land-cover mapping and satellite imagery, using Geographical Information Systems to determine the effects of habitat structure on bird species presence. The project clearly demonstrated that acoustic recording approaches can offer very effective and efficient methods for biodiversity monitoring, offering significant benefits over traditional survey methods.